The Origin of the Name “Namba”
The name Namba comes from the former Kaminamba Village in Nishinari District of Settsu Province. As the surrounding area developed into an urban district, place names such as Kaminamba-cho and Kaminamba Kitanocho were used here.
Minamimido stands along Midosuji Avenue. The name Midosuji itself is said to derive from the road connecting the gates of Minamimido and Kitamido, the Tsunamachi Betsuin of Nishi Honganji.
History
Origins in the Toyotomi Period
The history of Namba Betsuin began in 1595, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi donated land for a temple. Kyonyo established Otani Honganji in Dosho-machi, Osaka, and in the following year, 1596, a bronze temple bell was cast bearing the inscription “Otani Honganji, Bunroku 5.”
Relocation and the Birth of Minamimido
In 1598, as the third bailey of Osaka Castle was being developed and the grid of the Semba district was expanded, Otani Honganji was moved to the site where Minamimido stands today.
However, in 1602, Tokugawa Ieyasu granted temple land in Kyoto. Otani Honganji subsequently moved to Karasuma Rokujo in Kyoto, where it developed into what is now Higashi Honganji.
A temple known as Namba Mido was established on the former site in Osaka, continuing the religious tradition to the present day.
The History of the Main Hall
A Magnificent Double-Roofed Main Hall
In 1714, a magnificent main hall with a double roof was completed. It is said that the current Goeido Hall of Higashi Honganji was modeled in part on the Main Hall of Namba Mido.
The historic building was destroyed by fire during the Osaka air raids of 1945. In 1960, a new Main Hall was constructed using reinforced concrete, once again incorporating the distinctive double-roofed design.
The Minamimido Building and Redevelopment
A New Complex Combining Temple and Hotel
Mido Kaikan closed in 2016 because of the aging building and concerns about earthquake resistance. The Mido Kaikan and the Center for Buddhist Education were subsequently demolished as part of a redevelopment project.
Completed in 2019, the new Minamimido Building incorporates Osaka Excel Hotel Tokyu on floors 5 through 17. Mido Kaikan has also reopened on the third and fourth floors of the north side of the complex.
The project attracted attention as a hotel complex incorporating a temple gate, described as the first hotel in Japan integrated with a temple gate.
The Temple Grounds
The grounds of Namba Betsuin are surrounded by Midosuji Avenue to the east, Kitakyuhoji-machi-dori to the south, Watanabe-suji to the west, and Kitakyutaro-machi-dori to the north, along the present-day westbound side of Chuo Odori.
Today, Minamimido occupies the southern part of the site, while the Osaka Center Building and Osaka Midosuji Building, forming an H-shaped twin-building complex, stand to the north.
The site was also once home to Otani Girls’ School, the predecessor of today’s Higashidani High School.
Major Facilities
Main Hall
The Main Hall was rebuilt in reinforced concrete in 1960. The building also contains temple administrative offices, a training hall, and a columbarium.
Dohokai Hall
Dohokai Hall serves as a center for educational and religious activities.
Shishiko-en Garden
Shishiko-en is a beautiful garden within the temple grounds. It provides a quiet place where visitors and worshippers can relax away from the surrounding city streets.
Bell Tower
The temple’s Great Bell, cast in 1596 during the period of Otani Honganji, is preserved in the bell tower. It is designated as a tangible cultural property by the City of Osaka and serves as an important reminder of the site’s long history.
Cultural Property
The temple preserves the bronze bell inscribed with “Otani Honganji, Bunroku 5”. Cast by Fujiwara Ietsugu, the bell dates from the period when Otani Honganji was located here and is recognized for its historical value.
For centuries, the bell has remained a witness to the prayers and religious life of the people connected with the temple.
Access
Namba Betsuin (Minamimido) is conveniently accessible from Hommachi Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji, Chuo, and Yotsubashi Lines.
From Exit 8, it is approximately 200 meters south. From Exit 13, it is only about 50 meters south.
A Historic Temple in Central Osaka
Namba Betsuin, popularly known as Minamimido, preserves a long history closely connected with the development of Osaka. From its origins in the Toyotomi period to its modern redevelopment, the temple has continued to serve as an important center of Shin Buddhism.
Its historic bell, temple buildings, garden, and connection with Midosuji make it an interesting destination for travelers wishing to discover a quieter side of central Osaka while learning about the city’s religious and architectural heritage.