Dotonbori
Encyclopedia
is one of the principal tourist destinations in Osaka, Japan
. It is a single street, running alongside the Dōtonbori canal
between the Dōtonboribashi Bridge and the Nipponbashi Bridge
in the Namba
ward of Osaka. A former pleasure district
, Dōtonbori is famous for its historic theatres (all gone now), its shops and restaurants, and its many neon
and mechanised signs
, including snack/candy manufacturer Glico's
giant electronic display of a runner crossing the finish line.
in the ill-fated Siege of Osaka
, but his cousins finished the canal in 1615. The new lord of Osaka Castle
, Tadaki Matsudaira, named the canal and avenue beside it Dōtonbori ("bori" from "hori", meaning "canal"), even though Doton had been on the losing side during the siege.
The character of Dōtonbori became defined in 1621 when the newly minted Tokugawa Shogunate
instituted urban planning
, designating Dōtonbori as the entertainment district of Osaka. By 1662 the avenue boasted six Kabuki theatres
and five Bunraku theatres
, as well as the unique Takeda Karakuri mechanical puppet theatre. Many restaurants and cafes were built to cater to the flood of tourists and entertainment-seekers pouring nightly into Dōtonbori.
Over the years, declining interest in traditional forms of entertainment led to the closing of most of Dōtonbori's original attractions. Its five remaining theatres were bombed and destroyed
during World War II
.
, Osaka
is known for its food, and Dōtonbori is the main destination for food travel in Osaka. It is always featured in guidebook
s for both foreign and domestic tourists.
Osaka regional cuisine
includes okonomiyaki
(pan-fried batter cake), takoyaki
(octopus
dumpling
s), udon
(a noodle dish), as well as regional sushi
and other traditional Japanese foods
.
meaning roughly “to ruin oneself by extravagance in food.” It is sometimes romanised as cuidaore, and is part of a larger proverb
: "Dress (in kimonos) till you drop in Kyoto
, eat till you drop in Osaka" (京の着倒れ、大阪の食い倒れ).
The word is associated with Dōtonbori, and is often used in tourist guides and advertisements. It can be seen in the names of several locations in Dōtonbori, such as the mascot
Kuidaore Taro and the defunct restaurant Cui-daore.
Motor vehicles cross the canal by way of either Dōtonboribashi (part of Midosuji Avenue) on one side or Nipponbashi (part of Sakaisuji Avenue) on the other, flanking the west and east of the main Dōtonbori district. In between are several footbridges connecting the Namba and Shinsaibashi shopping districts to Dōtonbori, such as Tazaemonbashi and Aiaibashi.
Ebisubashi is just under the Glico Man billboard. Originally constructed to provide access to the nearby Ebisu Shrine
, the bridge is the location of a legendary curse
for Osaka baseball
team, the Hanshin Tigers
. More practically, the bridge provides a link between the Shinsaibashi-suji and Ebisubashi-suji shopping districts.
Due to the familiarity of the Glico Man, Ebisubashi makes for a convenient gathering point, hence its nicknames, nanpa
-bashi, mostly used by foreigners
, and hikkake-bashi ("the pulling bridge"), mostly used by native Japanese.
34.668507°N 135.480684°W Mouth of Dōtonbori canal
34.668708°N 135.501308°W Ebisubashi-Minamidume Intersection
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is a single street, running alongside the Dōtonbori canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
between the Dōtonboribashi Bridge and the Nipponbashi Bridge
Nipponbashi
is a shopping district of Naniwa Ward, Osaka, Japan. The area is centered along Sakaisuji Avenue, extending from the Ebisu-chō Interchange of the Hanshin Expressway in the south, to Nansan-dōri in the north...
in the Namba
Namba
is a district of Osaka, Japan. Namba is regarded as the center of so-called Minami area of Osaka. Its name is one of variations on the former name of Osaka, Naniwa...
ward of Osaka. A former pleasure district
Red-light district
A red-light district is a part of an urban area where there is a concentration of prostitution and sex-oriented businesses, such as sex shops, strip clubs, adult theaters, etc...
, Dōtonbori is famous for its historic theatres (all gone now), its shops and restaurants, and its many neon
Neon sign
Neon signs are made using electrified, luminous tube lights that contain rarefied neon or other gases. They are the most common use for neon lighting, which was first demonstrated in a modern form in December, 1910 by Georges Claude at the Paris Motor Show. While they are used worldwide, neon signs...
and mechanised signs
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
, including snack/candy manufacturer Glico's
Ezaki Glico
is a Japanese confectionery company headquartered in Nishiyodogawa-ku, Osaka.The company manufactures the traditional Glico caramel candy, as well as Pocky and many others. The company name, Glico, is derived from a shortening of the word glycogen. The first candy produced by the company was known...
giant electronic display of a runner crossing the finish line.
History
Dōtonbori traces its history back to 1612, when a local entrepreneur, Dōton Yasui, began expanding the tiny Umezu River, which ran east to west, hoping to increase commerce in the region by connecting the two branches of the Yohori River, which ran north to south, with a canal. Dōton’s project was interrupted when he died defending Toyotomi HideyoriToyotomi Hideyori
was the son and designated successor of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the general who first united all of Japan. His mother, Yodo-dono, was the niece of Oda Nobunaga....
in the ill-fated Siege of Osaka
Siege of Osaka
The was a series of battles undertaken by the Tokugawa shogunate against the Toyotomi clan, and ending in that clan's destruction. Divided into two stages , and lasting from 1614 to 1615, the siege put an end to the last major armed opposition to the shogunate's establishment...
, but his cousins finished the canal in 1615. The new lord of Osaka Castle
Osaka Castle
is a Japanese castle in Chūō-ku, Osaka, Japan.Originally called Ozakajō, it is one of Japan's most famous castles, and played a major role in the unification of Japan during the sixteenth century of the Azuchi-Momoyama period.-Description:...
, Tadaki Matsudaira, named the canal and avenue beside it Dōtonbori ("bori" from "hori", meaning "canal"), even though Doton had been on the losing side during the siege.
The character of Dōtonbori became defined in 1621 when the newly minted Tokugawa Shogunate
Tokugawa shogunate
The Tokugawa shogunate, also known as the and the , was a feudal regime of Japan established by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family. This period is known as the Edo period and gets its name from the capital city, Edo, which is now called Tokyo, after the name was...
instituted urban planning
Urban planning
Urban planning incorporates areas such as economics, design, ecology, sociology, geography, law, political science, and statistics to guide and ensure the orderly development of settlements and communities....
, designating Dōtonbori as the entertainment district of Osaka. By 1662 the avenue boasted six Kabuki theatres
Kabuki
is classical Japanese dance-drama. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by some of its performers.The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing , dance , and skill...
and five Bunraku theatres
Bunraku
, also known as Ningyō jōruri , is a form of traditional Japanese puppet theater, founded in Osaka in 1684.Three kinds of performers take part in a bunraku performance:* Ningyōtsukai or Ningyōzukai—puppeteers* Tayū—the chanters* Shamisen players...
, as well as the unique Takeda Karakuri mechanical puppet theatre. Many restaurants and cafes were built to cater to the flood of tourists and entertainment-seekers pouring nightly into Dōtonbori.
Over the years, declining interest in traditional forms of entertainment led to the closing of most of Dōtonbori's original attractions. Its five remaining theatres were bombed and destroyed
Bombing of Osaka in World War II
The U.S. bombing of Osaka during World War II first took place from the middle of the night on March 13th, 1945, to the early morning of the next day. There were also bomb raids on June 6th, 7th, 15th, 26th, July 10th, 24th, and August 14th, the last day of the war...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Restaurants
As a domestic tourist destinationTourist destination
A tourist destination is a city, town, or other area that is dependent to a significant extent on the revenues accruing from tourism. It may contain one or more tourist attractions and possibly some "tourist traps."...
, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
is known for its food, and Dōtonbori is the main destination for food travel in Osaka. It is always featured in guidebook
GUIdebook
GUIdebook is a website that contains screenshots of computer software.It shows a visual history of the software's user interface. It includes operating systems like Mac OS and Windows, desktop environments like GNOME and KDE, portable operating systems like Newton OS and Windows CE, and...
s for both foreign and domestic tourists.
Osaka regional cuisine
Meibutsu
Meibutsu is a Japanese term for famous products associated with particular regions. Meibutsu are usually items of Japanese regional cuisine, although the category includes local handicrafts. Meibutsu typically have a traditional character, although contemporary products may qualify as meibutsu...
includes okonomiyaki
Okonomiyaki
is a Japanese dish containing a variety of ingredients. The name is derived from the word okonomi, meaning "what you like" or "what you want", and yaki meaning "grilled" or "cooked" . Okonomiyaki is mainly associated with Kansai or Hiroshima areas of Japan, but is widely available throughout the...
(pan-fried batter cake), takoyaki
Takoyaki
is a popular ball-shaped Japanese dumpling or more like a savory pancake made of batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan...
(octopus
Octopus
The octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...
dumpling
Dumpling
Dumplings are cooked balls of dough. They are based on flour, potatoes or bread, and may include meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets. They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying, or baking. They may have a filling, or there may be other ingredients mixed into the dough. Dumplings may...
s), udon
Udon
is a type of thick wheat-flour noodle of Japanese cuisine.Udon is usually served hot as noodle soup in its simplest form as kake udon, in a mildly flavoured broth called kakejiru which is made of dashi, soy sauce , and mirin. It is usually topped with thinly chopped scallions...
(a noodle dish), as well as regional sushi
Sushi
is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients . Neta and forms of sushi presentation vary, but the ingredient which all sushi have in common is shari...
and other traditional Japanese foods
Japanese cuisine
Japanese cuisine has developed over the centuries as a result of many political and social changes throughout Japan. The cuisine eventually changed with the advent of the Medieval age which ushered in a shedding of elitism with the age of shogun rule...
.
Kuidaore
is a Japanese wordJapanese language
is a language spoken by over 130 million people in Japan and in Japanese emigrant communities. It is a member of the Japonic language family, which has a number of proposed relationships with other languages, none of which has gained wide acceptance among historical linguists .Japanese is an...
meaning roughly “to ruin oneself by extravagance in food.” It is sometimes romanised as cuidaore, and is part of a larger proverb
Proverb
A proverb is a simple and concrete saying popularly known and repeated, which expresses a truth, based on common sense or the practical experience of humanity. They are often metaphorical. A proverb that describes a basic rule of conduct may also be known as a maxim...
: "Dress (in kimonos) till you drop in Kyoto
Kyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
, eat till you drop in Osaka" (京の着倒れ、大阪の食い倒れ).
The word is associated with Dōtonbori, and is often used in tourist guides and advertisements. It can be seen in the names of several locations in Dōtonbori, such as the mascot
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
Kuidaore Taro and the defunct restaurant Cui-daore.
Restaurants of note
- Kinryu Ramen: There are three Kinryu (Golden Dragon) RamenRamenis a Japanese noodle dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso, and uses toppings such as , , kamaboko, green onions, and occasionally corn...
restaurants in Dōtonbori, one at each end of the street and one in the middle. The chain is notable for its giant three-dimensional golden dragonChinese dragonChinese dragons are legendary creatures in Chinese mythology and folklore, with mythic counterparts among Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, Bhutanese, Western and Turkic dragons. In Chinese art, dragons are typically portrayed as long, scaled, serpentine creatures with four legs...
billboards, as well as its outdoor seating consisting of tatami matsTatamiA is a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms. Traditionally made of rice straw to form the core , with a covering of woven soft rush straw, tatami are made in standard sizes, with the length exactly twice the width...
. Unlike many Japanese restaurants, Kinryu Ramen is open 24 hours, and offers a free garlicGarlicAllium sativum, commonly known as garlic, is a species in the onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and rakkyo. Dating back over 6,000 years, garlic is native to central Asia, and has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region, as well as a frequent...
and kimchiKimchiKimchi , also spelled gimchi, kimchee, or kim chee, is a traditional fermented Korean dish made of vegetables with varied seasonings. There are hundreds of varieties of kimchi made with a main vegetable ingredient such as napa cabbage, radish, green onions or cucumber. It is the most common...
bar.
- Kani Doraku: A crabCrabTrue crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...
restaurant, easily identified by its giant moving crab billboard.
- Otakoya: A popular takoyakiTakoyakiis a popular ball-shaped Japanese dumpling or more like a savory pancake made of batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan...
stand.
- Zubora-ya: A fuguFuguis the Japanese word for pufferfish and the dish prepared from it, normally species of genus Takifugu, Lagocephalus, or Sphoeroides, or porcupinefish of the genus Diodon. Fugu can be lethally poisonous due to its tetrodotoxin; therefore, it must be carefully prepared to remove toxic parts and to...
restaurant with a huge blowfish lantern hanging out front.
- Dōtonbori Ramen Taishokudo: A ramen restaurant formed by eight famous ramen shops from across Japan.
- Hariju: A beef restaurant from 1924.They use only Japanese beef. One of the more famous beef restaurants.
- Cui-daore, a massive eight-storey restaurant with a different Osaka cuisine on each floor, was a self-proclaimed contender for the title of the world’s largest restaurant. However, it ceased operations and closed on 8 July 2008.
Landmarks
- Glico Man: Originally installed in 1935, the giant neon athlete on a blue track is a symbol of Glico candyEzaki Glicois a Japanese confectionery company headquartered in Nishiyodogawa-ku, Osaka.The company manufactures the traditional Glico caramel candy, as well as Pocky and many others. The company name, Glico, is derived from a shortening of the word glycogen. The first candy produced by the company was known...
. The sign has been altered on several occasions to celebrate events such as the World CupFIFA World CupThe FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
and to show support for the Osaka baseball team, the Hanshin TigersHanshin TigersThe are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
.
- Kuidaore Taro: In front of Cui-daore is a mechanical drum-playing clownClownClowns are comic performers stereotypically characterized by the grotesque image of the circus clown's colored wigs, stylistic makeup, outlandish costumes, unusually large footwear, and red nose, which evolved to project their actions to large audiences. Other less grotesque styles have also...
, also known as the Kuidaore Ningyo, installed in 1950. Every March the visiting rikishi for the Osaka Grand Sumo tournamentHonbashoA is an official professional sumo tournament. There are six held each year, a system established in 1958. Only honbasho results matter in determining promotion and relegation for rikishi ....
used to line up with Kuidaore Taro for photos. Now that the restaurant has closed Kuidaore Taro is scheduled to be removed.
- Kani Doraku Crab: This six and a half meter crab is on the front of the crab restaurant Kani Doraku. It is mechanised, being able to move its arms and eyestalks. Built in 1960, this mechanical billboard soon spawned imitations, including a squid that puffs steam and oni (demons) that light up at night.
Bridges
(Note: "-bashi" is the Japanese for "bridge".)Motor vehicles cross the canal by way of either Dōtonboribashi (part of Midosuji Avenue) on one side or Nipponbashi (part of Sakaisuji Avenue) on the other, flanking the west and east of the main Dōtonbori district. In between are several footbridges connecting the Namba and Shinsaibashi shopping districts to Dōtonbori, such as Tazaemonbashi and Aiaibashi.
Ebisubashi
Ebisu (mythology)
Ebisu , also transliterated Yebisu or called Hiruko or Kotoshiro-nushi-no-kami , is the Japanese god of fishermen, luck, and workingmen, as well as the guardian of the health of small children...
, the bridge is the location of a legendary curse
Curse
A curse is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to some other entity—one or more persons, a place, or an object...
for Osaka baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team, the Hanshin Tigers
Hanshin Tigers
The are a Nippon Professional Baseball team based in Koshien, Nishinomiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, and are in the Central League. Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd., the subsidiary of Hankyu Hanshin Holdings Inc., owns the Hanshin Tigers directly...
. More practically, the bridge provides a link between the Shinsaibashi-suji and Ebisubashi-suji shopping districts.
Due to the familiarity of the Glico Man, Ebisubashi makes for a convenient gathering point, hence its nicknames, nanpa
Nanpa
, also transliterated as nampa, in Japanese culture is a type of flirting and seduction popular among teenagers and people in their twenties and thirties. When Japanese women pursue men in a fashion similar to nanpa, it is called .-Etymology:...
-bashi, mostly used by foreigners
Gaijin
is a Japanese word meaning "non-Japanese", or "alien". This word is a short form of gaikokujin , which literally means "person from outside of the country". The word is composed of two kanji: , meaning "outside"; and , meaning "person". Thus, the word technically means "outsider"...
, and hikkake-bashi ("the pulling bridge"), mostly used by native Japanese.
External links
- Dotonbori Street "Virtual Tourist"
- Dotonbori Shopkeepers, "This is DOHTONBORI"
34.668507°N 135.480684°W Mouth of Dōtonbori canal
34.668708°N 135.501308°W Ebisubashi-Minamidume Intersection