Known by the locals as Goryo-san, it was the tutelary shrine of the patron god of an area called Tsumura-sato in ancient Osaka. The area originally had a round bay called "Tsuburae" and Goryo Shrine originated when the locals built a shrine called "Tsubura" after the local god. It's believed the name of the area "Tsumura" has its origins in this "Tsuburae." Hideyoshi merged the two shrines on the premises, and the place was henceforth known by the name "Goryo Shrine." Historically a center for commerce and finance, students came to the area to study business or Western studies at private schools. Boasting a Ningyo Joruri puppet theater (the predecessor to the modern National Bunraku Theater), shows, and night shops, the area around Goryo Shrine was bustling and extremely lively.