Osaka will be a model city for the 21st century and the hub of urban revitalization for the Kansai region.
Taking advantage of the location of the Osaka Station North District. we will increase the area's competitiveness and turn it into a nucleus of international activity. Osaka will become a model city for the 21st century if we utilize its wealth of information and technology.
Osaka Station North District Table of Contents (Jump within this page.)
Panorama of district and transport access
Priority Development Area
Urban Renaissance Agency and Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency invite bids from developers in 2006.
The new urban center is scheduled to be open to the public at the beginning of 2011.
Street Constructing
Construction of some north-south and east-west streets within the development site in the Osaka Station North District will improve traffic there.
- From JR Shin-Osaka Station:10-15 min. by road/JR rail or subway
- From Kansai International Airport:50-60 min. by road/rail
- By rail: 1-5 min. on foot from JR Osaka Station, Hankyu and Hanshin Railway Umeda Stations, Midosuji Subway Line's Umeda Station, Nishi-Umeda Station on the Yotsubashi Subway Line, and Higashi-Umeda Station on the Tanimachi Subway Line.
Potential
- Travel time from major destinations in the six prefectures of the Kinki region to Osaka Station North District (excluding transfer times)
- Kobe:About 21 min.(approx. 31 km)
- Kyoto:About 29 min.(approx. 43 km)
- Otsu:About 39 min.(approx. 53 km)
- Kansai Science City:About 60 min.(approx. 45 km)
- Nara:About 42 min.(approx. 49 km)
- Wakayama:About 51 min.(approx. 68 km)
- Travel time from major Asian destinations to Osaka Station and Tokyo Station (excluding transfer times)
- Beijing:Osaka Stn.: 3 hr. and 45 min. Tokyo Stn.: 4 hr. and 25 min.
- Seoul:Osaka Stn.: 2 hr. and 25 min. Tokyo Stn.: 3 hr. and 20 min.
- Shanghai:Osaka Stn.: 2 hr. and 35 min. Tokyo Stn.: 3 hr. and 55 min.
- Hong Kong:Osaka Stn.: 4 hr. and 30 min. Tokyo Stn.: 5 hr. and 20 min.
- Singapore:Osaka Stn.: 7 hr. Tokyo Stn.: 8 hr. and 25 min.
- Kansai International Airport:About 41 min. (approx. 38 km)
Convenient access to the world
Accessibility to the Kansai International Airport will be enhanced by opening new stations to make usage more convenient. Thus the Osaka Station North District will boast cutting-edge competitiveness in terms of access to the East Asian Economic Bloc.
Hub of transportation in the Kansai region
The Osaka Station North District is located within an hour from all major cities in the Kansai region, and access to and from the district is facilitated by a well-developed railway network.
Nucleus of advanced research activities
A network of first-class research institutes offers an ideal environment for creating new industries, developing innovative technologies, and publicizing information on the latest trends.
Five Development Goals for the Osaka Station North District
Gateway to the World
To enhance the urban functions and introduce sophisticated infrastructure to better serve as a hub of international activities and become Japan's major gateway to Asia and the world
- To enhance accessibility to the Kansai International Airport, a part of the JR Tokaido Line will be made to run underground and new stations will be opened, and this will help improve the capabilities of the district as a hub of the extensive transportation network covering the entire Kansai region and beyond.
- To create an appealing space in front of Osaka Station that will symbolize the function of the station as a gateway to Osaka and the Kansai region.
- To create a hub of international commercial activities.
Visitor Attractions
To create pedestrian-oriented urban spaces that facilitate person-to-person interaction, encourage creative urban activities, and contribute to the prosperity of the district
- To boost the districtﾕs popularity and liveliness along the "primary visitor flow axis."
- To promote the networking of visitor attractions in a manner that will ensure convenient pedestrian access.
- To promote the concentration of urban functions in order to offer venues for visitors to enjoy interactions and urban activities.
Development of a Knowledge-Capital
To develop a Knowledge-Capital where concerted efforts are made to create new industries, technologies, cultures, and values and publicize them throughout the world
- To offer venues where the technical and industrial seeds held by Kansai-based research institutes and businesses are brought to fruition by the human resources and knowledge of the world.
- To encourage person-to-person interaction in the creation of new technologies, industries, and values.
- To encourage information exchange and to organize exhibitions in order to identify market needs and promote technical and product development.
Public-private cooperation
To promote community development with an eye toward enhancing the communityﾕs appeal and ensuring the effective operation and management of public facilities through cooperative public-private efforts
- To develop an attractive cityscape that effectively incorporates water and greenery and to create appealing open spaces through public-private cooperation.
- To establish an area management organization utilizing public-private partnership.
Cityscapes full of streams and trees
To create a cityscape full of water and greenery to offer a calm and relaxing environment to urban residents and workers
- To develop an extensive, vertical stretch of green space and a network of canals along the "symbolic axis."
- To create theme-specific water environments.
- To provide a rich variety of trees and flowers throughout the district.
- To integrate green space into commercial facilities along the "primary visitor flow axis" so that visitors can enjoy the atmosphere created by lights filtered through trees.
Principles of cityscape development
Symbolic axis
- An extensive and attractive space will be created along the symbolic axis where a network of canals and trees is harmoniously integrated with thoroughfares and commercial facilities.
- This space will be characterized by a lively and festive atmosphere, which will then spread and enliven the district as a whole.
North Gate Plaza
- A bustling plaza for pedestrian traffic
- Strategically positioned for the 2nd phase of development
- Three-dimensional integration of the station space above and below ground
Knowledge-Capital Zone
- This zone will be home to a number of R&D facilities, showrooms and offices, which will contribute to generating new industries, facilitating creative activities, and presenting future lifestyles.
