Each week, here at Osaka.com, we bring you a selection of some of the top stories about Osaka making the local and national news here in Japan. Sometimes it’s serious, sometimes it’s funny, but it’s always direct to you, from Osaka.
Here’s a look at some of the stories hitting the headlines in Osaka this week.
Table of Contents
War Flag Returned to Family of Deceased Combatant
Almost 80 years after his death, the family of one of Japan’s many war dead finally achieved some closure this week. Tatsumi Okabe died fighting for Japan’s Imperial Army in Burma (modern day Myanmar) in 1945. At the time of his death, he had a flag with him, signed by family, friends, and work colleagues, wishing him well in his battles.
The flag was formally returned to Okabe’s surviving relatives. His sister Fusako, and his daughter Yoshiko in Osaka this week. A ceremony took play at Gokoku Shrine in Suminoe Ward on Sunday. Representatives of Nippon Izokukai, a group represented war-bereaved familes, conducted the ceremony.
However, the flag has been on quite a journey over the past 8 decades.
Flag Returned via UK, US, then Finally Japan
Initially, Okabe’s family believed the flag was lost in Myanmar, in the immediate aftermath of the 30 year old’s death. However, it later turned up in the UK. A signaler who served in Myanmar around the same time apparently found the flag and took it home as a souvenir. Many years later, the serviceman’s grandson reached out to The Obon Society, an America-based non-profit organization. The Obon Society works to heal old wounds by facilitating exchanges and cooperation between families of veterans from different sides.
In turn, the Obon Society obtained the flag and then passed it onto Nippon Izokukai, who then set about tracking down Okabe’s surviving family. The Obon Society’s co-founder, Keiko Ziak, joined Nippon Izokukai chariman Saburo Okakura in presiding over the ceremony.
In a joint statement, participants in the ceremony said they hoped the ceremony would “allow us all to think about peace and continue to work towards a lasting, global peace.”
Okabe’s family said they plan to display the flag in the family’s personal shrine at their home. They believe Okabe’s late mother would wish it so.
Osaka Flying the Flag for Umbrella Rental
Many great business minds say “in adversity lies opportunity”, or words to that effect. Well, for one such firm, Osaka seems to serve as a more than able proving ground for this particular brand of economic theorem. You’ve probably noticed that we are in the midst of “Tsuyu”, Japan’s annual rainy reason, at the moment.
Nature Innovation Corp, a business start-up based in Tokyo, saw this as a prime opportunity for expansion into Osaka. Their primary money maker: umbrella rentals. Using their smartphone app, and collection points dotted around Osaka’s many train stations, commuters can rent an umbrella should they find themselves caught in a sudden, unexpected downpour.
The company offers two different rental schemes. 140 yen gets you a single umbrella for 24 hours, or 280 yen covers one month of use. The higher tier also allows consumers to rent up to two different umbrellas to use over the course of the month.
As with so many modern business ideas, the key to success lies in the simplicity of the concept. Osaka is just the latest in a planned nationwide expansion for Nature Innovation. The company started out with a mere 50 rental spots almost exclusively in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward in 2018. However, in just 6 years, this has ballooned to 1600 locations, included dozens of recently opened access points in Osaka.
In a world of ever-shrinking resources, at least one can be sure that, so long as there is rain, there will always be a demand for umbrellas.
And Finally…
Ever watched those wacky Japanese gameshows such as “Takeshi’s Castle” or “Ninja Warrior” and thought to yourself: “I could do that”?
Well, one of Osaka’s best known landmarks now offers you the chance to do just that. The obstacle course lies on the outer perimeter of the Tsutenkaku Tower’s observation deck. Visitors have to navigate a series of physical challenges and obstacles around the course. Their adventure culminates with a 40 meter jump off the tower to a lower deck.
Organizers hope that the new attraction in Naniwa Ward, open to anyone aged 15 to 65, will help to build excitement in Osaka ahead of next year’s World Expo.
Entry to the obstacle course costs 3,000 yen per person. The Tsutenkaku Tower opens at 10am daily.
That’s all for now but be sure to check back again same time next week for another round of this week in Osaka!
