Lively Hood: Renovating Urban Osaka

By Sam Zipursky

Nishinari, Osaka – one of the real deal low-end neighborhoods of Japan. Not an area you’re likely to find in the guide books, but a place that’s buzzing with life. Just a few minutes subway ride south of Namba, Nishinari is a world of its own. This working-class 'hood of Osaka is full of old architecture, strange shops, cheap eats, a traditional Japanese brothel district, and so much more.
    
Because the area accomodates a large homeless population and has seen its fair share of gang warfare, Nishinari has picked up a bit of a bad rep. Tell your friends that you’re going to Nishinari and they’ll probably ask, “Why the hell would ya wanna go there?” Because of this reputation, the area has remained largely underdeveloped until recently. In something of a seachange, forward-thinking businesses have begun to buy out old buildings and renovate the area. We met up with a cool cat from America, Niko Gregoravich, who has been getting involved.

So tell us a bit about who you are and what you’re doing out here in Osaka.

I'm originally from the rainy west coast city of Seattle. It’s actually my second time living in Japan. The first time I was living out in the sticks in a prefecture called Shimane near the Sea of Japan – nothing out there, but I was able to pick up Japanese pretty well. I returned to Seattle for a few years and tried my hand at several businesses like running a coffee shop and being a financial advisor. I was working hard in the states but didn’t feel I was getting ahead, so I decided to return to Japan (Osaka this time) again and got myself into real estate.

How was that?

It’s a bit funny,  but I got into it through some nightmarish experiences when looking for a place in Osaka – bad locations, overpriced places, shady landlords, etc. After finally finding my first pad, I spoke to the  building manager and made a deal with him that I’d start referring other foreigners to live in his building, without key money or large deposits, for a small commission fee. I was able to start bringing in people and became known as, “the guy who can find good places in Osaka without the headaches”.
   
These days I’m working as a consultant with Trucks Home and various other real estate companies and property owners, connecting foreigners with quality apartments without all the common hassles. I’m also involved in an exciting new project in the infamous area of Nishinari.

Why has Nishinari picked up such an evil rep?

Nisihinari is very interesting. It has a bad image because it’s a true working class neighborhood, which you don’t often see in Japan. It also has an authentic old-school brothel district, old and quirky looking properties, cheap markets, shops, and all sorts of eclectic characters walking around. There’s also this traditional merchant-class comic theatre down there that is only found in working class areas - real deal Japanese culture and worth checking out! Osakans say that Nishinari is a classic shitamatchi (down-town area) of Osaka, and I feel it’s gotta be seen to be believed.

You mentioned that there’s a group of local businesses in the area involved in an urban renewal project. Can you tell us more about that?

Well, as I said, Nishinari is an older and lower-end area and therefore has been pretty much overlooked by the business development in the more commercial centers of Osaka. So what has happened is lots of old buildings with really amazing traditional architecture have been left in tact. This alliance wants to bring life to the area, so they’re going around buying these places out and turning them into cool little businesses such as izakayas, bars, shops, and - in the case of us at Trucks home – we’ve now set up 3 boutique guest houses for travelers to experience.

How's that coming along?

We’ve got people from all over staying with us – France, Germany, Japan, Canada, and more. It’s a place where people can experience “the real” Osaka in a comfortable and clean room, for prices starting at only 500-1800 yen a night – perfect for people coming through Osaka on a budget who want to stay in a cool area that’s only a 5 minute subway ride away from the Shinsaibashi/Namba area. 

How can people get in touch with you to make bookings, and also find more info on your guest homes?

Check our website at www.guesthousedayroom.com, and you can also reach me at nikogozaru@gmail.com or call us toll free at 0120-554-542.

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