Nakazaki-Cho in OSAKA (Retro Town with Atmosphere of the Showa Period)

We went to Nakazaki-Cho, because my niece told me that she found a tea shop which has nice Taiwan tea. Located near Umeda which has many tower buildings, Nakazaki-Cho is tastefully laid out, where buildings even from the beginning of the Showa Period still remain. Recently, redevelopment has been advanced in this area, and many shops including cafes, restaurants, variety stores, galleries, and beauty salons are being built. The method of the redevelopment in this area is not conventional in which old buildings are destroyed and new buildings are built, but a method in which old buildings are utilized and renovated to show individual unique characteristics, whereby the town creates a very interesting atmosphere as a whole.

When we strolled from Umeda for about 10 minutes, we found the following buildings.

We got hungry, so we went to a Nepalese food restaurant “KANTIPUR,” attracted by the signboard of the shop.

This is a “half and half” set including two kinds of curry, nan, and green salad. Our party was 3 members, and we enjoyed 6 kinds of tasty curry. Even if you leave the nan unfinished, you can take the leftover nan back home.

This shopping arcade is “Tengo Nakazaki Dori Shotengai” nearby KANTIPUR. A koban (a police box) is Showa-style and shops are stylish.

We found 3D graffiti on a road when we left from the shopping arcade and went to a side street. They are not graffiti, but actually warning signs asking car drivers to reduce speed because the road is a school street.

I used to see such buildings having zinc-coated steel walls when I was a child. Feeling nostalgic at that moment, my niece replied without much reaction, “Oh OK, I see. That’s a first for me.”

We finally reached the tea room “Garakucha” where you can enjoy Taiwanese tea. (They not only serve Taiwanese tea but also Japanese tea and Red tea.) We advanced on the narrow alley.

Since both the appearance and the interior of “Garakucha” remained an atmosphere of a private home in the Showa Period, I felt calm as if I were visiting my relative’s home.

The display at the entrance of the tea room.

A Suikinkutsu (a water harp).

We had tea sets of “today’s special,” “honey flavor tea” and “Keika green tea” (green tea with fragrant olive flavor).

I realized for the first time that I felt the taste of tea differently between when I held it in my mouth and the aftertaste when the tea had been passed down my throat. We could have so many cups of tea, and the taste was changed when hot water was newly poured into the pot though the tea leaves were the same. Also, the taste of the hot tea is quite different from that of the cooled tea. The place was so comfortable for me that I wanted to stay there forever. . .

We were going to walk back to Umeda on the streets having the following atmosphere.