Overview of Naniwa Ward

pink Naniwa Ward, situated roughly in the center of Osaka City, is conveniently located in terms of communication channels to Sakai, Izumi, Wakayama, Kobe and Nara. For this reason, since ancient times it has been a small-medium commercial and industrial area. Almost the entire district was leveled in air attacks in March, 1945, but with the completion of the land readjustment project for recovering war damage, today roads and cityscape have not only been restored but greatly improved. This ward is the site of a number of commercial complexes – “Denden Town,” home to electric appliance shops, “Shin Sekai (New World)” famous for Tsutenkaku Tower (the tower reaching to heaven) and “Janjan Alley”, and “Namba City, OCAT, Namba Parks.” Imamiya Ebisu Shrine which sponsors the lively Toka Ebisu Fair, and Gansen-ji Temple where the famous Kare Sansui (dry landscape) style garden is located, are listed among the historic shrines and temples of Japan. In addition there are the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium (Osaka Furitsu Taiiku Kaikan) where the Grand Sumo Tournament is held in March (Ozumo Sangatsu Basho), and “Liberty Osaka,” the Osaka Human Rights Museum famous as the first general museum concerning human rights in Japan,. For public transportation facilities, there is a network of subways, JR and private railways criss-crossing throughout the ward. Statistical Profiles of the ward(Estimate as of January 1, 2012) Area : 4.37km2 Population : Total 63,382 Males 32,151 Females 31,231 Number of households : 43,339 Population density : 14,504/km2 Growth of Population and Households (Source: Population Census of Japan) Year Number of households Population Name of research Total Male Female 2000 29,591 50,188 26,104 24,084 Population Census of Japan 2001 30,833 51,528 26,709 24,819 Estimated Population (as of October 1) 2002 31,780 52,101 26,913 25,188 Estimated Population (as of October 1) 2003 32,799 52,934 27,249 25,685 Estimated Population (updated April 1) 2004 32,846 52,905 27,210 25,695 Estimated Population (updated April 1) 2005 34,279 54,174 27,694 26,480 Population Census of Japan 2006 35,405 55,982 28,714 27,268 Estimated Population (as of October 1) 2007 36,566 56,953 29,338 27,615 Estimated Population (as of October 1) 2008 37,432 57,936 29,911 28,025 Estimated Population (as of October 1) 2009 38,593 59,076 30,689 28,387 Estimated Population (as of October 1) 2010 42,392 61,745 31,306 30,439 Population Census of Japan 2011 42,313 63,149 32,029 31,120 Estimated Population (as of October 1)