The Osaka Waterfront Is Truly Thrilling!

Navigate: Taisho Ward Transforms into a Riverside Shipping Stop Town

First Wave: Food Zone

● Setting Sail: Taisho Ward Transforms into a Riverside Shipping Stop Town

Did you know? A structure resembling a floating ship has appeared on the banks of the Shirinashi River in Taisho Ward!

The facility is named TUGBOAT, meaning "tugboat," and its first phase opened on January 18, 2020. Shops line the floating boats along the river, like another world—are you excited too?

Initially, 16 shops have opened in the zone, with a rich variety of food and drink. There is also a performance space, where you can watch passing boats and people enjoying water sports while immersing yourself in wonderful music… It feels like being on a large luxury cruise ship, almost making you forget you're still in Osaka's Taisho Ward, and it also has a charming retro atmosphere unique to Taisho's past.

● The First Wave: Food Zone

At the entrance hall, there is a slope that feels like boarding a ship, then shipping containers come into view. The café visible straight ahead is also very stylish, and just that feeling lifts your spirits.

Viewed from the opposite bank, the space seems compact and small, but once inside, you find it has great depth, with shops lining the way. The first floor is mainly a food hall with 13 unique shops each with different styles. On the second floor, there are three shops where you can enjoy alcoholic drinks.

● Curated Food from Various Styles

There are 16 food shops here. Each has been carefully selected, and the variety surpasses other places. At "THE MARKET BENTO" you can choose your favorite side dishes to make your own personalized bento; at "MONDIAL KAFFEE 328 TUGBOAT," the dazzling array of sweets and breads makes you want to pair them with delicious coffee; "PIZZERIA DA DOTS" is the only restaurant on a boat, where you can enjoy soft and chewy authentic pizza; in the food hall, there is "KOBE ENISHI," a specialty dan dan noodle shop awarded Bib Gourmand by Michelin, and "Ichinochikara," tempura coated with vegetable powder made from dried vegetables. Each shop has a completely different style, and it feels like you'll never get tired of visiting—thrilling!

Next, head to the second floor. The bar "SUNSET2117," where you can enjoy drinks while watching the sunset over the Shirinashi River, and "Jurei no Mori," an Okinawan tavern that has long been popular under the Taisho elevated tracks, have both relocated from within Taisho Ward. A lively snack bar called "Taisho Iyanbakan," where you can drink and sing, is also about to open.

● Ever-Changing TUGBOAT_TAISHO

In addition to the newly opened food zone, starting in spring 2020, a venue for enjoying SUP (stand-up paddleboarding) will be built, along with a regular ferry to Universal Studios Japan, seminar spaces, a shared workshop, and Japan's first hotel floating on the river, "Water Hotel PAN AND CIRCUS," scheduled to open in autumn. Not only can you enjoy food, but it also brings together play, accommodation, and crafts—who knows what the ever-changing TUGBOAT_TAISHO will become?

Recommended for those who want to experience a different side of Osaka from the Kita (Umeda) and Minami (Namba) districts!

Be sure to go and see it!