Clutching my well-worn map of Osaka, I finally stumbled upon the Nairi Sofuchi Ato. This stone monument marks the Nairi Sofuchi Inlet. This inlet, now just a marker, once held a vast lake known as Nairi Sofuchi. The lake stretched from present-day Higashi-Osaka City to Higashi-Osaka City. Imagine, during the Heian Period, this expansive body of water dominated the landscape. According to the Makura no Sōshi, it was so immense it was referred to as “Kusakanoue” or “Kusaka no numa”. It was even described as “Nairisou no fuchi”, a place so deep it could “swallow a person whole”.
Today, only the stone marker and a descriptive plaque remain as testaments to Nairi Sofuchi’s former glory. The plaque, weathered by time, tells the story of the lake’s transformation. During the Edo Period, the lake gradually shrunk. It eventually split into two smaller ponds. One was called Fukaike Pond within Higashi-Osaka. The other was known as Shinkai-ike, in Higashi-Osaka. This stone marker specifically designates the northern embankment of Shinkai-ike. Intriguingly, the name “Shinkai-ike” appears in ancient texts like the “Kawachi-shi” and “Kawachi meisho zue”. The area surrounding Nairi Sofuchi was always prone to flooding. Yet, it was also known for its abundant fish and edible plants. A “supply manor” was even established near present-day Sakai to procure food for the Imperial Household.
The plaque also notes that Nairi Sofuchi appears in other prominent literature. It is mentioned in both the Makura no Sōshi and the Nanyū kikō. The stone monument isn’t just a marker for a vanished lake. It also represents a section of an old road known as Koshokaido. This road bustled with travelers and merchants, adding another layer of history to this unassuming corner of Osaka. It’s hard to believe, looking at this quiet street now, that it was once a vital thoroughfare beside a vast lake. Nairi Sofuchi Inlet may be gone, but its story, etched in stone and literature, lives on.