Lost to time, the Hakusuna Shrine whispers tales of Osaka’s past. This unassuming site, once vibrant with life, now exists only in memory and photographs. Hakusuna Shrine, tucked away amidst the bustling streets, held a ginkgo tree. This tree was a survivor of the Osaka Air Raids. Imagine the resilience of this sacred tree, its branches reaching towards the sky, bearing witness to both devastation and rebirth. Hakusuna Shrine originally resided within the grounds of the Ikutama Shrine. During city expansion and electrical work, Ikutama Shrine was relocated. Hakusuna Shrine was left behind, its ginkgo tree a silent sentinel. The ginkgo thrived, its leaves whispering stories of bygone days in the heart of Osaka. Then, silence. The ginkgo tree, weakened by age and the ravages of time, became a hazard. With no one to speak for it, the tree was removed in 2015 and relocated to Fukumi Tamura Shrine. The Hakusuna Shrine vanished, leaving only faint traces in online archives and the memories of those who once sought solace beneath its ginkgo’s shade. Today, only an empty space remains where Hakusuna Shrine once stood. Yet, the story of the resilient ginkgo, surviving war only to fall to time, serves as a poignant reminder of Osaka’s ever-changing landscape. The Hakusuna Shrine and its ginkgo may be gone, but their story lives on, woven into the fabric of this dynamic city.
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