History
HISTORY

Turning his back on the river after the war

After World War II, rapid economic development led to the pumping of groundwater, which caused Osaka, which was already low-lying, to sink even further, and seawalls were built to protect against high tides in coastal areas that had suffered repeated flooding. Although this provided some flood protection, the inorganic concrete revetments separated the waterfront from the land, and people lost their connection with the river and began to lose interest in the waterfront.

Furthermore, as transportation shifted mainly to rail and automobiles, the canals, which were losing their function, were filled in one after another and turned into roads, or covered by expressways, and the area lost its image as a water city.
Eventually, with the rapid expansion of economic activity and population growth that came with Japan's high economic growth, domestic and industrial wastewater began to flow into rivers, causing water quality to deteriorate, and people began to turn their backs on watersides.
The waterfront that Osaka residents once enjoyed has become a distant memory, and the waterfront has become a distant part of people's lives.

Dojima River
The expressway crosses over Oe Bridge (completed in 1935. National Important Cultural Property). On the right is Osaka City Hall.

Higashiyokobori River
Many of the canals have been filled in, but some have been built overpasses for the Hanshin Expressway. Vertical banks are continuous and the area is not hydrophilic, so many buildings face away from the river.

[Source] Osaka Brand Resources Report (Osaka Brand Committee, 2006)
[References] The Story of Osaka, the City of Water (Osaka City, Osaka Urban Association, 1995)