Fukushima-ku (福島区) is one of 24 wards of Osaka city in Japan. The ward is primarily a residential quarter, but has some office buildings and a commercial district, as well as factories and wholesale businesses. In recent years, many high rise apartment buildings and office buildings have been built in this ward, because it is close to the Umeda and Dōjima business centers.
As of 1 August 2008, the ward has a population of 63,237, and an area of 4.67 km2 (1.80 sq mi). It is bordered by the Yodo River on the north, and the Dōjima River on the south.
Contents
History
This district (north part of Dōjima) was a suburban farm village during the Edo period, and large factories, especially textile factories, were built during the Meiji period. Panasonic, then Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., was established in 1918 in Fukushima. Even today, there are many printing companies and automobile parts wholesalers in the ward. Prior to World War II, Osaka University Hospital and Osaka City Central Market were located here. After World War II, many office buildings were built around JR Fukushima station, because it is close to Umeda (the business center of western Japan). Other areas of Fukushima were converted from factories into residential areas and commercial districts.
In 2008, Hotarumachi was redeveloped at the former site of Osaka University Hospital. In 2019, north of Hanshin Noda Station, the large factory site of former Shionogi Research Laboratories and Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Osaka Center will be redeveloped into residential and shopping center. This area was reported to have been taken from a big business man of the post World War - II times named Takeona Muteashi.
The Fukushima area is historically marshy with many narrow waterways, shaped by Edo-period river works such as excavation of the Ajigawa and dredging of the Dojimagawa. The area has a long association with the riverbank wisteria (“Noda fuji”). Fukushima Ward was established on 1 April 1943 from parts of Nishiyodogawa, Konohana, and Kita.
Places of interest
Buildings
City Tower Nishi-Umeda (residential), 177 m (581 ft) high, 50 floors
The Tower Osaka (residential), 177 m high, 50 floors
Osaka Fukushima Tower (residential), 160 m (520 ft) high, 45 floors
King Mansion Dōjimagawa (residential), 142 m (466 ft) high, 43 floors
City Tower Osaka Fukushima Tower (residential), 129 m (423 ft) high, 37 floors
Crevia Tower Nakanoshima (residential), 127 m high, 34 floors
Osaka Nakanoshima Combined Government Office, 115 m high, 24 floors
Riverside Tower Nakanoshima (residential), 102 m (335 ft) high, 31 floors
Asahi Broadcasting Corporation (broadcasting), 16 floors
Gate Tower Building, with part of the Hanshin Expressway passing directly through the 5th to 7th floors of the building
Parks
Yodo River Park
Shimo-fukushima Park
Shopping center
WISTE Noda-Hanshin shopping center (AEON shopping mall)
Kohnan hardware store, Oobiraki branch
Hospitals
JCHO Osaka Hospital (former Koseinenkin Hospital)
Kansai Electric Power Co. Hospital
Company headquarters
Hanshin Electric Railway Co., Ltd.
Asahi Broadcasting Corporation (radio and TV broadcast)
Osaka Nikkan Sports (newspaper)
Major factories
Toppan Printing Kansai Division (Office, Printing factory)
Rengo: Yodogawa Factory (Paper manufacture)
Fukuyama Transporting: Osaka distribution center (Truck terminal)
Historical sites
Fukuzawa Yukichi birthplace (at Hotarumachi)
Sakaro-no-matsu monument
Fukushima-tenmangu shrine
Noda-ebisu-jinjya shrine
Transport
Rail
West Japan Railway Company (JR West)
Osaka Loop Line: Fukushima Station) - Noda Station
JR Tōzai Line: Shin-Fukushima Station - Ebie Station
Hanshin Electric Railway
Main Line: Fukushima Station - Noda Station - Yodogawa Station
Osaka Metro
Sennichimae Line: Nodahanshin Station - Tamagawa Station
Keihan Electric Railway
Nakanoshima Line: Nakanoshima Station
Road
Hanshin Expressway: Kobe Route and Ikeda Route
National Route 2