“Senri Leisure Center” a name that once echoed. It stood for fun in Osaka. What happened to \u5343\u91cc\u30bb\u30eb\u30b7\u30fc?
Let me tell you its story. \u5343\u91cc\u30bb\u30eb\u30b7\u30fc opened in 1972. It was in the heart of Senri New Town. This area was known as Senri Chuo. The building’s design was special. It looked like Rome’s Colosseum. People loved its unique style.
\u5343\u91cc\u30bb\u30eb\u30b7\u30fc offered many things. There were shops and restaurants. A cinema and even a swimming pool existed. The outdoor Selcy Plaza was famous. New singers often performed there. It was a starting point for their careers. Many famous artists played at \u5343\u91cc\u30bb\u30eb\u30b7\u30fc.
From 1973 the Kamigata Rakugo Association held events there. It was called “Senri Hanshotei”. These shows took place twice a month. The name “Hanshotei” continues today. It is now “Tenma Tenjin Hanshotei”.
But times changed for \u5343\u91cc\u30bb\u30eb\u30b7\u30fc. In 2018 an earthquake caused damage. It had to close temporarily. It reopened partially. Then in May 2019 it closed completely.
The owners planned a new development. It would combine \u5343\u91cc\u30bb\u30eb\u30b7\u30fc with Senri Hankyu. The goal was to create a large commercial space. It would be over 100,000 square meters.
What is \u5343\u91cc\u30bb\u30eb\u30b7\u30fc like now? In 2019 some shops remained open. This included a pachinko parlor. By 2022 all shops had closed. The building was completely shut down.
The city of Toyonaka announced plans in 2024. \u5343\u91cc\u30bb\u30eb\u30b7\u30fc will be redeveloped. It will be part of a project with Senri Hankyu. The Senri Hankyu Hotel is included too. The project aims to revitalize the Senri Chuo area.
What stores were inside \u5343\u91cc\u30bb\u30eb\u30b7\u30fc? There was a Daiei supermarket. You could find a Doutor Coffee shop. There was a Yamakawa bookstore and an ABC Mart shoe store. Other past stores included Mujirushi Ryohin and Tsutaya. Restaurants and clinics were also there.
\u5343\u91cc\u30bb\u30eb\u30b7\u30fc also had unique attractions. There was a Selcy Bowl bowling alley. At its peak it had 162 lanes. You could find the Yamaha Act in Senri music school. There was also a sports club called Renaissance.
\u5343\u91cc\u30bb\u30eb\u30b7\u30fc’s Selcy Plaza hosted many performers. In 1980 Momota & Brazzers played. In 1982 Akino Nene performed. Wink and EE Jump appeared in later years. AKB48 performed in 2006.
\u5343\u91cc\u30bb\u30eb\u30b7\u30fc may be gone. But its memory lives on. It was a place for shopping, entertainment, and community. The new development hopes to bring that spirit back. It aims to create a vibrant space for the future. A place for the people of Senri once more.