Ikeda is the "city of beginnings."
The world's first instant ramen
Momofuku Ando, inventor of
Building new towns along railway lines
Kobayashi Ichizo created a new lifestyle.
This city has always been innovative.
New ideas and challenges were born.
Ikeda has a history of visiting the stage for the first time.
There is an audio guide for walking around the town.
And in conjunction with that guide,
"Thread charm."
With a thread charm in hand,
Following in the footsteps of our predecessors,
Your "beginning"
You might find a trigger.
Audio guide x thread experience |
Ikeda: A journey to trace the original intention
Ikeda City, located in northern Osaka, has long been known as a place where new things begin.
In ancient times, the legend of Orihime, the woman who started weaving, was passed down, and in modern times, the world's first instant ramen was born here, and with the development of the area along the railway line, the new lifestyle of "living in the suburbs" spread from this town.
Here, new "beginnings" are born in every era, and these are passed down as the atmosphere of the town.
Ikeda offers an audio guide called "Ikeda Town Walk," which takes you through the story of the city's beginnings. With just a smartphone and earphones, you can stroll around the city following in the footsteps of the "beginnings" hidden throughout the city.
The "Thread Charm" introduced in this article was created in conjunction with this audio guide. It is said that when you walk around the town of Ikeda with the audio guide, you mysteriously start to feel the desire to take on new challenges. The Thread Charm will support those small thoughts that arise while walking around the town.
There are three types of thread charms: "Intention for a great reversal," "Intention for making one's artistic dreams come true," and "Intention for looking to the distant future." Each charm is imbued with the energy of Momofuku Ando and the people and challenges of the town.
Let's go on a walk around Ikeda and look forward to seeing what kind of challenging intentions will emerge.
Hankyu Takarazuka Line "Ikeda" Station
1 Sakaemachi, Ikeda City, Osaka Prefecture
Approximately 20 minutes on the Hankyu Takarazuka Line from Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station
Cup Noodles Museum Osaka Ikeda |
Yellow hope that will bring about a major reversal
The journey begins at the Cup Noodles Museum Osaka Ikeda, where you can follow the journey of Cup Noodles developer Momofuku Ando's "challenge that started from scratch" through exhibits and videos.
The guide tells the story of "a great comeback, overcoming adversity."
When we arrived at the museum, we immediately set up our guide and earphones. As soon as we stepped inside, the following voice came from the earphones:
The “just add hot water” and “ready in 3 minutes” cup noodles known worldwide originated right here in Ikeda. In the aftermath of World War II, Momofuku Ando encountered considerable challenges. With his credit union in bankruptcy and only a rented home to his name, he found inspiration in the long lines of people waiting for ramen at the postwar black market.
So he decided to create ramen that could be eaten immediately at home with just hot water. He continued his research in a shed he built in his backyard, and after a year he completed "Chicken Ramen," which remains a best-seller to this day. In an era when dual-income households and nuclear families were on the rise, instant ramen, which was easy to make and could be stored for a long time, became a popular product.
ガイドの声に耳を澄ませながら展示を歩くと、彼の人生と目の前の展示がつながっていく。歴史を体感的に学べる展示とともに、目を引くのは「百福語録」。
"Inspiration comes from persistence." "Make your work fun."
Though his words are short, each one carries a powerful message. These straightforward words, born from Momofuku's experience of adversity, seem to give the power to make the impossible possible.
After enjoying the exhibition, don't forget to check out the Cup Noodle Theater, which condenses his life story. You'll be sure to be inspired by his timeless message.
If you feel inspired to forge ahead in the face of adversity, just like Momofuku, stop by the museum shop. You can purchase a thread charm with a determination theme. The yellow thread charm represents the hope for the future that continued to support Momofuku. It will support and unwavering the determination that has sprouted within you.
Cup Noodles Museum Osaka Ikeda
8-25 Masumicho, Ikeda City, Osaka Prefecture
-Thread Charm (Yellow) GUIDE No.01 Cup Noodle Museum-
The yellow color tells the story of Momofuku Ando, a ray of hope.
The intention is to aim for a major turnaround from various adversities.
Muromachi House (formerly Ikeda New Town) |
Introduction to New Towns
The next place we would like to visit is Muromachi Residential Area, where a completely new lifestyle was born at the time - working in the city and living in the suburbs - for the first time in Japan.
As you pass through the large torii gate along the Hankyu Line, an audio guide begins to play through your earphones.
During the Meiji Era, a new town emerged behind the torii gate of Kureha Shrine, west of what is now Ikeda Station. As the population in urban Osaka surged in search of wealth, many people worked as live-in employees or rented homes nearby. During this time, Kobayashi Ichizo, the founder of Hankyu Railway, proposed the idea of building homes in the suburbs.
(Omitted)However, the villages along the line are rural areas and the train has few users. Some even mocked him, saying, "Are you even putting monkeys on the train?" Kobayashi walked through the towns along the line and thought, "Shouldn't people be living in the suburbs, where the air is clean, rather than in the city where environmental pollution is worsening?"
As we walked along, following the guide's voice, we tried to imagine what it was like for Kobayashi Ichizo at the time.
The streets along the railway line are well-maintained. However, this place must have once looked completely different from what it does now. Kobayashi has traveled this road many times while imagining his future life. When I think about the future he envisioned, the well-maintained residential area in front of me seems to have a slightly different feel.
Ikeda Gofukuza |
Red passion that makes the dreams of each artist come true
If you come across a retro red building while walking around the town, that's the Ikeda Gofukuza, our next stop. The story told here is "The Story of a Traveling Entertainer Who Lights the Flame of Passion."
As you gaze upon the theatrical paintings displayed at the entrance, an audio guide will quietly speak to you.
After listening to the guide, we went inside and saw photos lining the walls that told the history of Gofukuza. The photos, which showed behind the scenes of the rigorous world of performing arts, as well as the glamorous stage and audience seats, seemed to convey the excitement of the time.
According to the guide, this theater was once closed, but was reborn as the Ikeda Gofukuza theater, a popular theater that partially recreated the original architectural style.
If you have the time, I highly recommend watching a popular theater performance. When you see the actors' earnest performances, you can feel the passion that remains in this theater, which Ikeda Gofukuza has watched over for so long.
And if a fire has been lit in your heart, I hope you will get a red thread charm, which represents the passion of the entertainers who lived on stage. The red thread charm will surely keep your resolve burning strong.
Ikeda Gofukuza
6-15 Hommachi Ikeda City, Osaka Prefecture
Approximately 10 minutes walk from Ikeda Station on the Hankyu Takarazuka Line
Please check the official website for the latest information.
-Thread Charm (Red) GUIDE No.04 Kimono-za -
The red color tells the story of a traveling entertainer who lights the flame of passion.
The intention is to make the dreams of various arts come true.
Ikeda Castle Ruins Park |
Eternal blue, looking towards the distant future
The final stop on the audio guide is Ikeda Castle Ruins Park. We climb up a small hill. As we reach a place with a wide view, the guide gently speaks to us as we conclude our walk around the town.
As you look back on the "story of the beginning" with your guide, the small realizations you discover while walking through the town begin to connect like a thread. Touching upon the passion of our ancestors through this walk through Ikeda was also a time to turn your attention to thoughts that had been dormant within you.
If you climb up to the observation deck of Ikeda Castle, you can get a panoramic view of the town of Ikeda and the mountains that surround it. The view is so pleasant that it will surely make you forget all the fatigue of walking up to this point. Be sure to take in the view while looking back on the story so far.
At Ikeda Castle Ruins Park, you can get your hands on the Last Thread Charm. Just like Ikeda Castle, which has quietly watched over the town, this charm will support your aspirations for the future. If you have a long-term challenge you want to achieve, rather than just a short-term one, this is the perfect charm.
After enjoying the view from the observation deck, head to the "Yoridokoro" on the first floor. This is the place where you can tie a charm and turn your intention into an unwavering resolve.
It doesn't matter whether you take the charm home as a symbol of your resolve or tie it to something to rely on. The important thing is to remember the feelings you put into the charm. If you remember this and face the challenges before you, your predecessors in Ikeda may gently push you forward.
Ikeda Castle Ruins Park
3-46 Shiroyamacho, Ikeda City, Osaka Prefecture
【11〜3月】9:00〜17:00
Approximately 15 minutes on foot from Ikeda Station on the Hankyu Takarazuka Line
-Thread Charm (Blue) GUIDE No.07 Ikeda Castle Ruins Garden -
The blue color tells the story of Ikeda's rivers and cityscape.
The intention is not to focus on the immediate future, but on the distant future.
Conclusion
A journey to discover your "original intention" in the town of Ikeda. In addition to the spots introduced here, the audio guide is filled with the story of Ikeda's beginnings. We hope you will find out the rest with your own eyes and ears.
If you feel like starting a new challenge, why not take a stroll around the town of Ikeda? As you explore the town with the audio guide, your own story may quietly begin to unfold.
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