Osaka dates back to the Asuka and Nara periods. Under the name Naniwa (難波), it was briefly the capital of Japan 645-655, 661-667 and finally 744-745 AD. Even after the capital was moved elsewhere, Osaka continued to play an important role as a hub for land, sea and river-canal transportation. During the Tokugawa era, while Edo (now Tokyo) served as the austere seat of military power and Kyoto was the home of the Imperial court and its courtiers, Osaka served as "the Nation's Kitchen" (「天下の台所」 tenka-no-daidokoro), the collection and distribution point for rice, the most important measure of wealth. Hence it was also the city where merchants made and lost fortunes and cheerfully ignored repeated warnings from the shogunate to reduce their conspicuous consumption.

During Meiji era, Osaka's fearless entrepreneurs took the lead in industrial development, making it the equivalent of Manchester in the U.K. A thorough drubbing in World War 2 left little evidence of this glorious past — even the castle is a ferroconcrete reconstruction — but to this day, while unappealing and gruff on the surface, Osaka remains Japan's best place to eat, drink and party, and in legend (if not in practice) Osakans still greet each other with mōkarimakka?, "are you making money?".

O S A K A • 大阪市

Matsumoto Castle (松本城, Matsumotojō) is one of the most complete and beautiful among Japan's original castles. It is a "hirajiro" - a castle built on plains rather than on a hill or mountain. Matsumoto Castle is unique for having both a secondary donjon and a turret adjoined to its main keep. The castle structures, in combination with their characteristic black wainscoting, give off an air of grandeur and poise.

Matsumotojo's main castle keep and its smaller, second donjon were built from 1592 to 1614. Both these structures were well-fortified as peace was not yet fully achieved at the time. In 1635, when military threats had ceased, a third, barely defended turret and another for moon viewing were added to the castle.

M A T S U M O T O •松本城

The projects that never got finished, why waste them.

10. Juu ・十

Kagoshima (鹿児島市), is a historical city watched over by the looming bulk of Sakurajima (桜島), an active volcano that regularly dumps ash over the city and erupts a bit every now and then to remind people it's still there. The home of near-mythical samurai hero Saigo Takamori, it's full of sites related to the Satsuma Rebellion.

The projects that never got finished, why waste them.
Formally "9. Kyuu ・九" in the (M I K N A S E I • 未完成のアイデア) palylist.

K A G O S H I M A・鹿児島市

8. Hachi ・八

7. Shichi ・七

6. Roku・ 六

5. Go・ 五

4. Shi・ 四

3. San ・三

According to the Japanese fairytale of Momotarō, an old, childless couple found a peach floating down the river, and inside they found a baby boy. They duly adopted him and named him Momotarō (桃太郎), or (quite literally) "Peach Boy". As he grew, he began to feel greatly indebted to the couple that raised him, and when he was finally grown, he announced that he would be going on a journey to Onigashima (Demon Island) to fight the demons that had been causing trouble in the nearby villages. The old woman prepared kibi-dango for him to take on his journey and bid him farewell.

On his way to the island, he befriended a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant by giving them each a piece of the kibi-dango. With their help, he defeated the demons; Momotarō took the demons' treasures back home and gave them to the old couple to thank them for all the things they'd done for him throughout the years. The couple rejoiced that he was back safely, and they all lived happily ever after.

Residents claim that Okayama was the original setting of the fairytale, and that it was based on the legend of Prince Kibitsuhiko's battle against the ogre Ura, who is said to have lived in Kino-jo (Demon's Castle) in the area around Soja. 

The projects that never got finished, why waste them.
Formally "2. Ni 二 " on the (M I K N A S E I • 未完成のアイデア) Playlist

O K A Y A M A・岡山市

1. Ichi ・一

Don't Cry

Isn't It A Shame (Feat. Banu & Satae)

On Your Shoulder

Thinking Bout' You (Feat. Cristobal)

Oh Me, Oh My!

MORENITA

Guac Is Extra

It Will Be

123 Million Hopes Feat. Nolo

YO SE

MI TORTURA

The New Dawn Feat. Plan A

DIME

Childish Dreams Feat. Plan A & Banu

LOQSEA

[DorandoYTA-Dorando]

Rona[Freestyle Beat]

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀   ?⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
( ੭‾‾ º‾‾)੭
*** Lost.Love EP ***
https://www.instagram.com/rojasumusic/

JASU

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