Dōtonbori

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East of Shinsaibashi
East of Shinsaibashi
West of Shinsaibashi
West of Shinsaibashi

Dōtonbori (道頓堀? IPA: [doːtomboɺ̠i]) is one of the principal tourist destinations in Osaka, Japan. It is a single shopping/restaurant street, running alongside the Dōtonbori canal, and stretches between the Dōtonboribashi Bridge and the Nipponbashi Bridge. Dōtonbori is officially a part of the Namba district of Osaka, south of Shinsaibashi.

A former pleasure district, Dōtonbori is famous for its surrounding theatres, shops, and restaurants and the many colorful neon and mechanized signs, including snack/candy manufacturer Glico's giant electronic display of a runner crossing the finish line.

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[edit] History

Dōtonbori traces its history back to 1612, when entrepreneur Doton Yasui was expanding the tiny East/West running Umezu River, hoping to increase commerce in the region by connecting the two branches of the North/South running Yohori River with a canal. Doton’s task was interrupted when he died defending Toyotomi Hideyori in the ill-fated Siege of Osaka, but his cousins carried on his legacy and finished the canal in 1615. The new lord of Osaka Castle Tadaki Matsudaira, named the avenue Dōtonbori in honor of its visionary even though Doton had been his enemy during the siege.

The character of Dōtonbori became defined in 1621 when the newly minted Tokugawa Shogunate instituted urban planning, designating Dōtonbori as the theater and entertainment district of Osaka. The Broadway and West End of its time, by 1662 the avenue boasted six Kabuki theaters and five Bunraku theaters, as well as the unique Takeda Karakuri mechanical puppet theater. To support the flood of tourists and entertainment seekers pouring nightly into Dōtonbori, many restaurants and cafes were built, further establishing Dōtonbori's reputation and position as an entertainment district.

Over the years, declining interests in traditional entertainment saw the closing of most of Dōtonbori original attractions, and the final five theaters were bombed and destroyed during World War II, leaving only the restaurants that we see today.

[edit] Restaurants

As a domestic tourist destination, Osaka is known for its food, and Dōtonbori is the main destination for food travel in Osaka. It is always featured in guidebooks for both foreign tourists and domestic. Osaka regional cuisine includes okonomiyaki (pan-fried batter cake), takoyaki (octopus dumplings), udon (a noodle dish), as well as regional sushi and other traditional Japanese foods.

[edit] Kuidaore (食い倒れ)

Kuidaore (食い倒れ?) is a Japanese word meaning roughly “to ruin oneself by extravagance in food.” It is sometimes romanized as cuidaore, and is part of a larger proverb: "Dress (in kimonos) till you drop in Kyoto, eat till you drop in Osaka" (京の着倒れ、大阪の食い倒れ).

The word is associated with Dōtonbori, often used in tourist guides and advertisements, due to the excess and extravagance of restaurants available. It can be seen in the names of several locations in Dōtonbori, such as the mascot Kuidaore Taro and in the restaurant Cui-daore.

[edit] Restaurants of Note

  • Kinryu Ramen: There are three Kinryu (Golden Dragon) Ramen restaurants in Dōtonbori, one at each end of the street and one in the middle. The chain is notable for its giant three-dimensional golden dragon billboards, as well as its outdoor seating consisting of tatami mats. Unlike many Japanese restaurants, Kinryu Ramen is open 24 hours, and offers a free garlic and kimchi bar.
  • Kani Doraku: A crab restaurant, easily identified by its giant moving crab billboard. One of the most famous landmarks of Osaka.
  • Otakoya: The famous and popular takoyaki stand, usually with a long, long line leading up to the counter.
  • Zubora-ya: A fugu restaurant with a huge blowfish lantern hanging out front.
  • Dōtonbori Ramen Taishokudo: A ramen restaurant formed by eight famous ramen shops from across Japan who banded together to form this one ramen paradise.
  • Cui-daore: a massive eight-story restaurant with a different Osaka cuisine on each floor, it is a self-proclaimed contender for the world’s largest restaurant. Though one of the most famous sights along Dōtonbori, the owners have announced it will close its doors in July 2008.[1][2]
  • Hariju: A beef restaurant from 1924.They use only Japanese beef. One of the more famous beef restaurants.

[edit] Landmarks

The distinctive commercial architecture of Dōtonbori has been echoed in at least three films. The pleasure district in Royal Space Force: The Wings of Honneamise and the neon-laden Japanese district of Blade Runner were both inspired by the district, and scenes from the 1989 movie Black Rain were shot at the Kirin Plaza building on Ebisubashi bridge.

In the manga Gantz, one of the missions takes place in Dōtonbori.

While Dōtonbori is packed with interesting billboards and buildings, there are three main landmarks that are most often featured on postcards and advertisements for Osaka.

  • Kuidaore Taro: In front of Cui-daore is the mechanical drum-playing clown, also known as Kuidaore Ningyo. He was installed in 1950, and instantly became a popular tourist attraction, even now swarmed by crowds of tourists patiently waiting their turn to snap a memento.
A popular sight is Dōtonbori in March, when the visiting rikishi for the Osaka Grand Sumo tournament line up with Kuidaore Taro for photos.
Dōtonbori typifies the flamboyance of Osaka.
Dōtonbori typifies the flamboyance of Osaka.
Glico Man in Dōtonbori, an Osaka landmark
Glico Man in Dōtonbori, an Osaka landmark
  • There is a museum of ukiyo-e (Kamigata-Ukiyoe-Kan) near Hozenji temple, where a visitor can see the lifestyle of the Edo period through collections made in Osaka.
  • Kani Doraku Crab: This six and a half meter crab fronts the famous crab restaurant Kani Doraku. It is mechanized, being able to move its arms and eyestalks. Built in 1960, the mechanical billboard soon spawned a craze of imitators including a squid that puffs steam and oni that light up at night. The Kani Doraku crab is responsible in many ways for the current look of Dōtonbori; it appears on postcards and websites probably more than any other symbol of Osaka.
  • Glico Man: Originally installed in 1935, the giant athlete is a symbol of Glico candy, featuring a running man on a blue track.
The giant neon sign has been revised on several occasions to celebrate events such as the World Cup and to bolster team spirit for Osaka's baseball team, the Hanshin Tigers.

[edit] Bridges

A massive canal slicing though a popular district calls for many bridges. Allowing for car travel are Dōtonboribashi Bridge itself (part of Midosuji Avenue) on one side and and Nipponbashi Bridge (part of Sakaisuji Avenue) on the other, flanking the west and east of the main Dōtonbori district. In between are several footbridges, connecting the Namba and Shinsaibashi shopping districts to Dōtonbori, such as Tazaemonbashi and Aiaibashi.

[edit] Ebisubashi Bridge

Of particular note and reputation is Ebisubashi Bridge, which sits just under the Glico Man billboard. Originally constructed to provide access to the nearby Ebisu Shrine, the bridge has gained a reputation as being the ultimate pick-up spot in Osaka, as well as the location of a legendary curse for Osaka baseball team, the Hanshin Tigers. More practically, the bridge provides a link between the Shinsaibashi-suji and Ebisubashi-suji shopping districts, popular with tourists.

[edit] Hikkake-bashi
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Due to the familiarity of the Glico Man, Ebisubashi Bridge makes for a convenient location when gathering a group to go out into the lively Osaka nightlife. Groups of women, both native to Osaka as well as those coming from the neighboring rural Kansai prefectures, always arranged to meet at "Ebisu-bashi bridge under the Glico Man". With such large groups of women gathering in one spot, men also swarmed to the bridge in the hopes of getting a date for the evening. The guys would line up along the bridge, and the girls would parade by, ready for the smoothest talker or sharpest dresser who could single himself out from the competition and score a date. During its heyday, Ebisubashi acquired several nicknames, including nanpa-bashi, mostly used by foreigners and hikkake-bashi, the pulling bridge, mostly used by native Japanese.

A "swimming prohibited" sign of Dōtonbori.
A "swimming prohibited" sign of Dōtonbori.
Temporary fence along Ebisubashi bridge. A pedestrian walkway along the canal (with access from its bridges) is currently under construction.
Temporary fence along Ebisubashi bridge. A pedestrian walkway along the canal (with access from its bridges) is currently under construction.

So notorious was Ebisubashi bridge that a drinking game evolved, where a group of girls would walk, one-by-one, a circuit up and back across the bridge counting how many times they got chatted up before reaching the starting point. Whoever had the least amount of guys approach her owed a round of drinks to the party.

Unfortunately, nowadays only the legend remains. Invading armies of black-suited, bleached-haired scouts started monopolizing the bridge, trying to con the girls into working at their clubs or posing for porno mags, but ultimately scaring away everyone who just wanted to meet some people and have a good time.

[edit] The Curse of the Colonel
Main article: Curse of the Colonel

Ebisubashi bridge has one more notorious reputation, being a scene of triumph, tragedy and a mysterious curse. In 1985 the Osaka-based Hanshin Tigers baseball team faced the Seibu Lions and took their first and only victory in the Japan Championship Series. As a riotous celebration, an assemblage of supporters yelled the players names, and with every name a fan resembling a member of the victorious team leapt from the bridge into the waiting canal. However, lacking someone to imitate American MVP Randy Bass, the rabid crowd seized the Colonel Sanders statue from a nearby KFC, and tossed it off the bridge as an effigy. This impulsive maneuver was to cost the team greatly, beginning the Curse of the Colonel. Legend has it that the Tigers will not win the championship again, until the statue is recovered. Attempts have been made, including sending divers down and dredging the river, but so far the statue remains in the murky depths and the Tigers cursed.

In 2003, the Tigers won the qualifying Central Tournament, and fans figured this was good enough. Over 5,300 fans repeated the plunge into the canal. However, for 24-year old Masaya Shitababa it was a tragedy. He drowned in the canal, with all reports being that he had been shoved in by the revelers. The Tigers lost the follow-up Japan Championship Series game, this time to Fukuoka Daiei Hawks, and Ebisubashi Bridge was forever changed. The Osaka city council ordered the construction of a new Ebisubashi bridge, beginning construction in 2004, which will make it more difficult for rabid fans to take the celebratory leap should the Tigers win again. The bridge has been re-built several times over the years, with the current bridge constructed in 1925, making it younger than the Glico Man.

[edit] See also

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[edit] External links

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ 道頓堀「くいだおれ」７月に閉店へ　定年迎え役目終えた. Asahi Shimbun (2007-04-08). Retrieved on 2007-04-10.
  2. ^ 大阪名物くいだおれ：ミナミの老舗料理店、７月閉店　「時代の変化」理由に. Mainichi Shimbun (2007-04-09). Retrieved on 2007-04-10.

[edit] References

  • Davisson, Zack, Osaka InfoGuide, Japan, Carter Witt Media, 2006 (English language tourist guide. Pg. 20-23 have detailed article on Dōtonbori, including history and culture. The majority of this article comes from this tourist guide.)
  • Kinoshita, June, Gateway to Japan, USA, Kodansha International, 1998, ISBN 4-7700-2018-X (pg. 608-609, Short section on areas of interest in Namba district)
  • Brand New Osaka (2005) "History of Dotonbori". (Short section on the history of Doton Yasui.)link
  • Japan National Tourist Association "Dotonbori" . (About the culture of Dōtonbori)link
  • Seattle Times (November 30, 2005) "10 great moments in baseball superstition history".link (#6 is the Curse of the Colonel)
  • AP Worldstream (September 18, 2003) "Japanese man drowns during baseball pennant celebrations".link (News article on the death of Masaya Shitababa)
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