Sumiyoshi & Nanko Vacation Rentals & Whole-House Stays | 1,800-Year-Old Sumiyoshi-san and the New Islands Built from the Sea
In the southwest of Osaka, opening out toward the sea, this district shows the layers of time with unusual clarity. There are the gates of Sumiyoshi Taisha, which has enshrined the sea gods for 1,800 years. There is Kitakagaya, a town once lined with shipyards that has turned into a contemporary art quarter. And there are the postwar man-made islands of Sakishima and Nanko, built by reclaiming the sea itself. A land that has always lived with the sea remains here, each part in the form of its own era. Set apart from the bustle of the entertainment districts, this is a residential area where you can sleep quietly at night.
Sumiyoshi Taisha — The Foremost Shrine of Settsu Province, Enshrining the Gods of the Sea
Affectionately known to locals as Sumiyossan, Sumiyoshi Taisha is the Ichinomiya (first shrine) of Settsu Province. It is the head shrine of the roughly 2,300 Sumiyoshi shrines across Japan. Shrine tradition holds that it was founded in the 11th year of Empress Jingu's regency (211 CE), though this belongs to the realm of legend. What is certain, however, is that this shrine has been revered as a shrine of the gods of the sea and of safe voyages for an extraordinarily long time.
Enshrined here are the three Sumiyoshi deities together with Empress Jingu. As gods who protect those who cross the sea, they are said to have received prayers from envoys bound for the continent, who came to this shrine to pray for safe passage before setting out. That a shrine standing near the harbor should be a shrine of the sea gods — the history of Osaka as a city that opened out toward the sea has passed directly into the character of its gods.
And what everyone photographs within the grounds is the steeply arched Sorihashi (the drum bridge). At the New Year, about 2 million worshippers visit over the first three days (Sumiyoshi Taisha official). The shrine's antiquity shows itself directly in the shape of that arched bridge, and in the four National Treasure main halls standing side by side.
The Sorihashi and Sumiyoshi-zukuri — Tracing One of Japan's Oldest Shrines Through Its Architecture
The first thing to catch your eye in the grounds is the Sorihashi (the drum bridge), its form mirrored on the surface of the water. About 20 meters long, with a central height of about 4 meters and a slope of roughly 48 degrees, it is a wooden bridge far steeper than it looks. Rising in a half circle, its shape has been likened to a rainbow linking the earthly world and the world of the gods, and crossing it has long been held to be a purification of body and spirit in itself. Reach the top and turn around, and the grounds open out gently below your feet.
The origin of the present bridge is said to have been laid down in the Keicho era (late 16th to early 17th century). No record remains of who built it: it is variously said that Toyotomi Hideyori dedicated it, or that his mother Yodo-dono donated it (both are traditions, and accounts vary). It is a story for which no firm historical documents survive, but that too is a sign of just how long this bridge has been etched into people's memory.
The shrine buildings themselves are a highlight. The four main halls, from the First to the Fourth, standing side by side, are built in the Sumiyoshi-zukuri style, one of the oldest forms in shrine architecture. It is counted among the ancient styles alongside the Shinmei-zukuri of Ise Jingu and the Taisha-zukuri of Izumo Taisha. The roofs are gabled and thatched in cypress bark, the pillars vermilion (red lacquer), and the walls white (gofun coating), with the interior divided into two chambers, an outer and an inner sanctuary. The arrangement of the four halls is distinctive too: the First, Second, and Third main halls stand in a line front to back, and the Third and Fourth stand side by side, arrayed like a fleet of ships crossing the open sea. It is a form fitting for a shrine of the sea gods. The present main halls were built in the 7th year of Bunka (1810), and all four are designated National Treasures.
This Sorihashi is inscribed in literature as well. Yasunari Kawabata wrote a short story set on this bridge, "Sorihashi" (1948), and in the southeast of the grounds stands a literary monument engraved with a passage from it. In the Edo-period ukiyo-e series "Naniwa Hyakkei," too, this arching bridge was depicted. You can trace the depth of a time said to reach back 1,800 years through the "forms" of the bridge and the shrine halls — that is the richness of Sumiyoshi-san.
Godairiki, Omokaru-ishi, and Otaue — Walking the "Rituals" of Sumiyoshi-san
What makes Sumiyoshi Taisha fascinating is that concrete "rituals" remain here and there across the grounds. A famous one is Godairiki (the five great powers). At a spot near the main halls called Gosho-gozen, you pick from within the sacred fence three small stones each bearing one of the characters "Go" (five), "Dai" (great), and "Riki" (power), and keep them as a charm. What you receive are five powers — said to be wisdom, strength, wealth, fortune, and long life. When your wish is granted, the ritual is to return the stones doubled.
About 100 meters southeast of the main halls, within the grounds of Otoshi-no-yashiro, the sub-shrine of Oitoshiboshi-sha holds the Omokaru-ishi. You lift the stone with a wish in mind, and by how heavy or light it feels, you divine whether your wish will come true — in the middle of the city of Osaka, it is here that such an unpretentious form of divination lives on.
The Otaue Shinji (rice-planting ritual), held each early summer, is a nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. In a paddy of about 2,000 square meters within the grounds, called the Onda, rice is planted in exactly the old manner as a sacred rite. That a shrine in the heart of the city should hold a real paddy within its grounds and still carry on the rice-planting ritual today — its scale and its preservation of the old form are the reasons it is designated a national cultural property.
Sakishima & Nanko — New Islands Built by Reclaiming the Sea Itself
If Sumiyoshi-san is the land of an age that prayed to the sea, Nanko is the land of an age that remade the sea. Sakishima and Nanko are man-made islands built by reclaiming Osaka Bay. On a map, neatly squared blocks appear to float on the sea, but the whole of it was once ocean.
The island's landmark is the Sakishima Cosmo Tower (Osaka Prefectural Government Sakishima Building). About 250 meters tall, it is one of the tallest buildings in Japan, and from the observation deck on the 55th floor you can look out over central Osaka, the surrounding mountains, and on a clear day as far as Awaji Island. Looking down knowing that all the ground below is "created land," you get a real sense of the scale of the Osaka bayfront.
The island holds large exhibition venues such as the ATC (Asia and Pacific Trade Center) and Intex Osaka, which serve as bases for trade fairs and events. (Specific events and operating hours change with the season, so please check official information.) For those visiting Nanko for an exhibition or event, staying in this area puts you close to the venue and makes the morning commute easier.
Kitakagaya — A Shipbuilding Town That Became a Contemporary Art Quarter
Between Nanko and Sumiyoshi, Kitakagaya is the town in this area whose face is changing most right now. It was once a shipbuilding town — an industrial district where shipyards and warehouses lined the canals and the sound of building ships rang out.
After the shipbuilding withdrew, the large warehouses and factories left empty were reborn as a base for contemporary art. Today, some 100 artists are said to live in this town, with more than 40 creative bases. Walk the streets and you come suddenly upon murals covering entire building walls, and monuments in the road.
One such base, Chidori Bunka, is a place with a cafeteria, a shop dealing in antiques and artists' works, and a hall where contemporary art exhibitions and performances are held. Because it is a town where the high ceilings of warehouses and the scenery of the canals remain just as they were, you can touch a quiet, experimental side of Osaka, quite unlike a theme park. It is a fine detour on a day when you are tired of the bustle of the tourist sights.
A Little Farther Afield — Nagai Park, a Grove of Green and Stadiums
The talk has kept to the sea side, but venture a little inland from this area and you reach one of Osaka's largest parks. Nagai Park. On a vast site of about 65.7 hectares, it is a comprehensive park bringing together a stadium, a museum, and a botanical garden. It opened in 1944 (Showa 19). A deep green grove spreads out here, hard to believe you are in the middle of the city.
The park's symbol, familiar to football fans, is Yanmar Stadium Nagai (formerly Nagai Athletics Stadium). Opened in 1964, it is a large stadium seating about 47,000, known as the home stadium of the football club Cerezo Osaka. It was the main venue for the 2007 World Championships in Athletics and hosted matches at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, making it a stage for international competition. Beside it stands the sub-track, Yanmar Field Nagai.
It is not a place for sport alone. Within the grounds are the Osaka Municipal Nagai Botanical Garden, which gathers about 1,000 species of plants, and the Osaka Museum of Natural History. A museum where fossils and specimens let you trace the evolution of living things and the nature of Osaka, and a broad botanical garden where seasonal flowers bloom, are reassuring destinations on a rainy day and for those with small children. The nearest station is "Nagai" on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line. Whether for a day of watching a match or a day catching your breath in the park, this area makes an easy base.
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Access
| Sumiyoshi Taisha | Nearest are Hankai Tramway "Sumiyoshi-toriimae" and Nankai Main Line "Sumiyoshi-taisha" Station |
|---|---|
| Namba & Dotonbori | A few stops on the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line or Nankai Main Line |
| Sakishima & Nanko (ATC & Intex) | To the bay area via the New Tram or the subway Chuo Line |
| Tennoji & Abeno Harukas | A few minutes by Hankai Tramway or subway |
| Kansai Airport | Nankai Main Line with a transfer at Namba, or via the bay area |
| USJ | Access via the bay area |
This area is a residential district set a little apart from the entertainment quarters. It suits those visiting Nanko for an exhibition or event, those who want to stay by the gates of Sumiyoshi Taisha, and those who want to relax in a quiet, down-to-earth neighborhood. Namba is only a few stops away on the Yotsubashi Line or Nankai, so it is well placed for getting out to Minami as well.
Rooms in This Area
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I get to Sumiyoshi Taisha?
- The nearest are the "Sumiyoshi-toriimae" stop on the Hankai Tramway (streetcar) or "Sumiyoshi-taisha" Station on the Nankai Main Line. You can reach it by public transport from many of the rooms in this area. The nearest station for each room is listed on its own page.
- Is it close to the Nanko exhibition venues (ATC & Intex Osaka)?
- You can reach the exhibition facilities in the bay area via the New Tram or the subway Chuo Line. It is an area that makes an easy base when visiting Nanko for a trade fair or event. For venue events and hours, please check the official information from the organizer or the facility.
- How far is it to Namba?
- A few stops on the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line or the Nankai Main Line. You can stay quietly a little apart from the entertainment districts while still being well placed to get out to Minami.
- Is it quiet at night?
- This area is mainly residential and set apart from the bustle of the entertainment districts. It is an area with many rooms where you can rest quietly.
- Is there a kitchen?
- It varies by room. Whole-house stays often have rooms with a kitchen. Please check the facilities on each room's page.
- How many people can stay?
- It varies by room, but whole-house stays include rooms that can accommodate families and groups. You can filter your search by number of guests.
- Can anyone see the art in Kitakagaya?
- You can view the murals and monuments around the streets as you walk. The opening status of exhibition facilities varies by season, so please check the official information for each facility.
- How is access from Kansai Airport?
- The common route is to head toward Namba on the Nankai Main Line and transfer there. We will guide you on the route from each room's nearest station after your booking.