5/16/24: Lively Osaka's Ceramics & Hopping Shotengai!

The history of Osaka, Japan's third largest city after Tokyo and Yokohama, stretches back almost 1,500 years when it was known as Naniwa, and its port acted as the gateway for China and Korea's more advanced cultures. Like other Japanese cities we'd recently visited, it also served as the country's capital for a short while but lost that honor, and changed its name to Osaka, becoming a temple town. The city first became prominent in the 16th century, when the country's most powerful warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi built Japan's most magnificent castle in his campaign to unite the country. 

Merchants were persuaded to resettle in Osaka to develop resources for the castle town. During the Edo Period, Osaka became an important distribution center as feudal lords from all over Japan established their warehouses in Osaka and sent their surplus tax rice to Osaka merchants before it was sent on to Edo, present-day Tokyo. Because of the city's history with rice trading, the Osaka Exchange with its grand white cylindrical facade is known as the world's first institutional futures exchange. 

The area around the Osaka Exchange is fittingly the central hub of Osaka’s economy. Unlike Kyoto, the city had several charming old buildings that were built during Osaka’s peak prosperity around 1925-1930, called the Dai-Osaka Era. In this period, Osaka merged with several other neighboring cities, becoming at that time, the biggest city in Japan. There used to be far more old buildings but WW II bombing destroyed many of them.

Crossing over the Naniwabashi or Lion Bridge took us to Nakanoshima, a long, narrow sandbar sandwiched between the Dojima and Tosabori rivers and the center of Osaka, a city supported by water transportation. Nakanoshima became the city's first park in 1910 before being redeveloped a hundred years later as a more urban recreational area.

The grand building on the plaza was the Osaka City Central Public Hall where we spotted several wedding couples popping in and out to get married in our couple of hours on the square.

Steven and I had made our way to the spit of land between the rivers to tour the Museum of Oriental Ceramics until we saw these pink roses peeking out from the glorious Nakanoshima Rose Garden that bordered the museum. All thoughts of ceramics immediately left our heads as the heady scent of roses filled our senses. What an unexpected treat!

Until coming to Japan, it's safe to say I never paid particular attention to sewer covers considering them only as pieces of the street and not as artworks. Osaka's pretty manhole covers made me take a second look at the 'art' beneath my feet!

As architecturally interesting as some of Osaka's retro buildings were, the museum's exterior held little appeal for me. But as we all know appearances can be deceiving and that was the case here as its 6,000-piece collection of Japanese, Chinese, and Korean ceramics is ranked as one of the finest in the world even with a scant 400 only on display at one time. 

I was thrilled that the museum was open as it'd just undergone an extensive renovation and had been closed when we planned our stay in Osaka. On entering, I was given a pencil to write down any notes I wanted so that a pen couldn't damage anything in the museum - that was definitely a first! The museum was established in 1982 by the city to celebrate the donation of the Ataka Collection of mostly Chinese and Korean ceramics by the Sumitomo Group of companies. That was augmented by Japanese ceramics.

As was the case with our limited experience visiting other museums in Japan, we were instructed exactly where to start and how to proceed through the museum instead of deciding the order of what we wanted to view. 

Because I knew ceramics weren't really Steven's thing, I made a point of just searching out the museum's highlights that were featured in the handy brochure. Our experience of seeing Korean ceramics had been non-existent before so these mostly 12th-century jade, celadon works from the Goryeo Dynasty were a beautiful way to be exposed to that country's rich ceramics history. 

Incense Burner with Cover in the Shape of Mandarin Duck: When the smoke was burned, it passed through the duck's body and exited through a hole between its beaks!

The 5ml-thick celadon plate was decorated with cranes frolicking among reeds and bushes. The cranes' postures are from an illustration of six cranes dating to ancient China. As we walked through the museum, I could only wonder how such stunning and fragile ceramics could be found whole and unblemished. Where have these plates and other museum treasures been for the last 800 years after some were found in the palace ruins in Gaesong, Goryeo's old capital? 

According to the museum, the technique of producing intricate inlay decorations like these Meiping Vases was an innovation unique to Goreyo.

Buncheon ware was a type of ceramics produced in the Joseon Dynasty from 1392-1910 which used white slip decorations applied onto a clay body or onto the distinctive motifs that contained iron. Using white represented the "artistic sensibility of Confucianism which respects the white color." Click on the Ewer to marvel at the young boys climbing the vines amid large vines! The scene was symbolic of the wish for fertility and prosperity of descendants.

This Joseon white porcelain piece was fired at the official kins that produced wares for the royal court. The glaze color of white porcelain changed over time from a grayish white to a snowy white to a bluish-white tone. 

The 15th-century Ritual Vessel was another example of Buncheon ware and would have been used in Confucian ceremonies. 

We moved on to the Japanese Ceramics Collection which was influenced by Chinese and Korean pottery. I enjoyed seeing the relationship between ceramics and people that arose within various Japanese cultures. Edo Period Sumo Wrestlers like this Kakiemon-style porcelain found favor in Europe among royalty and the aristocracy.

I wish I could have asked someone why this 8th-century earthenware Jar from nearby Nara with its three-color glaze was considered an Important Cultural Property in Japan.

Another highly treasured piece was the Octagonal Jar with its camellia and peony design from the 1680s.

I wouldn't have minded absconding with the sweet Set of Five Lobed Mukozuke Bowls as their camellia design was so attractive and the bright green was a lovely change from the jade and pale ceramics!

My maternal grandfather was a captain with the famed English P&O shipping line and brought back from his travels to exotic lands some stunning souvenirs to his home in England. Some of the exquisite Chinese ceramic pieces then made their way into my family's home when my mother as a War Bride emigrated to Canada. Steven and I are fortunate to have inherited some stunning Chinese ceramics,  which is why these pieces, some from the Ming Dynasty, caught and held my attention. 

I've always been drawn to simple blue-and-white porcelain, too.

The 14th-century, Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain Dish, adorned with a peony scroll, was another Important Cultural Property.

The Ming Dynasty hollyhock-designed Bowl was referred to as the "palace bowl" because it was created for courtly purposes. The decorations were delicately painted on both the exterior and interior.

Another Important Cultural Property, the flower-and-bird design Jar from the 15th century had raised outlines that produced a 3D effect.

I was especially surprised that this 14th-century Bottle was given the high honor of a National Treasure after being described as "celadon with brown spots"! What warranted that important designation?

One of the museum's dozen featured works was this late 11th- or early 12th-century Narcissus Basin with a distinct bluish glaze known as sky blue. Over the last few years, Steven and I've had to cancel about three trips to Taiwan because of either Covid or my bum leg. If we're both well enough, we hope to tour a good chunk of that country next spring combined with visits to different areas of Australia and New Zealand. I'll keep my fingers crossed we get there so that we may also see the only other four examples of this type of celadon at Taipei's National Palace Museum.

Peeking out the museum window was a tugboat making its way downriver.

On a rotating mirror platform was the museum's second prized National Treasure, a Yeteki Tenmoku Tea Bowl especially valued because, during the Song Dynasty, the popular way of preparing tea was whisking powdered tea in black-colored tea bowls so the white color could be beautifully prepared. This piece was formerly owned by Toyotomi Hidetsugu. It is valued for its "oil-spot-like pattern covering the entire bowl and its beautiful rainbow-colored luster that produces a mystical, profound atmosphere." All that from a bowl - amazing!

We'd never visited any museum that had "bespoke wooden armrests" for relaxed and up-close appreciation of each work. They were also designed for taking notes (perfect in my case!) or simply supporting ourselves with both hands. What an ingenious way to contribute to the art-viewing experience.

Also made exclusively for the museum was the suede fabric used to display the objects with an ivory color being chosen so that it wouldn't distract from the artworks but rather enhance their beauty.

The museum's collection of 1,200 Chinese Snuff Bottles rounded out our visit. Snuff was powdered tobacco that had been introduced to China from Europe in the 17th century and snuff use became fashionable in the Qing Dynasty court. Snuff bottles were developed uniquely in China and made from ceramics, glass, metal, and precious stones. Not only were they practical utensils, they became treasured objects. 

Just outside the snuff bottle gallery was an opportunity to "touch" the Tea Bowl using the latest technology, an interactive system that let us hold a tea-bowl-shaped controller or ultra-high-definition replica. We got a realistic sensation of the bowl's form and texture and could see the microscopic detail of the glazes and motifs that weren't visible previously. Again, what a brilliant addition to the museum's experience. No wonder the museum had been closed for years to take advantage of the newest in technology and enhance the museum-visiting experience.

Another, almost funny example of Japan's many rules was this "Please don't stop in your tracks" sign in the subway passageway!

Would we ever recognize Osaka with all the changes planned for the City of the Future in 2035? It looked way too futuristic and space-age for me!

Minami or South Osaka was one of the city's major centers with all the big-name stores seen in major cities throughout the world. I can't tell you how refreshing it was spotting this large colorful mural on the side of a building after the overwhelmingly traditional architecture in Kyoto. We felt alive again coming across the district's wide boulevards, interestingly designed buildings, and especially color! 

The decision to relax and grab a bite in the basement food hall of a branch of the Daimaryu Department Store that we'd so enjoyed in Kyoto wasn't such a hit in the Osaka location as Steven had a bad allergy to the peanuts in our chicken dish.

Even chocolate croissants didn't make him feel better.

Daimaryu was an Art Deco masterpiece with its elaborate designs throughout.

It's obviously been many a decade since Steven and I were young and hip but we still made our way to the Shinsaibashi/Namba area of Minami, a maze of narrow streets at the heart of the city's youth culture where dozens of stores catered to fans of urban apparel and hip-hop wear. Its main street, Amerika-mura or Anemura to the lcoals, was famous for having 50 unusual street lamps made in the shape of flexible humanoid figures that have been posed in a variety of shapes. Their wild colors and shapes just enthralled us or was that just me?! They were all part of the American Village Street Light Art Project to decorate the already lively street. Each lamp post held a round illuminated sign displaying the name of the shop in front of it.

A hint: Click on the pictures to enlarge them so you can more easily view and appreciate the wild lamp posts!

Many shops in the district sold goods and second-hand clothes from the US that appealed to the younger generation.

The lively neighborhood was also known for its shotengai or covered shopping arcades. I don't know why they were so prevalent in Osaka as I didn't think it was a city known for its extreme winter temperatures like Montreal where enclosed pedestrian streets are so common.

A fun go-kart race interrupted our walk from one arcade to the next!

I'm not a big fan of massive crowds but it was hard not to be excited by the magnificent views we had from the Ebisu-bashi Bridge over the famous Dotombori Canal, the city's most iconic sight. The area's vitality and sheer energy were contagious.

At the other end of the bridge was the Osaka Shocikuza Theater whose classical style would have looked right at home in any American city.

As we walked through the covered arcades and the small side Dotombori Street, it was hard to imagine what Osaka might have looked like centuries ago.

The discreetly hidden Hozen-ji Temple, founded in 1637, preserved a slice of old Japan amid the otherwise chaotic shopping and entertainment district. The temple was frequented by actors and other artists, and shows were regularly given there in tents. 

Pouring water on the temple's moss-covered statue, known as Mizukake Fudo is considered a good luck gesture. It must have worked during WW II as the image of the Buddha deity was the only item in the temple to survive during the bombings. We watched as passersby splashed water on the statue to protect themselves from evil.

Just beyond the temple was an impossibly atmospheric, stone-paved alley called Hozenji Yokocho lined with more than sixty traditional and restored shops and restaurants. Described as one of the most beautiful streets in all of Osaka, it would have been extra special to visit in the evening when lit by lanterns.

At face value, this was one of the strangest and most unwelcoming signs we've seen in front of any shop anywhere. Perhaps the word "handle" was erroneously translated and meant there was no English-speaking staff in their defense?

Sennichimae Doguyasuji Shotengai was another shopping arcade in the Minami district but its shops exclusively sold cookware, kitchen utensils, and restaurant supplies. 

Steven wisely stayed in the arcade while I managed to wend my way through the most densely packed collection of china and bric-a-brac I've seen anywhere. Entering the narrowest of aisles filled with tottering piles of china was like taking your life in your hands! For the first time, I felt like I lived the experience of being a bull in a china shop as I carefully stepped over precarious boxes of china and hoped my cane wouldn't cause an avalanche of broken china in my wake. But I was convinced there were all sorts of treasures waiting to be discovered and took my chances. My patience was rewarded as I came away with a sweet blue-and-white bowl that would remind us of Japan's glorious ceramics!

It was too late in the day to get a sense of how busy the covered Kuronom Ichibi Market might have been at peak hours. Dating to the Edo Period, the market stalls focused on selling fresh fish, meat, and produce. I can imagine how 'theoretically' it might have been an atmospheric place to stroll around and try street foods. I say theoretically because of the blunt admonishment to foreigners visiting the market: "When eating street food, make sure not to walk while eating, not to obstruct the flow of traffic, to properly dispose of your garbage, and to handle your food carefully so as not to soil the clothes of others. The inconsiderate behavior of some tourists has been a cause of displeasure among some locals."

Women-only subway cars made me think we'd been transported to segregated areas of the Middle East and were no longer in Japan. Notice the lines indicating where people could and could not stand while waiting for the train.

The rainbow was a perfect end to what had been a fun day in Osaka with a great combination of magnificent Oriental ceramics, diverse architecture, exciting street scenes including lamp posts, historic lanes, an abundance of shotengai, and a few minutes of souvenir collecting.

I don't know why Steven was so tired at the end of the day!

Next post: Osaka Castle and, being Japan, a couple of temples!

Posted on July 20th, 2024, on another hot day in Denver where we've only had a few sprinkles of rain for weeks now even though rain has regularly been forecast by weather gurus. I hope you and your loved ones are safe and well - continue to take care of each other.