Slipping through time, let’s journey back to 1929. Osaka buzzed with excitement. A new gateway was opening, a portal to the skies and the world beyond. This was the grand opening of the Osaka Airfield (Kizugawa Airfield). But our story isn’t about airplanes. It’s about a waterway that played a crucial role in this era: the Kizugawa Canal. The Kizugawa Canal isn’t just a canal. It represents Osaka’s ingenuity and ambition. It was a testament to the vision of a merchant named Yasui Doton, who, back in 1612, dreamed of connecting Osaka’s canals to the larger Kizugawa River. While he didn’t live to see its completion, his legacy lived on in the very name Dotonbori, referring to both the canal and the street that ran alongside it. Now, fast forward to the 1920s. Osaka’s air travel was taking off, but the Kizugawa Airfield faced a challenge: its soft ground. This is where our Kizugawa Canal re-enters the story. The canal, flowing gracefully through the heart of Osaka, was a vital artery for transport. It allowed boats to bypass the airfield’s unstable ground, ensuring smooth passage to and from the bustling city center. The canal, a vestige of Doton’s dream, became a lifeline for the new era of air travel. It connected Osaka’s past and its future. The Kizugawa Canal’s significance waned with time. Yet, its story intertwines with Osaka’s evolution, from a merchant’s vision to a nation’s gateway to the world. The Kizugawa Canal reminds us that even in the face of progress, sometimes the oldest paths prove to be the most valuable.
旧守口市立下島小学校
Shimojima Elementary School’s bell echoed one last time in March 2024. This marked the end of its 49-year history. It