Osaka City Central Public Hall, commonly known as Nakanoshima Public Hall, was built in 1918.

This old-fashioned building, a leading public hall in Japan, was built by the donation from Iwamoto Einosuke who was a well-known speculator in Osaka. During a stay in the US in 1909, he was impressed with the fact that the many facilities there were built by the donations from the people of great wealth. After returning to Japan, he made a generous donation to Osaka City for a stately public hall, following the American way. Tatsuno Kingo, the greatest architect in those years who designed present Tokyo Station building and the main building of the BOJ, was committed through the design competition. This old building has been reborn as a modern building by the full-scale repair works from 1999 to 2002, such as anti-earthquake reinforcement and other retrofit improvement. Right after the completion of these repair works in 2002, this was designated an important cultural asset.

Licensed tour guide/travel consultant,

Masahisa Takaki.

全国通訳案内士　高木聖久。