“Now” and “Then” of the Shin-Imamiya Sta.

Downtown Osaka"Shin Imamiya Area" Vol1. “Now” and “Then” of the Shin-Imamiya Sta.

In the past, the area southwest of Shin-Imamiya was called" Kamagasaki, "and it developed uniquely as a city for day laborers.
There was a shopping street near Tsutenkaku where many people gathered, and it was very busy with shamisen and drums to attract customers. From the sound of the shamisen, it came to be called "Janjan Yokocho".

Downtown　Osaka

Shin Imamiya

From the latter half of the Showa era to the Heisei era, the area around Shin-Imamiya, which had lost its former momentum, has become lively again with the cooperation of the public and private sectors. Restaurants such as Kushikatsu and souvenir shops have opened one after another. In addition, the accommodation facility near Haginochaya was in a difficult situation due to the recession, etc., but since it is easily accessible from Kansai Airport, now many facilities have changed into low price hotels for inbound tourists. In 2019, Japan's first inbound training facility for foreigners, "YOLO BASE," opened. Furthermore, with the opening of "OMO7 Osaka by Hoshino Resort" in April 2022, Shin-Imamiya is about to undergo a major transformation. Keep an eye on the future "Shin-Imamiya".

Nankai Shin-Imamiya sta., Miura Station Master

I am mainly responsible for managing each station in the jurisdiction. I manage and supervise the members, as well as coordinating with the government and attending meetings.

Q1：What kind of image do you have of Shin-Imamiya Area?

When I joined the company, I had an image that Shin-Imamiya is full of workers, and it was a difficult area to stop by for sightseeing, but recently, the image and the situation of the environment of the city has improved.

Q2：What are your safety and security measures, such as measures to prevent infection with the new coronavirus?

In order for customers to use our facilities in peace of mind, we are working on disinfecting station equipment (ticket vending machines, ticket gates, stair railings, waiting rooms, etc.) . Our staff wear masks and we have splash prevention sheets at the counter.

Q3：Before the pandemic, the number of foreign tourists was increasing at tourism resources such as Shinsekai. What are you doing when dealing with foreigners? Also, are there any new initiatives in the future?

We are ready to welcome foreign customers with Poketalk (translating machines) and tablets. Our ticket gate on the 1st floor has been renewed and the elevator has become large. Please visit Shin-Imamiya once when you come to Osaka.

Q4：Did Shin-Imamiya change from the past? What do you expect for the future?

Shin-Imamiya Sta. has reopened on March 26, 2022. The ticket gate is relocated to the 1st floor, and the north-south passage is designed with warm wood as the axis to welcome you. What I expect for the future is that it will be an area where people say, "Shin-Imamiya / Shinsekai area is interesting for sightseeing in Osaka!“ When the new corona converges, I would like you to visit here once and take a leisurely look at the cityscape.