Amerikamura



Amerikamura (also America mura; アメリカ村, American Village) is a sizable retail and entertainment area near Shinsaibashi in the Chūō-ku district of Osaka, Japan. It is usually referred to by locals as "Ame-mura". Amerikamura is an area stretching from Nagahori Street to Dotonbori, located in the west side of the Shinsaibashi station.

Amerikamura is identifiable by a small-scale reproduction of the Statue of Liberty that peers down on the streets. It is a well-known haunt of expatriates, and centres on Triangle Park, a concrete rest area surrounded by retail outlets of Western fashions, bars and nightclubs, some of which are run by Westerners.

Its reputation as a hangout for foreigners is a matter of degree. Osaka's registered foreign population is a small fraction of the total population; the makeup of the crowds and retail space in Ame-mura is predominantly Japanese. Locally, Ame-mura is known for being a place for observing some of the more "fashion intense" manifestations of Japanese pop culture.

In 1983, the "Peace on Earth" mural was painted in Amerikamura by artist Seitaro Kuroda.