Shin-Imamiya

Shin-Imamiya Station in Osaka, where three railways, Nankai Line, JR Loop Line and Hankai Line intersect is comparatively crowded. But passengers who go out of the station are few. Lately I often come across many foreign tourists or backpackers here.

A long time ago, when Japan was in the age of high economic growth, this area that is known as "Kamagasaki" was a largest slum where many day laborers lived. In the early morning a number of buses used to come and scramble for laborers. When I was young, not for a living though, I'd worked here as a day laborer for some days.

In fact, laborer riots took place twenty four times from 1961 to 2008. People who remember the old reputation tend to keep away from this area even now.

Times have changed. The age of high economic growth was over, and many laborers were gone. Cheap Hotels once called doya for a day laborers are now for foreign tourists and backpackers who look for cheap lodgings in Osaka.

There is a standing-up-eating noodle shop in this station. Prices are cheap, but the taste is not bad. I've seen that a pair of foreign tourists with a big luggage went into the shop with no hesitation.

I called to two Korean girls in English, who were looking for their hotel, and helped to find the hotel.