リーガロイヤルホテル チーフコンシェルジュ 吉村直行
Welcome to the blog of Osaka Brand Comittee!. Thank you very much for visiting our blog of Osaka! If you are interested, please scroll down for English Article of our precious Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Arcade!
あっという間に6月も終ってしまい台風と共に7月も残すところ後僅かになって参りました。もう今日と明日こそが大阪が世界に誇る天神祭りがございます。 先日、商店街で所用を済ませてJR天満駅に向かう途中、商店街の4丁目で若い方達が天神祭りに向けてお囃子と踊りの練習をしていらっしゃる場所に出くわしました。皆さんの真剣な表情に伝統を未来に伝えて下さる方達がいらっしゃる事に安心を覚えました。益々楽しみですね、天神祭り!
メインのイベントは明日、天神橋を中心に行われますがやはりお祭りの気分に満ち満ちた天神橋筋商店街をお楽しみ頂かなくてはなりません。
神戸方面からでしたらJR神戸線経由東西線で大阪天満宮駅下車。 京都方面からで阪急電車をご利用でしたら天神橋筋6丁目下車でも結構ですし天神橋筋6丁目経由で南森町下車。 もしくは梅田からでしたら地下鉄谷町線東梅田駅から南森町駅下車でも結構ですしJR大阪駅2番線より一駅目、JR環状線天満駅下車が便利です。
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A9%E7%A5%9E%E7%A5%AD
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E9%98%AA%E5%A4%A9%E6%BA%80%E5%AE%AE
http://www.tenjinsan.com/
さて、今回はこの1000年以上もこの地に鎮座まします大阪天満宮様もさることながら先の竹丸師匠のブログにも出て参りました「天神橋筋商店街」に就いて少々。
御存知の方には申し訳ございませんが、この天神橋筋商店街 http://www.tenjin123.com/ http://www.ten-4.org/ http://www.ten5.com/ http://www.tenrokuworld.com/ http://homepage.mac.com/ryomasuda/Saigoku/Nagara/107/index.html 何と申しましても竹丸師匠のお話下さった「天満天神繁昌亭」がございます。これだけでも充分「宝の中の宝!正に宝のマトリョーショカ!」とも申し上げる事が出来るのですがまだまだ他にもございますので暫くお付き合いを戴きたく存じます。先ずは第一弾にございます!
こちらを「大阪の宝」と申し上げるには次の要素がございます。
- 普段着の大阪が活きている。
- 伝統的大阪が活きている。
- 歴史的大阪が活きている。
先ず「普段着の大阪」でございますが、何と言う事はございません。是非とも商店街を一丁目から順に6丁目までご覧下さいまし。荒物屋さん、和菓子屋さん、着物屋さん、お好み焼き屋さん等なんでもござれ!新旧様々なお店が軒を連ねていらっしゃいます。大体、今時「荒物屋さん」をご覧になられる機会などございますでしょうか?こちらをご覧戴くだけでも天神橋商店街をご覧戴く為の価値がございます!そしてお買い物を済まされた後、お好み焼きか焼きそばを戴いて、若しくはちょっとお洒落にギャレットか今流行の韓流のお店でスパイシーなお料理を戴いたり味わい深い中国料理やら激戦区のお鮨屋さんを訪ねてみたりと本当にキリがございません!お土産に粟おこしやら三笠饅頭やらをお求め戴く!何とジャポネスクな事でございましょう!考えてみると本当に贅沢な事でございますね。(笑)
次に「伝統的大阪」でございますが、矢張り個々のお店が凄い!余りにも数が多すぎるので全てを御紹介する事は出来ませんがまた、創業明治20年の素直な味の粟おこし屋さんがあるかと思えばはたまた江戸時代にお殿様から拝命した屋号を今に伝えられるお店等々。お好み焼き屋さんの内装も伝統的なコンパートメント型!これは実に粋(上方では「すい」と発音するそうでございますね?)な事でございまして、これを経験せずして大阪でお好み焼きを食べたと言う無かれでございます!これに加えて「天神天満繁昌亭」でございます。お笑い無しでは明日を考えることすら叶わない我々上方の人間の悲願でございました。単純に「お笑い」と仰る無かれ、非常に不思議なのが頃合を同じくして江戸と上方で落語が始まったのでございます。堅苦しい表現ではございますが「伝統芸能としての上方落語」も十二分に我々の誇りうるものでございます。これらの上方落語も出来た当時は新作落語でございました。有難い事に、同じ様に現在も未来の古典落語を創作せんと精進してくださっている師匠方も沢山いらっしゃいます。若し機会がございましたら繁昌亭の正面左にある碑をご覧下さいませ。これらの伝統的なお店と新しいお店が現代を共に生きていらっしゃいます。やがて、これらの新しいお店も新作落語同様伝統になって行かれるのでございましょうね!
最後に「歴史的大阪」でございますが、先ずは矢張り大阪天満宮様でございましょう。名前からすると非常に新しいイメージのあるお宮様にございますが菅原道真公が大宰府に流される折、お立ち寄りがあった事やその後の奇跡により当時の帝の勅令で天満宮様になられた事を考えるだけでもその価値たるや!そして今日に迫まった「天神祭り」でございます。非常に楽しみでございますね!「お祭り」何と心地良い響きでございましょう!次に大塩平八郎の刀を鍛えた刀鍛冶の御子孫が刃物屋さんを営んでいらっしゃること。詳しいことは省略させて頂きますが当時の幕府に拠る「連座」と言う防犯システムを考慮するとこちらのお店が現存していること自体が奇跡にございます。
まだまだ天神橋筋商店街の魅力を語りつくせては居りませんが「百聞は一見にしかず!」是非ともご自身でお楽しみ頂ければ幸いと存じます!
Dear guests,
Thank you very much for being patient! Here, I would like to introduce you the treasure of Osaka, well known industrial city of Japan.
However, first of all, let me proudly introduce you Tenjinmatsuri Festival starting today, finishing tomorrow! Tenjinmatsuri Festival is one of the 3 main festival of Japan.
http://www.osaka.fr/english_version/travel/index2.html
The main event will be held in and by the river by Tenjinbashi Bridge, tomorrow, July 25. However, the celebration will be held through out the shopping arcade which is accessible from
Please enjoy the short movie of Tenjinmatsuri Festival by selecting "Festivals" from "Movie Menu" on the left, then "The Tenjin Festival" underneath the monitor http://www.osaka-brand.jp/brandeizou/index.html
Osaka Tenmangu Station of JR. Tozai Line, convenient if you ara approaching from Kobe.
Minamimorimachi Station of Subway Tanimahci Line, convenient if you are approaching from Tanimachi 9 chome Tennoji or Higashi Umeda and Subway Sakaisujil Line, which is convenient if you are approaching from Hankyu Kyoto Line by Tenjinbashisuji 6 chome station, the Northern End of the shopping street.
Tenma Station of JR. Loop Line, the first stop from JR. Osaka Station track #2.
Today's treasure is Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street, the longest in Japan. http://www.ofix.or.jp/travel/shopping/malls/M12TenjinbashisujiStreet.html This shopping street can be accessed from Osaka Tenmangu Station of JR. Tozai Line, Tenma Station of JR. Loop Line, Minami-Morimachi Station of Subway Sakaisuji Line or Subway Tanimachi Line. Shops are generally open from 10:00 to 20:00, the restaurants are from generally 11:30 to 22:00.
This, longest shopping street in Japan stretches 2.6 km long from South to North. However, this is not the only reason that I call this as the treasure. Beacause it contains 3 important features, such as "Ordinary Osaka", "Traditional Osaka" and "Historical Osaka".
Isn't it dissapointing to see the well known brands shop on your arrival to this island of Far East? This, first feaure "Ordinary Osaka" would assure you for what you find there is nothing really special but ordinary Osaka! As you walk down the street you will find a lot of small shops as well as the local restaurants. Try go into one of them, it will be almost impossible to expect them to communicate you in English, but they will try their best by using some English words or body languages. And this is the one of the most exciting event for traveling abroad, I believe.
In the shop, please be careful to touch their merchandise. If you would like, try for their permit by asking in Japanese. Would you like to know the phrase? Before that, here's some little keys to pronounce Japanese. In Hepburn style Romanized Japanese, letter "e " is always pronounced as "e " in French with accent aigue such as "e" in "evidence". And vowels are always pronounced short unless they are accompanied by "h". Here, my spelling is based on my experience in American English and Hepburn Style Romanized Japanese. Try "Kore, Sawattemo, Eadesska?" The first two sylables should be easy but the last sylable. This time, pronounce "Ea" as in "east" or "easy" . If you decide to buy the item, ask them "how much?" in Japanese by "Ikra Desska?" When letter "i" comes on the top of the word, they will never be pronounced as "i " in "Ireland" or "ice" but pronounced as short vowel of "ea". Generally, it's been thought that Japanse sylables always contains vowels but actually not. Therefore, if you look up some of the Japanese Teaching book, the sylable "desska" is to be spelled as "desuka" but phonetically, it is wrong! However, in Osakan Standard Japanse, sometimes it contains as exceptional. And when you are leaving the shop, with big smile tell them "Thank you!", "Arigatoh". Here, the first letter "a" is to be pronounced as in "Alligator", and this "i" is to be pronounced very short "ea" as in "easy". Hoping this will assist your first encounter with the locals.
Don't forget to try the local Speciality, Okonomiyaki, some people reffers to Pizza but I, personally reffer it to Pancake for its shape and ingredients. It is very simple dish made of shreded or sometimes minced cabbage and flours by various topping. Served on a hoplate with thick Worcetershire sauce, called "Okonomiyaki Sauce" with sprinkle of Shaved Fish and Dried Green Laver. Even in Summer, Osakan People enjoy this hot dishes accompanied by nice chilled beer! There's no comparison!
The Second Feature "Traditional Osaka" can be found by strolling down the shopping street for you will find lot of Kimono Shops, table ware shops as well as the descendeant of famous Sword Smith, running knife shop. Besides these, there is an "Aramonoya", traditional Hardware shop which you will never find them in the other part of Osaka or in Tokyo! Therefore, by only being in Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street, you will find traditional and modern shops of Japan and among them, you may find some internatinal shops from Korea, China and India!
The Third Feature, "Historical Osaka" can be represented by Osaka Tenmangu, which has been the center of the local faith and community over one thousand year! And also, as well as the sword smith, some of the confectionaries have been there over a couple hundreds of years!
Please not miss this wonderful opporunity to visit Osaka if you are in Japan! Kyoto, Nara and Kobe may seems to be attractive but Osaka is also fun if you know more about her!
Click the photos for Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street http://tenjin123.com/contents/new_more.asp?contents_code=notic
Thank you very much for joinning me!
Naoyuki YOSHIMURA