Kitahama

Kitahama is an area on the left bank of the Tosabori River in the northern part of Senba, Chuo Ward, Osaka City, and is known as one of the two major financial districts in Japan, along with Kabutocho in Tokyo. Securities companies, banks, trust banks, insurance companies, and other businesses are concentrated here, making it the financial center of Osaka. Kitahama Station is on the Keihan Main Line of the Keihan Electric Railway and the Sakaisuji Line of the Osaka Municipal Subway. Kitahama is part of Senba and has flourished as a commercial town since ancient times. During the Kan'ei era (1624-1644), Yodoya rice market was established, and in 1743 (Kanpo 3), the gold market exchange, known as one of the three Osaka market exchanges along with rice and oil, was established. In 1878 (Meiji 11), the Osaka Stock Exchange (later the Osaka Securities Exchange, now the Osaka Exchange) was established, and it is said that this laid the foundation for Kitahama's prosperity today. Nearby is the site of the Tekijuku school (nationally designated historic site) of Ogata Koan, who is said to be the father of Japanese medicine. The land and building are the former residence of Ogata Koan, a nationally designated important cultural property.

While Kabutocho is commonly referred to as an island, Kitahama is called "the beach," and as is the case in stock market towns, many tales of the rise and fall of the stock market have been passed down. The names of stock market traders such as Sadashichi Ishii (1879-1945) and Einosuke Iwamoto (1877-1916) are still talked about in the town's stories. Kitahama is also the site of the first stock exchange union in Japan and the first securities strike in the country, making it a town that is both old and breathing new life.

[Atsushi Oketa]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

大阪市中央区船場(せんば)の北部、土佐堀川左岸にある地区で、東京の兜町(かぶとちょう)と並んで日本の二大金融街の一つとして知られる。証券会社、銀行、信託銀行、保険会社などが集中し、大阪における金融の中枢をなしている。京阪電鉄京阪本線と大阪市高速電気軌道（地下鉄）堺筋(さかいすじ)線の北浜駅がある。北浜は船場の一部に属し、古くから商業の町として栄えてきた。寛永(かんえい)年間（1624～1644）には淀屋(よどや)の米市が立ち、1743年（寛保3）には、米、油とともに大坂三相場の一つとして知られる金相場会所が設置された。1878年（明治11）に大阪株式取引所（のちの大阪証券取引所、現在の大阪取引所）が設立され、今日の北浜の繁栄の基礎がつくられたといわれる。近くに史跡として日本の医学の祖といわれる緒方洪庵(おがたこうあん)の適々斎塾（適塾）跡（国指定史跡）がある。土地・建物は旧緒方洪庵住宅として国指定重要文化財。

　北浜は、兜町が俗に島とよばれるのに対して「浜」とよばれ、相場の町の常として、多くの栄枯の相場物語が伝えられている。石井定七(さだしち)（1879―1945）、岩本栄之助（1877―1916）などの相場師の名はいまもなお浜の語りぐさとなっている。また日本で初めての取引所労組の結成、全国初の証券ストといい、北浜は古くて新しい息吹の町である。

［桶田　篤］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例