Field Plazas

Nishinari Plaza

Depressing economic and social conditions are increasing in Kamagasaki in the hearth of Nishinari Ward. This plaza acts a simple meeting space for seminars in the town of Kamagasaki which bring together various public organizations collaborating with NPOs which support people who have difficulties living in the area. The plaza forms a hub for practical research network to investigate the nature of urban problems.

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Toyosaki Plaza

Toyosaki Plaza is located in the downtown of Umeda. Some omoya (great houses) and a group of rental nagaya (row houses) constructed in the Taisho period and lanes remain in this area. We advance community development filled with creativity through the cooperation between the owners of the buildings and Osaka City University. We aim to create the renovation model of row houses as urban housing by engaging activities centering on the earthquake-proof planning for decrepit wooden houses and preparations of comfortable residential life, housing management, and improvements of the dwelling environment, including cultural heritage of residents and life-long learning.

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Izumi plaza

At the Izumi Plaza, we mainly concentrate our efforts on the Izumi City Joint Survey carried out each summer by the Japanese History Department of Osaka City University and the Izumi City Education Committee. During these surveys, named the “Consolidated Historical Survey of Locality”, we study local histories with local residents, engaging in fact-finding on the site, interviews and fieldworks in the neighborhoods of the town.

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Senba Art Cafe

Senba Plaza (Senba Art Cafe) pursues the possibilities of art in the city and focuses on the abilities of art to ‘unite’ and ‘mediate’. The plaza is an unprecedented attempt to create a forum for communication through local communities and artist activities in hospitals and in the settings of modern architectures of the business center.

Kyoto Plaza

This plaza in Kyoto is also known as the general health plaza. It has a role to coordinate activities of medical professionals and volunteer-based homeless support groups. Once a year, the joint facilities of the university in the front of Kyoto Station are used to give consultation to the homeless about the problems related to health and living. These events also aim to visualize the homeless support activities among the citizens.

Ogimachi Plaza

The plaza is located in Tenma/Ogimachi area. The area forms the cluster of creative industries in Osaka consisting of printing, broadcasting and advertising companies. The plaza, as reviving the region’s characteristic, is located in a creative industries incubator district, named ‘mebic’, in Osaka and while collaboration with them, the plaza supports practical research on the development of creative industries through personal connection which is an important character of Osaka.

Abeno Plaza

This plaza makes full use of a Western-styled row house in Abeno Ward while engaging in various activities, mainly focusing on “the quality of life and death”. The plaza cooperates closely with the groups which venerate the inheritance of traditional cultures and aim to revitalize the community. By employing the salon for the aged and the shops occupying traditional urban houses as a forum, Abeno Plaza functions as a major center to enrich the lives of residents through town walking and long-life learning.


Nagara Plaza

This plaza was established as part of two Airin (Nishinari) ward policies: 1) relief and rehabilitation facility, 2) homeless recovery aid center and its wooden building is located close to these facilities. The unmarried men who lose their jobs are a primary group to end up as the homeless. The facilities play a social role in supporting self-employment activities and involvement in community life.