User:Faemili/Kuzuha, Hirakata-shi, Osaka, Japan

Kuzuha (樟葉, くずは) is a district of north Hirakata-shi, Japan. Although situated in Osaka prefecture, Kuzuha is placed between Osaka and Kyōto, and sits on the border of Kyoto prefecture along the Keihan Main Line. From Kyoto Sanjo Keihan station it’s approximately 23 minutes by train and from Yodoyabashi station in Osaka, it takes approximately 31 minutes. Kuzuha station (樟葉駅) was first opened on April 15, 1910 and now serves over 60,000 people a day.

Since 2004 Kuzuha has seen substantial redevelopment in the immediate station vicinity. This has been through investment by the Keihan company, and because of it's prime location as a commuter town. The station itself is yet to receive any major redevelopment.

Buildings
Kuzuha's most notable draw is its shopping mall, Kuzuha Mall (くずはモール). Originally built in 1972 in front of the station, it was a two-story open-air mall with a Japanese Class D51 2-8-2 steam locomotive engine at its centre. The mall was rebuilt in 2005, opening on April 14, 2005 – the locomotive was moved to Torokko Saga station (トロッコ嵯峨駅), Kyōto. The new Kuzuha Mall consists of multiple buildlings, with a separate building for the Kuzuha Mall Kids and Uniqlo (and other stores above), along with the main three-story covered mall. Inside are modern on-trend shops, a department store, bakery, small art gallery and a two-storey cluster of restaurants in the 'Dining St.' food court.

It's most obvious landmark building is Kuzuha Tower City, built in 2004. Kuzuha Tower City consists of four residential towers, the tallest being 41 storeys and a height of 138.6m. There is also a fourth four-storey fitness tower. At the time of its construction it was the highest known base isolation condominium in the world.

Kuzuha Public Golf Course
Kuzuha Public Golf Course (樟葉パブリック・ゴルフ・コース) was established in 1957 and is an 18 hole par 70 course. Between 1965 and 1990 the golf course held over 26 international professional tournaments, and still holds regular national competitions.

It's close proximity to Yodo River (淀川) has led to problems with flooding since 1963.

Local Area
Along the northern edge of Kuzuha is the bamboo forest of Mount Otokoyama (男山) in neighbouring Yawata-shi, Kyōto Prefecture. It was the bamboo from this forest that Thomas Edison (1847-1931) used as filament in his first electric light bulbs. There is a monument to Edison at the Iwashimizu Hachiman Shrine (石清水八幡宮), also located on the mountain.

The Shinto shrine of Iwashimizu Hachiman-gū is notable in itself, being one of the three great Hachiman (八幡神) shrines of Japan. Founded in 859, the present main shrine was built in 1634, by the third shogun, Tokugawa Iemitsu.