Thank you very much for reading the article,
“【The Osaka-Kansai Expo Venue】What are Yumeshima and the surrounding area like? Part 1” ,
previously posted.
As I told you last time,
this time, I will tell you about Sakishima, the artificial island located south of Yumeshima where the Expo will be held,
and its surroundings.
When you hear the word “Sakishima,” which place comes to mind?
To be honest, even Osaka people are not familiar with this name.
I, hiikun, also learned the name “Sakishima” when I became an adult.
The name Nanko (South Port) is more familiar to me.
However, for those living in other prefectures, let alone Sakishima,
even the name of the place “Nanko” would not be wll-known.
This article is intended for the following people.
・Those interested in The Osaka/Kansai Expo.
・Those who are interested in Yumeshima, where the event will be held. and the surrounding area.
By reading this article,
you can learn about the charms of Sakishima and the surrounding area.
When visiting Osaka on a trip to the Expo,
you should definitely consider it as an additional destination.
Please read to the end then.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sakishima Overview
Sakishima is an artificial island located directly below Yumeshima.
Yumeshima and Maishima, introduced in the previous article, belong to Konohana Ward, Osaka City.
Therefore, some may think that Sakishima also belongs to Konohana Ward.
However, Sakishima belongs to Suminoe Ward, Osaka City.
The address of the Sakishima area is Nanko-naka and Nanko-kita, Suminoe Ward, Osaka City.
For this reason, many of the locals call this whole area
Nanko (South Port), not Sakishima.
I, hiikun, have also called this area Nanko since my childhood.
Therefore, I am more familiar with Nanko than Sakishima.
However, in this article, I will mainly use the name Sakishima.
According to information in a column article on the official website of the City of Osaka,
the reclamation of Sakishima was completed in Showa 55 (1980).
*I, hiikun, was born in May of that year.
The following year, March 16, Showa 56 (1981),
the Osaka Metro Nanko Port Town Line (then operated by the Osaka City Transportation Bureau)
opened between Suminoe Koen Station and Nakafuto Station.
It is a fully automated train called “New Tram”.
Housing complexes and educational facilities were constructed in this island.
Many people moved to the area.
December 18, Heisei 9 (1997),
Cosmosquare Station was open.
Until then, the Nanko Port Town Line had been the only rail line on the island.
However, with the extension of not only the Nanko Port Town Line but also the Chuo Line to Cosmosquare Station,
access to the center of Osaka City has been greatly improved.
Sakishima is said to be the sea gateway to Osaka.
It serves not only as a container terminal but also as a terminal for passenger vessels.
Regular ferries between Kyushu and Shikoku are still in operation.
There is also an international ferry terminal
There is also a liner service connecting to Busan, Korea.
There are several commercial, lodging, and public facilities.
At INTEX Osaka and ATC Asia Pacific Trade Center ,
large events are held regularly.
On weekends and holidays, it is crowded with many people.
Unfortunately, several public facilities and accommodations have gone out of business.
The aforementioned ATC Asia Pacific Trade Center also has quite a few vacant stores.
Many people must have the impression that Sakishima has fallen into disrepair compared to the past.
However, I do not want it to become obsolete.
The area around Cosmosquare Station, the gateway to Sakishima, was almost empty when it opened.
In recent years, however, the area around the station has been undergoing development.
New residential complexes such as tower condominiums, universities, and high schools have also been built.
As I mentioned earlier,
it is still fully functional today as a terminal for passenger ships.
It is relatively close to Universal Studios Japan and Tempozan.
Because there are accommodations on the island,
I also see tourists.
Sakishima should still be able to grow.
The Expo and IR projects will increase the number of visitors to Sakishima.
That is what I expect.
Oops, my apologies.
Although it’s an overview,
I apologize for the length of this conversation.
It’s time to move on.
In the next section,
I will talk about the route to Sakishima
and what is in Sakishima.
What’s around Yumeshima? No.2: Sakishima
Now let’s go to Sakishima.
This is the photo I took from inside a Nanko Port Town Line/New Tram train heading to Sakishima.
Just before entering Sakishima.
I look forward to seeing what is inside.
Date of visit: January 9, Reiwa 7 (2025)
Route to Sakishima
First, let’s look at the route to Sakishima.
There are two main ways to use the railroad.
・Yotsubashi Line Route
・Chuo Line Route
Until the opening of Cosmosquare Station,
the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line route was the only choice.
From Suminoe Koen, the southern terminal of the Yotsubashi Line,
change to the Nanko Port Town Line.
Whether it is more convenient and economical to use the Yotsubashi Line route or the Chuo Line route
depends on from which part of Osaka City you are heading to Sakishima.
The main theme of this article is Yumeshima.
Thinking of heading to Yumeshima,
I chose the Chuo Line route for the January 9 visit to Sakishima.
For this reason, this article introduces a route to Sakishima via the Chuo Line.
However, the route is the same as the one to Yumeshima until the halfway point.
Please get off at Cosmosquare Station, which I have already mentioned.
Once you exit the station, you are already in Sakishima.
If you want to go to the center of Sakishima,
please transfer to the Nanko Port Town Line.
This is Cosmosquare Station on the Nanko Port Town Line (New Tram).
It is located on the floor above the Chuo Line platform.
Cute trains in a variety of colors
run through the center of Sakishima.
They are fully automated trains.
Although the driver’s cab is installed,
it is covered except in an emergency.
Of course, the crew is not usually on board.
Therefore, it is possible to sit in the driver’s seat.
Feeling as if you were a driver,
you can enjoy the view from the train window.
I took the Nanko Port Town Line to one place.
In the next section,
let’s take a look at what exactly Sakishima has to offer.
What’s in Sakishima?
Let’s take a look at what Sakishima has to offer.
Here is the first place I visited.
Osaka Nanko Ferry Terminal.
This ferry terminal is not exactly located in Sakishima.
I took this photo from inside the Nanko Port Town Line car that just appeared.
I am crossing the Nanko Bridge, the southern entrance to Sakishima.
The Ferry Terminal Station, which you arrive at immediately after crossing the Nanko Bridge, is the nearest station.
From this ferry terminal,
ships depart for Shin Moji Port in Fukuoka Prefecture and Toyo Port in Ehime Prefecture.
Meimon Taiyo Ferry is in charge of operating the ships bound for Shin Moji Port.
Shikoku Orange Ferry is in charge of operating the ships bound for the Toyo Port.
MOL Sunflower, which I will talk about later,
is in charge of two routes, Beppu City, Oita Prefecture, and Shibushi City, Kagoshima Prefecture.
*Ferry Sunflower departs from and arrives at a different location.
This point will also be introduced below.
When visiting Osaka from Kyushu or Shikoku,
in addition to Shinkansen, airplanes, and highway buses, you should take these ferries.
I would like to get on the boat and go somewhere.
Let’s head to Sakishima.
I would like to take a leisurely boat trip if I have the chance.
I returned to Sakishima from the ferry terminal station.
A tall building came into view in front of us.
Osaka Prefectural Government Sakishima Building (Sakishima Cosmo Tower).
We will head to the top floor later.
Before that, we will head to a certain place.
This building is the ATC Asia Pacific Trade Center.
When I think of Sakishima, this building is the first that comes to mind.
Various stores, including restaurants, general merchandise stores, and clothing stores, line the streets.
The facility also hosts a variety of events on a regular basis.
The nearest station is Trade Center-mae Station on the Nanko Port Town Line.
A relatively large number of stores are open near the Trade Center Station and the Ferry Sunflower terminal.
However, the further you get away from there, the more vacant stores you will see.
MOL Sunflower boats depart from and arrive at this location.
Ferries bound for Beppu and Shibushi are preparing to set sail.
Now,
let’s head for the Sakishima COSMO Tower Observation Deck.
Admission is ¥1,000 for adults.
Children are 600 yen.
Please refer to this page for details including discounts.
The brochure is available in both English and Chinese.
It was also a weekday evening,
It was very empty.
Take the elevator to the observation deck.
I, hiikun, am the only one in the elevator.
Get off the elevator.
Take this escalator to the top floor.
When you finish climbing the escalator, you will see ・・・・
The best view greets us.
It offers a panoramic view of not just Sakishima,
but also Osaka City.
I was supposed to walk around various parts of Sakishima.
However, it was too cold.
Although it was sunny,
the wind was very strong and I found it difficult to walk around.
Therefore, while seeing the view from the observatory here,
I will show you what Sakishima has to offer.
As you can see, there are many apartment complexes in Sakishima.
I have seen this scene since I was a child.
This area has not changed much from the past.
The Osaka Nanko Ferry Terminal is circled in red.
You can see the ships of the Meimon Taiyo Ferry, which you saw there earlier, docked.
Mt. Ikoma, located on the border between Osaka and Nara prefectures, can be seen in the back.
You can see Abeno Harukas toward which the red arrow points.
The large, long, bright red bridge in the foreground is the Minato Ohashi Bridge.
It is the longest truss bridge in Japan and the third longest in the world.
The bridge indicated by the yellow arrow is the Namihaya Bridge.
I have previously posted an article on the Namihaya Bridge.
You can read about it if you like.
And red as if the place enclosed,
this is Taisho, the hometown of me, hiikun.
Where the yellow arrow points,
Universal Studios Japan is located there.
The blue arrow points to,
Tempozan.
There are several tourist attractions such as Kaiyukan,Giant Ferris Wheel, and Tempozan Market Place.
And the red arrow points to,
Osaka International Ferry Terminal.
The Panstar Ferry to Busan, South Korea, arrives and departs from this port.
The yellow arrow points to the Yodo River, Osaka’s representative river.
The area around Cosmosquare Station.
It has developed considerably compared to when it first opened.
Several new apartment complexes have been built around the station.
Morinomiya Medical College can be seen next to them.
Look to the south of the observatory.
The white line drawn is the Yamato River.
The area up to the front of the white line is Osaka City, and the area behind is Sakai City.
Going south, you will reach Kansai International Airport.
However, it is indeed not visible from here.
The yellow arrow points to,
Osaka Nanko Bird Sanctuary.
There is some kind of suspicious sphere in the lower right corner.
The red arrow points in the direction.
What is that all about?
That building used to be a museum.
It is called “Naniwa no Umi no Jikan” .
Unfortunately, the museum closed in March 2013.
It was never demolished,
It was never utilized for another purpose,
It is still drifting on the sea as it was at that time.
And to my readers,
notice the middle of this picture.
Do you see something over the ocean?
What a view of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge!
Awaji Island can be seen on the left side of the bridge.
I did not expect to see it so clearly.
Below, you can see the Sunflower ferry about to depart.
And now we see the place that can be called the star of this article.
Yes, it is Yumeshima.
Thanks to the good weather,
I could see it clearly.
This view made me want to visit Yumeshima more and more.
Yumeshima is expected to develop in the future.
An old spherical building (Naniwa no Umi no Jikan) that was closed more than a decade ago and still floats on the sea.
This contrast is really interesting.
Maishima can also be seen from the observation deck.
The observation deck also offers seating like this.
Paid premium seats.
It is possible to secure private space.
You can enjoy the scenery with your loved ones.
I wonder
when I, hiikun, currently single, will be able to use this seat・・・
How about a commemorative medal to celebrate your visit?
There is also a coffee shop on the observation deck.
On this visit,
I did not stop at this coffee shop.
“Sakishima Pudding” is their specialty.
On my next visit,
I would love to try it.
When you purchase an admission ticket,
you can get a coupon for 50 yen off soft drinks.
I found myself staying at the observatory for about an hour.
The sun completely set outside.
The street was lit.
The daytime and evening views are wonderful, though.
Next time I would definitely like to visit this place at night.
I was hungry,
I had dinner at a restaurant in the Asia and Pacific Trade Center (ATC).
After much consideration,
I had dinner here.
As you can see, there are no people.
“It’s just a coincidence!” You might think.
I walked around the facility for a while,
In fact, I didn’t see many people like this.
It was kind of sad to see.
My Readers,
Please visit ATC.
*By the way, this Mos Burger closes at 7pm (as of January 2025).
Here is what I got for dinner.
Japanese Beef Burger -Wasabi & Soy Sauce
The slightly sweet sauce flavored with wasabi goes well with the meat.
It contains vegetables.
And the premium buns specially made for this burger are excellent.
The appearance, quantity, and taste are all perfect.
I also had dessert.
Coffee shake.
It is no exaggeration to say that I go to Mos Burger just to drink this.
About two years ago, I think…
I saw this coffe shake introduced in a YouTube video by a popular comedian.
This is the first time I have heard of coffee shakes.
Influenced by the expression on the comedian’s face as he was drinking the delicious drink,
after watching the video, I immediately went to one of their store to try it out.
I was surprised when I drank it,
I was very impressed.
Since then, I have been captivated by coffee shakes.
And this time, as usual, I ordered it.
We encourage all readers to give it a try.
Thanks for the food. Gochisousamadeshita.
There are several skyscrapers with observation spaces in Osaka City.
・Abeno Harukas
And so on…
Actually, this is the first time
that I visited the Sakishima Cosmo Tower Observation Deck.
Personally,
I liked the Sakishima Cosmo Tower Observation Deck the best.
It is probably the observatory closest to the sea in Osaka City.
To me hiikun who loves the view of the sea and the river,
it offers the best views.
I recommend visiting on a weekday evening.
Compared to other observatories,
there are not many people.
You can take your time and enjoy the view of Osaka’s bay area.
I was surprised to see the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge rather clearly.
I expect that there probably won’t be that many people on weekday evenings.
I would like to visit again next time to see the night view.
What’s around Yumeshima? No.3: Tempozan
Two stops from Yumeshima Station,
Osaka Port Station is the closest station to Tempozan.
If you go a little further north from here,
you will reach the Tempozan area.
Many of you must already know about Tenpozan, so I will skip the detailed explanation.
In the past, I have posted several articles that are largely or slightly related to Tempozan.
Please read them if you like.
・Please click here for an article on the free transfer from USJ to Tempozan.
・Please click here to read the Captain’s Line boarding report.
・Please click here to read about the Santa Maria.
・Please refer to this article for more information on touring 8 ferry boats in Osaka.
Summary
As a continuation of the article,
“What are Yumeshima and the surrounding area like, Part 1”, previously posted,
I have talked about Sakishima and its surrounding area. What do you think?
Throughout the previous and current articles,
you may have noticed a few places around Yumeshima
that may be worth visiting.
The Osaka-Kansai Expo will be held for six months beginning April 13.
When visiting the Expo,
I hope you will visit the places I have introduced.
Even if you are not going to the Expo,
please visit these places when you visit Osaka.
You will discover new charms of Osaka.
Though the two article,
I have told you about Yumeshima, where the Osaka-Kansai Expo will be held,
and the surrounding areas.
I hope that these articles will be of help to my readers
when you travel to Osaka.
This is a very long story.
Thank you very much for reading to the end.
See you in the next article.
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