Similar to Ginza in Tokyo, Kitashinchi is known for being the spot for premium clubs in Osaka's Kita. Stretching 500m east to west and 250m north to south, the area is rectangular in shape, and borders the southern edge of Diamond District. It had its beginnings in 1685, when Zuiken Kawamura started to developed the empty land in conjuction with doing repair work in the Dojima and Sonezaki rivers. Completed in 1688, the area was called Dojima Shinchi. As it was located to the very north of the castle, it came to be known as "Kita-no-Yuri," or the "red-light district of the north." From 1697, a rice market would open in Dojima Shinchi, and received approval from the Daimyo, tea houses, bathhouses, and playhouses in the surroundings. In 1708, a new area facing the Sonezaki River, Sonezaki Shinchi, was developed and the red-light district moved here from Dojima Shinchi, which subsequently came to be known as a place of trade. Following the deflation after the bubble burst, casual establishments started to open one after another. These included girls bars, pole dancing bars, and specialty shops like kushikatsu restaurants. Now, Kitashinchi has not only premium clubs that cost over ¥50,000 to enter, but also relatively cheap options like Japanese Snack bars.
Address
Sonezakishinchi, Kita-ku, Osaka, 530-0002
Access
Right by JR Tozai Line [Kitashinchi Station]