“Kita-shinchi?” a student muttered, looking up at the Osaka City Matta-Kita Junior High School. “Isn’t that a strange name for a school?” Indeed, the name “Kita-shinchi” usually evokes images of Osaka’s upscale entertainment district, not a place of learning. But Osaka City Matta-Kita Junior High School, established in 1978 in the Taisho Ward, bears this name due to its location near the former Kita-shinchi district. This area, once a bustling hub by the Yodo River, transformed from a rice market to an entertainment area. Let’s step back to 1685. The river was being tamed by the shogunate. New land emerged, dubbed “Kita-no-yūri” (North Pleasure District) because of its northern position in the old castle town. By 1708, the pleasure district migrated north of the river, taking the name Kita-shinchi with it. This district, now just “Shinchi”, thrived with restaurants, teahouses, and lively establishments, attracting both merchants and samurai. Then disaster struck in 1909. The “Kita-no-taika” (Great Fire of the North) consumed the district, its wooden buildings turning to ash. The devastated land was then filled and rebuilt. Osaka City Matta-Kita Junior High School stands today, a symbol of resilience and renewal, near the echo of the old Kita-shinchi. This vibrant school is dedicated to community engagement and collaboration with local elementary schools. It carries the legacy of a place steeped in history, a reminder of the past pleasures and the enduring spirit of Osaka.
Центральный дом работников искусств
Step through the grand wooden doors of the Central House of the Workers of Art, and you’ll be transported to