The night and day in Matsushima Shinchi, Osaka, an entertainment district that blends into everyday life.

Shinchi in the daytime, where the colorful town blends into the everyday atmosphere

Early in the morning, Matsushima Shinchi is a completely “normal town. At around 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, June 13, all the entrances to the ryotei restaurants were closed, and there were almost no customers in sight. Occasionally there are men who appear to be customers, but they are just walking around because the restaurants are not open.

Looking at the street in Shinchi, I spotted an obasan pushing a stroller with a baby on it. I laughed at the sight, which was so unbalanced with the chonen. There is also an elderly man walking leisurely pushing a senior citizen’s car and an obasan riding through on a bicycle on his way home from shopping. A group of four men who looked like field workers with white towels wrapped around their heads were walking slowly. They are probably on their way to a construction site in the new area where the Yumbo is located.

There is a security guard, a civil engineer, an office worker in a Y-shirt, and an elementary school girl wearing a yellow hat. A three-wheeled Uber Eats bike is parked on the street, and a McDonald’s delivery bicycle drives by.

Matsushima Shinchi has no “wall of sorrow” and is not isolated from its surroundings like Tobita Shinchi. The “Chon-no-Ma” is completely integrated into the town. It is a mix of an entertainment district and a space for daily life. Ordinary people are living near the “chon-no-Ma”.

Since it is not a tourist spot, it is difficult for a first-time visitor to grasp the whole picture. On the other hand, it is not crowded with many visitors, so it is the best place to enjoy visiting again and again. It is more of a place for “regulars” who take the time to enjoy themselves. If Tobita Shinchi is a “Disneyland,” Matsushima Shinchi is an “outdoor park in harmony with nature. Tobita Shinchi is a “theme park for beginners where anyone can casually enjoy themselves,” while Matsushima Shinchi is a “place where veterans with some experience can enjoy a stroll. The more advanced visitors will probably go to Imazato, Shintayama, and Takii, which are the deeper areas among the five major new areas in Osaka.