PLAN 3

(FRIDAY 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM)

SAKA, JAPAN
SUBMITTED BY:

NICKY PATRICK D. BALADHAY

CARLO G. JOVITA
BS ARCH. 4

SUBMITTED TO:

AR. DEMIE VERDE

INSTRUCTOR

MARCH. 19, 2021

BACKGROUND

Osaka is a designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital city of
Osaka Prefecture and the largest component of the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area, the
second-largest metropolitan area in Japan and the 10th largest urban area in the world
with more than 19 million inhabitants.

Osaka was traditionally considered Japan's economic hub. By the Kofun period (300–
538) it had developed into an important regional port, and in the 7th and 8th centuries,
it served briefly as the imperial capital. Osaka continued to flourish during the Edo period
(1603–1867) and became known as a center of Japanese culture. Following the Meiji
Restoration, Osaka greatly expanded in size and underwent rapid industrialization. In
1889, Osaka was officially established as a municipality.

Osaka is a major financial center of Japan. It is home to the Osaka Securities Exchange
as well as the multinational electronics corporations Panasonic and Sharp. Famous
landmarks in Osaka include Osaka Castle, Sumiyoshi Taisha Grand Shrine, and Shitennō-
ji, the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan.

ETYMOLOGY

Ōsaka means "large hill" or "large slope". It is unclear when this name gained prominence
over Naniwa, but the oldest written evidence for the name dates back to 1496.
The name is written 大阪 in kanji, but it was written 大坂 until 1870, when the partisans for
the Meiji Restoration changed it, apparently to avoid the second kanji being
misinterpreted as 士反, meaning "samurai rebellion". The older kanji (坂) is still in very limited
use, usually only in historical contexts. As an abbreviation, the modern kanji 阪 han refers
to Osaka City or Osaka Prefecture.

HISTORY

Jōmon and Yayoi period

In the Jōmon period (7,000 BCE), Ōsaka was mostly submerged by the Seto Inland Sea,
and the small Uemachi-daichi plateau (12 km long and 2.5 km wide), located in the
southern part of the city called Uehonmachi, was a peninsula. The Uehonmachi area
consisted of a peninsula with an inland sea (Seto Inland Sea) in the east. It is considered
one of the first places where inhabitants of Japan settled, both for the favorable
geological conditions, rich in fresh water and lush vegetation, and because it was in a
position difficult to attack from a military point of view.
The earliest evidence of settlements in the Ōsaka area are the ruins of Morinomiya ruins
(Morinomiya iseki) which is located in the central Chūō-ku district. Buried Human skeletons
and a kaizuka (a mound containing remains), were found and shell mounds, sea oysters,
interesting archaeological discoveries from the Jomon period. In addition to the remains
of consumed food, there were arrow heads, stone tools, fishing hooks and crockery with
remains from rice processing. It is estimated that the ruins contain 2,000-year-old debris
between the Jōmon and Yayoi period. The findings of the archeological sites are
exhibited in an adjacent building.

In the years between the end of the Jōmon period and the beginning of the Yayoi period,
the sediments that were deposited north of the Uemachi-daichi peninsula / plateau
transformed the sea that stretched to the east into a lagoon which was called Kawachi.
During the Yayoi period (300 BCE-250 CE), permanent habitation on the plains grew as
rice farming became popular.

At the beginning of the third century CE the grand shrine of Sumiyoshi-taisha was
inaugurated near the harbor, commissioned by consort Empress Jingū. This Shinto shrine
structure survived historical events, which inaugurated a new style in the construction of
Shinto shrines, called Sumiyoshi-zukuri. The maritime panorama enjoyed from the temple
gardens inspired several artists, and nowadays the representations of that type of
landscape are called Sumiyoshi drawings.

Towards the end of the Yayoi period the Uemachi-daichi plateau-peninsula expanded
further, transforming the Kawachi Lagoon into a lake connected to the mouth of the
Yodo River, which had widened to the south.

Kofun period
In the Kofun period (250 AD-538), the port of Naniwa-tsu established itself as the most
important in Japan, and trade with the continent and other areas of the country
intensified. This period is called the period of the mounds, due to the large number of
such impressive burial sites erected in those years. The findings in the neighboring plains,
including the mausoleum of the ruler Nintoku discovered in nearby Sakai, testify to the
status of imperial city that Ōsaka had reached. Four of these mounds can be seen in
Ōsaka, in which important members of the nobility are buried. They are located in the
southern districts of the city and date back to the 5th century.

By the Kofun period (250-538 CE), Osaka developed into a hub port connecting the
region to the western part of Japan. The port of Naniwa-tsu was established and became
the most important in Japan. Trade with other areas of the country and the Asian
continent intensified. The large numbers of increasingly larger keyhole-shaped Kofun
mounds found in the plains of Osaka are evidence of political-power concentration,
leading to the formation of a state. The findings in the neighboring plains, including the
mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku was discovered nearby in Sakai testify to the status of
imperial city that Ōsaka had reached. Four of these mounds can be seen in Ōsaka, in
which important members of the nobility are buried. They are located in the southern
districts of the city and date back to the 5th century. A group of megalithic tombs called
Mozu Tombs are located in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture.

Important works of the Kofun period is the excavation that diverted the course of the
Yamato River, whose floods caused extensive damage, and the construction of
important roads in the direction of Sakai and Nara. Maritime traffic connected to the port
of Naniwa-tsu increased in such a way that huge warehouses were built to stow material
arriving and departing.

Ancient shells Daisen Kofun, the

found in the largest Kofun in
Morinomiya Sakai, Osaka, 5th
kaizuka (Jomon century
period)

Asuka and Nara period

The Kojiki records that during 390–430 AD, there was an imperial palace located at Osumi,
in what is present day Higashiyodogawa ward, but it may have been a secondary
imperial residence rather than a capital.

In 645, Emperor Kōtoku built his Naniwa Nagara-Toyosaki Palace in what is now
Osaka,[17] making it the capital of Japan. The city now known as Osaka was at this time
referred to as Naniwa, and this name and derivations of it are still in use for districts in
central Osaka such as Naniwa and Namba. Although the capital was moved to Asuka
(in Nara Prefecture today) in 655, Naniwa remained a vital connection, by land and sea,
between Yamato (modern day Nara Prefecture), Korea, and China.

Naniwa was declared the capital again in 744 by order of Emperor Shōmu, and remained
so until 745, when the Imperial Court moved back to Heijō-kyō (now Nara). By the end of
the Nara period, Naniwa's seaport roles had been gradually taken over by neighboring
areas, but it remained a lively center of river, channel, and land transportation between
Heian-kyō (Kyoto today) and other destinations. Sumiyoshi Taisha Grand Shrine was
founded by Tamomi no Sukune in 211 CE.[20] Shitennō-ji was first built in 593 CE and the
oldest Buddhist temple in Japan.
 Sumiyoshi Taisha Grand Shitennō-ji Remains of Naniwa-no-Miya
Shrine Palace (2017)

Heian to Edo period

In 1496, Jōdo Shinshū Buddhists established their headquarters in the heavily fortified
Ishiyama Hongan-ji, located directly on the site of the old Naniwa Imperial Palace. Oda
Nobunaga began a decade-long siege campaign on the temple in 1570 which
ultimately resulted in the surrender of the monks and subsequent razing of the temple.
Toyotomi Hideyoshi constructed Osaka Castle in its place in 1583. Osaka Castle played
a pivotal role in the Siege of Osaka (1614-1615).

Osaka was long considered Japan's primary economic center, with a large percentage
of the population belonging to the merchant class. Over the course of the Edo period
(1603–1867), Osaka grew into one of Japan's major cities and returned to its ancient role
as a lively and important port. Its popular culture was closely related to ukiyo-e depictions
of life in Edo. By 1780, Osaka had cultivated a vibrant arts culture, as typified by its famous
Kabuki and Bunraku theaters. In 1837, Ōshio Heihachirō, a low-ranking samurai, led a
peasant insurrection in response to the city's unwillingness to support the many poor and
suffering families in the area. Approximately one-quarter of the city was razed before
shogunal officials put down the rebellion, after which Ōshio killed himself. Osaka was
opened to foreign trade by the government of the Bakufu at the same time as Hyōgo
(modern Kobe) on January 1, 1868, just before the advent of the Boshin War and the Meiji
Restoration.

Osaka residents were stereotyped in Edo literature from at least the 18th century.
Jippensha Ikku in 1802 depicted Osakans as stingy almost beyond belief. In 1809, the
derogatory term "Kamigata zeeroku" was used by Edo residents to characterize
inhabitants of the Osaka region in terms of calculation, shrewdness, lack of civic spirit,
and the vulgarity of Osaka dialect. Edo writers aspired to samurai culture, and saw
themselves as poor but generous, chaste, and public spirited. Edo writers by contrast saw
"zeeroku" as obsequious apprentices, stingy, greedy, gluttonous, and lewd. To some
degree, Osaka residents are still stigmatized by Tokyo observers in the same way today,
especially in terms of gluttony, evidenced in the phrase, "Residents of Osaka devour their
food until they collapse "Ōsaka wa kuidaore".
 Osaka Castle (first built in Map of Osaka,
1583) 1686

Meiji to Heisei period

With the enormous changes that characterized the country after the Meiji restoration
(1868), and the move of the capital to Tokyo, Ōsaka entered a period of decline. From
being the capital of the economy and finance, it became a predominantly industrial
center.[29] The modern municipality was established in 1889 by government ordinance,
with an initial area of 15 square kilometres (6 sq mi), overlapping today's Chūō and Nishi
wards. Later, the city went through three major expansions to reach its current size of 223
square kilometres (86 sq mi). Osaka was the industrial center most clearly defined in the
development of capitalism in Japan. It became known as the "Manchester of the Orient".
In 1925, it was the largest and most populated cities in Japan and sixth in the world.

The rapid industrialization attracted many Korean immigrants, who set up a life apart for
themselves. The political system was pluralistic, with a strong emphasis on promoting
industrialization and modernization. Literacy was high and the educational system
expanded rapidly, producing a middle class with a taste for literature and a willingness
to support the arts. In 1927, General Motors operated a factory called Osaka Assembly
until 1941, manufacturing Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Buick vehicles, operated
and staffed by Japanese workers and managers. In the nearby city of Ikeda in Osaka
Prefecture is the headquarters office of Daihatsu, one of Japan's oldest automobile
manufacturers.

Like its European and American counterparts, Osaka displayed slums, unemployment,
and poverty. In Japan it was here that municipal government first introduced a
comprehensive system of poverty relief, copied in part from British models. Osaka
policymakers stressed the importance of family formation and mutual assistance as the
best way to combat poverty. This minimized the cost of welfare programs.

During World War II, Osaka came under air attacks in 1945 by the United States Army Air
Forces as part of the air raids on Japan. On March 13, 1945, a total of 329 Boeing B-29
Superfortress heavy bombers took part in the raid against Osaka. According to an
American prisoner of war who was held in the city, the air raid took almost the entire night
and destroyed 25 square miles (65 km2) of the city. The U.S. bombed the city again twice
in June 1945 and again on August 14, a day before Japan's surrender.
After the Allied bombings destroyed a third of the city during the Second World War, the
reconstruction plan and the industriousness of its inhabitants ensured Ōsaka even greater
prosperity than it was before the war. The factories were rebuilt and trade revived.

Osaka was chosen as the venue for the prestigious Expo '70, the first world's fair ever held
in an Asian country. Since then, numerous international events have been held in Ōsaka,
including the 1995 APEC summit of countries.

The modern municipality, which when it was established in 1889 occupied an area of just
15 km2 including the districts of Chūō and Nishi, following three successive expansions
has reached an area of 222 km2. It was one of the first cities in Japan to obtain "Cities
designated by government ordinance of Japan" status in 1956.

21st century to present

The plan to reorganize Ōsaka and its province into a metropolis like Tokyo met with stiff
opposition in some municipalities, particularly the highly populated Sakai. He then fell
back on a project that included the suppression of the 24 wards of Ōsaka, thus dividing
the city into 5 new special districts with a status similar to that of the 23 Special wards of
Tokyo. It was introduced by former mayor Tōru Hashimoto, leader of the reform party
Osaka Restoration Association which he founded. The referendum of May 17, 2015 called
in Ōsaka for the approval of this project saw the narrow victory of no, and consequently
Hashimoto announced his withdrawal from politics. A second referendum for a merger
into 4 semi-autonomous wards was narrowly voted down by 692,996 (50.6%).

According to the Forbes list of The World's Most Expensive Places To Live 2009, Osaka was
the second most expensive in the world after Tokyo. By 2020 it slipped to 5th rank of most
expensive cities.

On March 7, 2014, the 300 meter tall Abeno Harukas opened, which is the tallest
skyscraper in Japan.

Skyscrapers in Umeda district Sennichimae area in 1916 Abeno

Harukas
OSAKA AS A BRAND: FINDING ANSWERS IN THE BACKYARD

Over the years, the people of Osaka have developed a unique culture of their own
based on pragmatism, the entrepreneurial spirit, and a sense of independence and self-
reliance. This has played a key role in enabling creativity and innovativeness to flourish in
the city.

Osaka has continuously played a strong role in fostering Japan's industries and culture.
Residents of Osaka are easy-going, open-minded and friendly, and they have warmly
accepted people from other parts of Japan and overseas. This explains Osaka's vitality
as a city and its ability to face diverse challenges of integration and disintegration!

Osaka’s critical nature and rational approach to life also sharpened its discernment as
consumers. Instant noodles, karaoke, pre-fabricated housing, and other innovative
products and services became a hit in Osaka first, then expanded into other markets in
Japan and overseas.

In order to package these features of Osaka into a salable business opportunity, and to
overcome the difficulties that it was facing economically, the local government and the
business community came together to form the Osaka Brand Committee.

The Osaka Brand Committee was formed in September 2004 with the goal of creating
and establishing a "Brand-New Osaka" image in order to breathe new life into the area.
The committee consists of local municipalities, groups and organizations, including Osaka
Prefecture, Osaka City, the Kansai Association of Corporate Executives, and Kansai
University. What is the rebranding of a city? The committee has set itself the task of making
Osaka more attractive – taking the original resources already present in an area,
redesigning them from a new perspective, and publicizing then nationally and
international as appealing images or messages.

Osaka has served as an international gateway since ancient times, beginning in the 5th
century. This background as a meeting point for people, goods, and information fostered
a liberal, forward looking and enterprising spirit in the people of Osaka. The City of Osaka
has been making efforts to enhance its profile as an international cultural center by
promoting cultural, artistic, academic, and sports activities in the city, and enriching them
through cultural exchanges with the rest of the world.
OSAKA IS ONE OF THE MOST LIVABLE CITIES IN THE WORLD!

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a branch of the famous weekly magazine,
Economist, publishes an annual Global Livability Index. It was nice to see Osaka moving
to #3 in the world! EIU tries to be comprehensive and objective when comparing the
quality of life in cities around the globe. The overall rankings are the total of 5 categories
which I put forth my point of view. Why does Osaka rank so high?

• Stability (25%) – Personal and violent crime is almost non-existent in Osaka. A lack
of gun ownership and limited immigration has also contributed to the lack of
terrorism or mass shootings. Another index in this category is the threat of military
conflict and despite our proximity to North Korea, it did not hurt Osaka or Tokyo,
another Japanese city in the top 10.

• Health Care (20%) – Japanese live an extremely long time, in part due to excellent
health care. I trust doctors and nurses here when my family needs care.

• Culture & Environment (25%) – This is the category that is most noticed in our daily
lives. I see Osaka ranking high in some areas, such as lack of corruption, censorship
and social/religious restrictions. The city is a “foodie’s paradise” with great
restaurants and cuisine. Shopping and the availability of products are also
outstanding. One can get just about anything in Osaka and note that the city is
not in the top 10 of most expensive cities in the world, although it is not cheap to
live here and compares with cities in the USA. Sports and cultural opportunities to
participate and view abound. Japan is the most distinctive culture of any
developed nation. I ride my bicycle everywhere and could not do this anywhere
else except perhaps Amsterdam. The humidity and temperature can be
uncomfortable at times during the year, but Osaka does have the world’s average
yearly temperature and we experience the change of seasons. I wish the
insulation in the homes would be better in the three months of winter weather.

• Education (10%) – EIU judges the quality and availability of private education and
I hope the Senri & Osaka International Schools helped Osaka score high in this
category. It also looks at public school indicators and Japan always ranks high in
student achievement.

• Infrastructure (20%) – It is so easy and safe to drive in Osaka and the rest of Japan.
it is rare to see a pothole and in this mountainous country, the number of tunnels
that make one’s drive straight and flat is amazing. Public transport is also
comprehensive and used a lot by everyone. There is quality housing, although
people live a little bit too close together for my American sensibility. The internet
connections are super fast, clean water, energy available, although utilities and
 gasoline are very expensive here. There are many international flights out of Kansai
International Airport and Itami Osaka Airport.

FIVE REASONS TO LIVE IN OSAKA, JAPAN

1. Building for the Future

In the running to host World Expo 2025, Japan’s second city has embarked on several
large-scale urban regeneration projects aimed at improving its prospects as a business
destination and knowledge hub. The 24-hectare Umekita development project north of
Osaka Station features commercial facilities including convention centres, showrooms,
hotels and offices. It also has a “Knowledge Capital”, a hub that hosts start-up incubators
and aims to further develop innovative technologies and services.

Other significant projects include the development of Yumeshima, a 390-hectare man-

made island in Osaka Bay, as a new global tourism hub. Plans stipulate that 60 hectares
will be set aside for the 2025 Expo, with 70 hectares turned into a resort facility comprising
a convention centre, casino, hotels, shopping arcades and galleries.

Man-made Yumeshima island, ultimately to be a tourism hub

2. The Nation’s Kitchen

During the Edo period (1603-1868), Osaka was christened “the nation’s kitchen” — not
because of its cuisine but because it was overflowing with goods waiting to be shipped
through its port — rather like a giant larder. Today, Osaka is famous for its B-kyu, or so-
called B-level, cuisine: hearty, affordable, everyday dishes. The quality of the
okonomiyaki (savoury pancakes), takoyaki (octopus balls), ramen (noodle soup), soba
(buckwheat noodles), kushikatsu (deep-fried skewered meat and vegetables) and sushi
is exemplary.
A large non-Japanese population — 9.1 per cent of the total number of foreigners living
in Japan — means the city has a good selection of international cuisine too. Diners in
search of the tastiest dishes should look out for the longest queues and join them.
Kuromon Market has the freshest sushi and sashimi, alongside stalls selling T-shirts and
trinkets.

Okonomiyaki is an everyday favourite in Osaka

3. Aqua Metropolis

Osaka’s geography is characterized by its rivers and vibrant industrial area, but it is also
well connected to some fine beaches. Suma Beach, one of the most popular in the
Kansai region, lies 40-60 minutes away by train from Osaka station. The beaches at Tarumi
and Maiko are a short hop further out of town.

Alternatively, you can cross the world’s longest suspension bridge — the Akashi Kaikyo
Bridge outside the nearby city of Kobe — which takes you to the sand at Keino Matsubara
Beach on Awaji Island’s south-western shoreline.

Suma Beach, within an hour of central Osaka

4. A Step Back in Time

The political and cultural centre of Japan until the 17th century, Osaka possesses some
of the oldest and most remarkable historical sites in the country. These range from the
majestic Osaka Castle, a reconstruction of the 16th-century original that initially served
as the nation’s political centre, to Shitennoji, the first official Buddhist temple in Japan,
constructed in AD593. Isshinji Temple contains Buddha statues made from human ashes
and resin.

The 1,400-year-old Shitennoji, Japan’s first official Buddhist

temple

5. Transport Hub

The city’s public transport system is convenient and efficient, consisting of under- and
overground railways, buses and a single tram line. While the underground gets crowded
during peak hours, the service is frequent and delays are rare — so rare in fact that
passengers receive notes to take to work as proof to their bosses if their train is late.

The 1,400-year-old Shitennoji, Japan’s first official Buddhist

temple
REFERENCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osaka

https://globalschoolleadership.com/2018/08/18/osaka-is-the-third-most-livable-
city-in-the-world/

https://propertylistings.ft.com/propertynews/japan/5529-five-reasons-to-live-in-
osaka-japan.html