Namba Parks Namba Osaka
- Published on : 05/05/2011
- by : Japan Experience
- Youtube
Namba Parks なんばパークス is a shopping & office development in the Namba area of Osaka with a series of roof-top gardens on its exterior and an 11-screen cinema.
Namba Parks, Namba, Osaka なんばパークス
Namba Parks is a shopping and office development in the Namba area of Osaka. The district of Namba is one of Osaka's two main centers - the other being Umeda, a little further north. Also, like much of Osaka, Namba has little greenery, so the Namba Parks development sought to address this.
Parks Tower Offices
The complex is dominated by the 30-story Parks Tower office building. Then the shopping mall sits beneath it. Construction finished in 2003.
The shopping section of the development draws on nature in its design. That is, there is an artificial canyon that runs through it. Also, the "hills" around the canyon are in the form of terraces, each with its own garden.
The ninth floor has a rooftop garden
There are nine floors altogether. Inside there are floors with numerous restaurants: the sixth and seventh, and, to a limited degree, the eighth. These offer a variety of cuisines including Japanese, Chinese and Western. Even the restaurant floors offer variety, though, with, for example, a game center for kids on the 6th, too.
Also, Namba Parks has an 11-screen cinema, on the eighth floor.
The ninth floor has the biggest garden, a rooftop garden. This beautiful rooftop garden comes complete with a little stream of its own - with something of the feel of a retreat.
Architecture
Namba Parks was developed by Jon Jerde, the American architect responsible for Canal City in Fukuoka. And, according to Jerde's website: "Namba Parks creates a new natural experience for Osaka that celebrates the interaction of people, culture and recreation."
However, the 149-meter Parks Tower office building was designed by the architectural design firm, Nikken Sekkei Ltd.
The shops are open daily from 11 am-9 pm and the restaurants from 11 am-11 pm.
American architect Jon Jerde was the architect responsible for Namba Parks in Osaka, Japan
Access - Getting There
There is a walkway from the Nankai Namba Station to the second floor of the complex, and another connecting walkway from Swissotel Nankai Osaka to the fourth floor.
Namba Parks
Naniwa-ku
Namba 2-10-70
Osaka
556-0011
Tel: 06 6644 7100
