Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka
Encyclopedia
is one of 24 wards
of Osaka
, Japan
. It is located on the southern part of the Uemachi Plateau
, in the southern most part of Osaka City, and is separated from Sakai City's Sakai-ku and Kita-ku by the Yamato River. There are six rail lines, and three main thoroughfares - Abiko-Suji and Abeno-Suji, which run north-south through the centre of the ward - Abeno-Suji, which continues north through the area of Tennoji - and Nagai Koen-Dori, which runs east-west and connects the area with the port to the west. The northern part of Sumiyoshi-ku is a residential area which is a continuation of the southern part of Abeno-ku
. The Tezukayama 1-Chome neighbourhood in Abeno-ku, and Tezukayama-naka and Tezukayama-nishi neighbourhoods in Sumiyoshi-ku are upper-class residential areas. South of this, around the Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine
, are the Sumiyoshi and Kamisumiyoshi neighbourhoods, home to many long established local families. Surrounding these are the middle-class residential neighbourhoods of Shimizugaoka, Suminoe, Oriono, Minamisumiyoshi, Yamanouchi, and Nagai-Higashi, which lies at the eastern end of the ward. Sumiyoshi-ku is home to about 157,000 residents, and has a population density of 16,800 people per square kilometer.
combination for the current day Sumiyoshi, 住吉, was pronounced Suminoe, and even appeared in Man'yōshū (8th century Japanese poetry). At present, Sumiyoshi, Suminoe, and Sumie represent different area names.
Suminoe no Tsu
(Suminoe Port), which in ancient times was located south of Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, was home to Japan's first international port, and until Naniwa no Tsu (Naniwa Port) was constructed, it was the country's international point of contact. The Japanese envoy to the Sui
and T'ang
Dynasties of China
departed there, and it was Japan's portal to the Silk Road
. Importantly, Buddhism
was also introduced to Japan (via China) through this port.
In the Middle Ages, the throne of Emperor Go-Murakami
of the Southern Court was placed in the house of the chief priest of Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine for ten years. It was known as Sumiyoshi-angou (住吉行宮) and was the base of the Southern Court.
There was also a town built around Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, and until the Meiji period
and ensuing land reclamation
projects, the sea shore was quite close to the shrine. Sumiyoshi Moyou, a famous picture map showing a Japanese place of scenic beauty (風光明媚な風景) depicts the landscape in the area of the shrine at the time.
In ancient times, the estates of a number of powerful family clans were located in the Tezukayama area. Included among these was the house of the famous Ootomo No Kanamura, who supported Emperor Keitai. Tezukayama Tumulus is the burial site of either Ootomo No Kanamura or one of his children.
. In ancient times the area prospered independently of the central Osaka area.
In 1878, an act was passed for the organisation of areas into a county system of gun (district), ku (ward), machi (town) and mura (village/neighbourhood). From this Sumiyoshi-gun (district) was created. The district town hall was built in the only town of the district, Anryuu-machi. In April 1896, a new county system was introduced which resulted in Sumiyoshi-gun being absorbed into Higashinari-gun.
Sumiyoshi-ku was formed in 1925 with the second expansion of Osaka city into an area that was formerly part of the original Sumiyoshi-gun. In 1943, two sections were separated from Sumiyoshi-ku to form Abeno-ku
and Higashisumiyoshi-ku
. Also, in 1943, part of Nishinari-ku
and all of Kohamachi-ku were absorbed into Sumiyoshi-ku. In 1974 Sumiyoshi-ku was further subdivided, resulting in Sumiyoshi Park
, Anryuu, and Hamaguchi becoming part of the newly formed Suminoe-ku
.
Wards of Japan
A is a subdivision of one of the cities of Japan that is large enough to have been designated by government ordinance. Wards are used to subdivide each city designated by government ordinance...
of Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is located on the southern part of the Uemachi Plateau
Uemachi Plateau
The Uemachi Plateau is a plateau in Osaka city, Japan, that extends from the Osaka Castle and Tenmabashi area to Tennōji in the south.- History and formation :...
, in the southern most part of Osaka City, and is separated from Sakai City's Sakai-ku and Kita-ku by the Yamato River. There are six rail lines, and three main thoroughfares - Abiko-Suji and Abeno-Suji, which run north-south through the centre of the ward - Abeno-Suji, which continues north through the area of Tennoji - and Nagai Koen-Dori, which runs east-west and connects the area with the port to the west. The northern part of Sumiyoshi-ku is a residential area which is a continuation of the southern part of Abeno-ku
Abeno-ku, Osaka
is one of 24 wards of Osaka, Japan. It is located in southern Osaka city and has a population of over 107,000. In the northern part of Abeno, Abenobashi, there is the Kintetsu Minami-Osaka Line which terminates at Abenobashi Station, the Midōsuji Line and Tanimachi Line of the Osaka Municipal...
. The Tezukayama 1-Chome neighbourhood in Abeno-ku, and Tezukayama-naka and Tezukayama-nishi neighbourhoods in Sumiyoshi-ku are upper-class residential areas. South of this, around the Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine
Sumiyoshi Taisha
, also known as Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, is a Shinto shrine in Sumiyoshi ward in the city of Osaka, Japan. It is the main shrine of all the Sumiyoshi shrines in Japan...
, are the Sumiyoshi and Kamisumiyoshi neighbourhoods, home to many long established local families. Surrounding these are the middle-class residential neighbourhoods of Shimizugaoka, Suminoe, Oriono, Minamisumiyoshi, Yamanouchi, and Nagai-Higashi, which lies at the eastern end of the ward. Sumiyoshi-ku is home to about 157,000 residents, and has a population density of 16,800 people per square kilometer.
Area history
In ancient times, the kanjiKanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
combination for the current day Sumiyoshi, 住吉, was pronounced Suminoe, and even appeared in Man'yōshū (8th century Japanese poetry). At present, Sumiyoshi, Suminoe, and Sumie represent different area names.
Suminoe no Tsu
Suminoe no Tsu
Suminoe no Tsu is the oldest international port in Japan.Said to be opened by Emperor Nintoku, Suminoe no Tsu was located on an inlet called Suminoe no Hosoe on the southern side of Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, in the south of current day Osaka city...
(Suminoe Port), which in ancient times was located south of Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, was home to Japan's first international port, and until Naniwa no Tsu (Naniwa Port) was constructed, it was the country's international point of contact. The Japanese envoy to the Sui
Sui Dynasty
The Sui Dynasty was a powerful, but short-lived Imperial Chinese dynasty. Preceded by the Southern and Northern Dynasties, it ended nearly four centuries of division between rival regimes. It was followed by the Tang Dynasty....
and T'ang
Tang Dynasty
The Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
Dynasties of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
departed there, and it was Japan's portal to the Silk Road
Silk Road
The Silk Road or Silk Route refers to a historical network of interlinking trade routes across the Afro-Eurasian landmass that connected East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean and European world, as well as parts of North and East Africa...
. Importantly, Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
was also introduced to Japan (via China) through this port.
In the Middle Ages, the throne of Emperor Go-Murakami
Emperor Go-Murakami
was the 97th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, and a member of the Southern Court during the Nanboku-chō period of rival courts. He reigned from September 18, 1339 until March 29, 1368 . His personal name was...
of the Southern Court was placed in the house of the chief priest of Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine for ten years. It was known as Sumiyoshi-angou (住吉行宮) and was the base of the Southern Court.
There was also a town built around Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, and until the Meiji period
Meiji period
The , also known as the Meiji era, is a Japanese era which extended from September 1868 through July 1912. This period represents the first half of the Empire of Japan.- Meiji Restoration and the emperor :...
and ensuing land reclamation
Land reclamation
Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, is the process to create new land from sea or riverbeds. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or landfill.- Habitation :...
projects, the sea shore was quite close to the shrine. Sumiyoshi Moyou, a famous picture map showing a Japanese place of scenic beauty (風光明媚な風景) depicts the landscape in the area of the shrine at the time.
In ancient times, the estates of a number of powerful family clans were located in the Tezukayama area. Included among these was the house of the famous Ootomo No Kanamura, who supported Emperor Keitai. Tezukayama Tumulus is the burial site of either Ootomo No Kanamura or one of his children.
Ward history
Sumiyoshi-ku (ward) was originally called Sumiyoshi-gun (district) of the Settsu provinceSettsu Province
was a province of Japan, which today comprises the eastern part of Hyōgo Prefecture and the northern part of Osaka Prefecture. It was also referred to as or .Osaka and Osaka Castle were the main center of the province.-History:...
. In ancient times the area prospered independently of the central Osaka area.
In 1878, an act was passed for the organisation of areas into a county system of gun (district), ku (ward), machi (town) and mura (village/neighbourhood). From this Sumiyoshi-gun (district) was created. The district town hall was built in the only town of the district, Anryuu-machi. In April 1896, a new county system was introduced which resulted in Sumiyoshi-gun being absorbed into Higashinari-gun.
Sumiyoshi-ku was formed in 1925 with the second expansion of Osaka city into an area that was formerly part of the original Sumiyoshi-gun. In 1943, two sections were separated from Sumiyoshi-ku to form Abeno-ku
Abeno-ku, Osaka
is one of 24 wards of Osaka, Japan. It is located in southern Osaka city and has a population of over 107,000. In the northern part of Abeno, Abenobashi, there is the Kintetsu Minami-Osaka Line which terminates at Abenobashi Station, the Midōsuji Line and Tanimachi Line of the Osaka Municipal...
and Higashisumiyoshi-ku
Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka
is one of 24 wards of Osaka, Japan.-Train stations:JR West*Kansai Main Line : Tobu-shijo-mae Station*Higashisumiyoshi-ku is also close to stations on the Hanwa Line, , and in Abeno-ku.Kintetsu...
. Also, in 1943, part of Nishinari-ku
Nishinari-ku, Osaka
is one of the 24 wards of Osaka, Japan. It contains some shopping and entertainment areas beloved to many Osakans, e.g. Shinsekai and Tamade. It lies directly south of the Namba transport hub and extends further south toward Sumiyoshi Park. It is served by the Nankai Railway lines as well as the...
and all of Kohamachi-ku were absorbed into Sumiyoshi-ku. In 1974 Sumiyoshi-ku was further subdivided, resulting in Sumiyoshi Park
Sumiyoshi Park
Sumiyoshi Park is an Osaka prefectural park in Hamaguchi-higashi Itchome, Suminoe-ku, Osaka, Japan.It was registered by Osaka Prefecture in 1873 with Hamadera Park in Nishi-ku, Sakai, and is the oldest park in Osaka.-Access:...
, Anryuu, and Hamaguchi becoming part of the newly formed Suminoe-ku
Suminoe-ku, Osaka
is one of 24 wards of Osaka, Japan. Stretching along the south-west border of Osaka, it is adjacent to Minato-ku, Taisho-ku and Nishinari-ku to the north and Sumiyoshi-ku to the east...
.
Places of interest
Aside from Sumiyoshi Taisha, there is also a large number of restaurants along Abiko-Suji and in the Nagai area (the intersection of Nagai Koen-Dori and Abiko-Suji), and numerous small shops and businesses on Abeno-Suji.- Sumiyoshi Grand ShrineSumiyoshi Taisha, also known as Sumiyoshi Grand Shrine, is a Shinto shrine in Sumiyoshi ward in the city of Osaka, Japan. It is the main shrine of all the Sumiyoshi shrines in Japan...
- Tezukayama Tumulus
- Ruins of the palace of Emperor Go-Murakami
- Ikune Shrine
- Oyosami Shrine
- Asazawa Shrine
- Wakamatsu Shrine (also known as Todorokihimenomikoto Shrine)
- Gokurakuji Temple
- Shogon Jodoji Temple
- Statue of a Guardian Deity, Rokudo-no Tsuji Enma Jizo
- Monument to Osho Ikkyu's Hermitage, Shosaian
- Kishu Highway
- Kumano Road
- Abiko Kannon
- Mandai-ike Pond
- Asaka Central Park
- Yamato River
- Hosoe River