Welcome to “Nishinomiya Then and Now,” a corner where we compare photos of Nishinomiya past and present and either grin to ourselves or get hit with nostalgia.
On social media these days, fun “___ Challenges” and “___ Relays,” where people share enjoyable things with everyone, have been trending.
Among them, a “relay of old photos of yourself” made its way to me, so I dug through some old albums at my family home and found nostalgic photos from around JR Nishinomiya Station 25 years ago! (25 years ago means around 1995, Heisei 7)
I went and photographed the same places today, then compared them!
Frente Nishinomiya today ↑
Notice the signs, including “Nitori.”
25 years ago (taken on July 1, 1995) ↑
Back then, “Nitori” still hadn’t moved in.
The rotary at JR Nishinomiya Station today ↑
Notice the “McDonald’s” and the “taxi.”
The shape and color of the taxi sure bring back memories!
And did you notice? It’s a little hard to see, but at the time, it wasn’t “Nishinomiya Station” but still “Nishinomiya Station” written as “西ノ宮駅.” Until the station name was corrected in 2007, it had apparently been “西ノ宮駅” for an incredible 130 years!
The shopping street on the south side of JR Nishinomiya today ↑
You can see Frente Nishinomiya taking up about one-third of the photo frame.
This was taken from the same angle 25 years ago.
The building on the right wasn’t there, so half the photo is Frente!
And then there’s the sign circled in red at the lower left.
It’s still in the same spot today.
Even though it’s falling apart, it’s somehow still hanging in there.
Actually, signs in this shape can be found all over Nishinomiya. Try spotting them around town♪
Bonus ( ´艸｀) [Nishi2’s Old Photo Relay]
Kubo Park (Traffic Park) today ↑
The shinkansen playground equipment that kids absolutely love!
There’s Sensei @ Nishi2 as a third grader.
Hint: Then and now, always hungry for a laugh.
Everyone, you got it right.
This is along the Shukugawa River today (near the Central Library) ↑
A little over 30 years ago, I was sitting on my mother’s lap in the same spot along the Shukugawa River, eating a rice ball while enjoying the cherry blossoms. (That’s my older brother behind us.)
Next year, I’d love for us all to enjoy the cherry blossoms here together and drink beer!!
Finally
Some of our readers may also have dug out old photos for challenges on Facebook and elsewhere! If you come across photos related to “old Nishinomiya” like the ones in this article, please send Nishi2 any information you have about the “photos” or “locations”! Your wonderful photos connecting Nishinomiya’s past and present just might become a Nishi2 article♪＾＾
From here ↓
I’ll share information about photos related to “old Nishinomiya”!
