What used to be a labourer’s town in the pre-war era is now a hotbed for pop idol and dance groups in Japan.
The Shinsekai area in Naniwa ward, Osaka, is being turned into a base for these entertainers, who also draw fans to watch the performances.
Shop owners and residents now hold high expectations that it will become a centre for youth culture.
Fans’ calls of “Soiya! Soiya!” filled a basement studio at the Tsutenkaku tower, where pop idol group Mydreams was performing on a recent weekend evening.
The venue was packed.
The show included a segment for fans to talk with the idols – a big attraction for their ardent followers.
Shinsekai, which used to be seen as a labourers’ town, was redeveloped to accommodate entertainment facilities.
When the first Tsutenkaku tower and the now defunct amusement facility Luna Park opened in 1912, people started to call the place Shinsekai – literally, the “new world”.
There were many theatres and cinemas in the area before World War II. After the war, the number of bars and restaurants grew, and labourers from neighbouring areas gathered in Shinsekai.
In recent years, it has become a spot popular with foreigners.
In 2009, members of the local girl band Osaka Show Gangs were appointed as ambassadors for Shinsekai.
They subsequently got leading roles in an independent film, and the number of other groups performing in the area started to grow.
Currently, seven groups showcase their talents regularly in the Tsutenkaku basement, Spa World recreation facility and other places in Shinsekai.
The local government is also taking note of the area’s ability to attract visitors.
Last year, a four-member pop group, Animadoll, was launched during the centennial celebrations of the area’s Tennoji Zoo.
The pop group’s unique feature is that its members know everything about the zoo.
Mitsuyo Irita and Yumi Higuchi, both members of dance group Liberty, rarely visited Shinsekai before joining the group.
“I used to find this place unwelcoming,” Irita said.
In March, however, they participated in a dance project at Spa World. They walked around Shinsekai guided by local shop proprietors.
“There were so many tourists, and the place had a cheerful atmosphere,” Higuchi said.
They then decided to make Shinsekai their base.
“There used to be many cinemas and theatres in Shinsekai so the place has an atmosphere open to entertainment and showbiz culture,” said Noboru Saijo, associate professor of Edogawa University.
“The success of pop idols may pave the way for a new youth culture to take root.”
