Wonderful Stories of Higashiosaka Higashiosaka, a city of Monozkuri that enriches people’s lives What’s “Monozkuri”? First of all,“Mono” means things, “Zkuri” means producing, so “Monozkuri” is Higashiosaka City nearly equal to “manufacturing” but it also has a unique concept in Japan. Area: 61.78 km2 People engaging in “Monozkuri” pursue the quality of products including Population: 495,935 productivity and precision. And the important point is, they also care about users; Number of households: 228,116 imagining the role the product plays and the scene of when it is actually used. (As of January 1, 2019) In Japanese culture, we have a traditional way of thinking that a good soul resides in all carefully made products, which also underlies our “Monozkuri” philosophy. We are proud of the products A wonderful city of made in Higashiosaka. Higashiosaka is nationally famous for Monozkuri. In this city, there are many Monozkuri manufacturers, which are small in scale but have a challenging spirit and passion. The One of the leading manufacturing areas in Japan, partnerships among such manufacturers create the capability to produce everything which is full of a wide variety of products made by lots of from toothbrushes to artificial satellites small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with high technology. supporting people’s lives in the world. I hope that this booklet explains the attractiveness Higashiosaka is known as a city of the manufacturing industry. It has one of the highest numbers and social roles of the manufacturing industry and densities of manufacturers in Japan. Additionally, SMEs with fewer than 20 employees on and helps you understand the current their payroll account for approximately 90 percent of the manufacturers in this city. situation of the manufacturing industry in Higashiosaka, which we are proud of. The products, which are created in small factories with reliable skills, play important roles in the country and the world. Yoshikazu Noda, Higashiosaka city mayor 2 16,574 Osaka City The number of manufacturers The proportion of in Higashiosaka is employees engaged 10,022 Nagoya City in the manufacturing the fifth highest in Japan. industry 7,530 Kyoto City The highest The number of manufacturers is 6,271 Yokohama City in Japan 5,954, which is the fifth highest in 5,954 Higashiosaka City Japan and the highest with the government-designated cities 4,333 Hamamatsu City being excluded. This proves that 27.2 Higashiosaka City Higashiosaka is one of Japan’s The number of 4,229 Ota Ward manufacturers leading cities of the manufacturing 22.5 Hamamatsu City industry. The fifth 12.3 Kyoto City The numbers of manufacturers by major city in Japan highest (based on the economic census activity survey of 2016) in Japan 10.7 Ota Ward 9.8 Nagoya City 9.0 Osaka City 115.2 Higashiosaka City 8.9 Yokohama City 73.6 Osaka City 69.6 Ota Ward One out of four employees is engaged in the manufacturing 34.6 Kyoto City industry. Factories close to people 31.7 Nagoya City The city’s employees engaged in the manufacturing in Higashiosaka 15.7 Yokohama City industry account for 27.2%, which is the highest in Japan, showing that not only the number of The density of manufacturers in Higashiosaka is 115.2 per 8.9 Hamamatsu City manufacturers but also that of their employees are square kilometer, which is the highest in Japan. This high. Those who are engaged in the manufacturing environment makes citizens feel familiar with the industry are supporting Higashiosaka. manufacturing industry. The density of manufacturers The proportion of employees in the manufacturing industry among employees The densities of manufacturers by major city in Japan (compared to the cities with in all kinds of industries (compared to the cities with 4,000 manufacturers or 4,000 manufacturers or more through the economic census activity survey of 2016) The highest more through the economic census activity survey of 2016) The number of manufacturers per square kilometer of habitable area (calculated using in Japan the habitable area described in the Statistical Observations of Municipalities of 2018). 3 Story Three origins of industry From long ago, the casting, wiredrawing, Wonderful roots of the and cotton textile industries have been prosperous As it is said that there is nothing that cannot be made, there are a 1 in Higashiosaka. Let’s trace the history of a wide variety of industries derived from these three industries. The origin of the manufacturing industry in this city started in the ～1602 1603～1867（Edo period） 1868～1912（Meiji period） Events related to manufacturing Monozkuri in the Yayoi period Kawachi casting is said The traditional technique The production of iron to be the roots of the known as Kawachi cast- (300 BCE to 300 CE)!? kettles, as well as pots casting industry in Japan. ing was introduced to and pans, became Higashiosaka has an abundance of remains. (Kawachi is the eastern Higashiosaka. widely popular. part of Osaka prefecture) Casting molds, bronze bell-shaped vessels, Casting bronze swords, and bracelets were A casting mold for excavated from the remains of the Yayoi bronze bell-shaped vessel industry period, which shows they had engaged in excavated from the remains casting from time immemorial. of Kitoragawa The water wheel industry Merchants in Higashiosa- Wiredrawing was After multipurpose utilizing the rapid stream ka started to manually performed using a water iron wires were intro- from Mt. Ikomayama draw wires with the order wheel as a source of duced, the domestic encouraged the manufac- for the copper wires used power for the first time. In production of nails ture of coloring powders to make Japanese hair addition, the wiredrawing and other iron related Wiredrawing and drug powders. sticks in Kyoto. industry became prosper- products has started ous in the Hiraoka area, as well. industry eastern part of the city. [1704] Kawachi cotton textiles The imports of foreign-grown With the abolishment of Rerouting and Reclama- were distributed widely. cotton gradually increased. tariffs on imported cotton tion of the river running in 1896, Japan’s cotton through Higashiosaka, agriculture declined gave people the vast land rapidly, leading to unem- Breakdown of Cotton textile for Kawachi cotton ployment and job-chang- the cotton industry production. ing. textile industry 4 artisan spirit to try to make anything wide variety of categories and styles of industries in the current Higashiosaka. Edo period. 1912～1926（Taisho period） 1926～1988（Showa period） [1914] [1936] [Rapid growth period [1983] Osaka Electric Tramway Osaka-Hiraoka Route of (1955‒1973)] The number of factories opened. Osaka Prefectural Road The number of SMEs in Higashiosaka exceed- opened. increased dramatically. ed 10,000, reaching record high. The production volume of Main products of casting The manufacturing industry The number of casting iron kettles in Higashiosa- changed from household for electrical equipment, factories decreased ka increased and became products into machine-re- shipbuilding, industrial because of changes in the The casting industry originated famous. lated cast parts, the city’s machinery, and automo- market demand and primal industry. biles has developed. In the increasing pollution prob- from Kawachi casting built the period of high economic lems, while the technolo- foundation of the current devel- growth, the casting industry gy of Kawachi casting also reached its peak. was sophisticatedly opment of the machinery and adapted to highly evaluat- metallic industries. ed products of fine arts and crafts. In the wake of the tram- Traffic improvement The wiredrawing industry The wiredrawing industry way, the grid electricity efficiently connected in Higashiosaka account- declined because of the became available, lead- Hiraoka with Osaka(mar- ed for 40% of the market labor shortage, pollution The wiredrawing industry, ing to better productivity. ket). nationwide and became problems, and fierce com- includes production of , not only the largest local industry. petition with foreign com- panies. In the meantime, wires but also nails, wire some companies became meshes, bolts and nuts, leading specialized in new busi- to the development of the over- ness fields. all wire processing industry. Switched to yarn twisting and towel industries by making use of traditional weaving of Kawachi cotton textiles. After the decline of the cotton textile industry, people started Started toothbrush bristles processing and button holing. new business such as tooth- brush, button and various kinds of products. Started production of wire meshes and hairdressing tools (electric shaver) after mastering expertise in Osaka. 5 Drawing and expressing Story Colored pencils, 2 utility knives, rulers, clips, etc. Easy-to-use, ggood-lookingood-looking stationery productsroducts are preferentiallyly useusedd by Wonderful many people. Higashiosaka produ cts around us Innovative cookingg devices are widely usedd not only in kitchens att From the moment we wake up home but also in thee Cooking until we go to bed, ffood-serviceood-service inindustry.dustry. and eating so many products made in Higashiosaka Pots, cups, are supporting our lives. seasonings, etc. Going outside Bags, umbrellas, The Higashiosaka brand walkers, baby car seats, Higashiosaka certifies and promotes superior products etc. as “Higashiosaka brand”. The quality of those products keep improved continuously to provide their users with comfort and pleasure. Probably, you may use them today! AAl lolototo of safsafety-conscious,ety conscious