The comedy duo “Nakagawake” brought up Shukugawa and Kurakuen in one of their YouTube videos.
First, here it is↓
In a manzai sketch called “Osaka Real Estate Agent,” there’s a bit of local humor during an exchange between a man looking for a rental in Namba and the real estate agent, where the agent recommends Shukugawa and Kurakuen.
Real estate agent: “Shukugawa, Kurakuen, Koyoen… those areas are nice.”
“The dogs people walk are different there. Everyone’s walking around with those clickety-clack dogs.”
By the way, the “clickety-clack dogs” Nakagawake are talking about seem to be those “dogs hanging at festival stalls.” I’m guessing it’s because the wheels make that clickety-clack sound lol
Probably this↓
At a glance, it does look like a stylish, classy little dog
And now, that clickety-clack dog is featured in the Kurakuen/Shukugawa booklet “GoEn(ゴエン)”!!
Here it is↓
So classy! It’s the clickety-clack dog~~
This “GoEn(ゴエン)” is a local information booklet packed with the appeal of Kurakuen and Shukugawa.
It starts with the idea that this is a lesser-known town, and that being an upscale residential area isn’t its only charm. That’s this booklet, GoEn(ゴエン).
There are plenty of introductions to restaurants and sweets shops in Kurakuen and Shukugawa too~
It’s a fun local guidebook full of neighborhood flavor, with sharp, engaging features on shop owners and artisans.
This is a map showing where the featured shops are.
There are also tidbits that make you go “Oh wow,” like how Kurakuen used to have hot spring inns, and stories related to Grave of the Fireflies, Junichiro Tanizaki’s Sasameyuki, and more.
By the way, GoEn(ゴエン) was created by “Kurakuen Stores Meeting”, the same group that also hosts “Sakura Light-Up Kurakuen”. It’s an organization made up of more than 190 shops in Kurakuen and Shukugawa.
Lastly
So, where can you get GoEn?
If you spot a light-blue booklet like this at various shops around Kurakuen and Shukugawa, that’s GoEn(ご縁). Pick one up and take a look~ By the way, this shop is Karaage Asahi.
Specifically, it’s available at around 190 Kurakuen Stores Meeting member shops, City Hall, Chuo Library, Kitaguchi Library, the University Center, and other places.
By the way, we previously wrote an article about Nishinomiya-Kitaguchi’s moving walkway based on this same Nakagawake bit too~
