This is the “Nishinomiya Quiz” corner, where getting it right proves you’re a true Nishinomiya expert.
Here’s this quiz↓
Q. How many shops around JR Nishinomiya Station have the characters “Nishinomiya” in their name?
(*Includes hiragana. Basically, this covers shops and private facilities that ordinary people can use. Facilities operated by the city are not included.)
a. 5 shops
b. 8 shops
c. 11 shops
d. 23 shops
Nishitsu correct answer rate: 17%
The rough area is here↓
Along Route 2 south of the station, along the Imazu Nishi Line, and around JR Nishinomiya Station near Higashigawa.
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Things 100% owned by Nishinomiya City are excluded↓
Names that include “Nishinomiya” like a branch name are also excluded↓
Branch names like “Nishinomiya Ekimae Store” don’t meet the criteria.
With that in mind, why not give it a try before looking at the answer♪
- a.5店舗28.8%(21票)
- b.8店舗30.1%(22票)
- c.11店舗24.7%(18票)
- d.23店舗16.4%(12票)
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The correct answer was b. 8 shops～～～～～(Update 9/17: It’s 9 shops.)
We went around looking at shops near JR Nishinomiya.
Let’s take a look at them one by one with photos.
The first shop is Nishinomiya Shokudo, a “Maido Ookini Shokudo” located along Route 2!
This one may spark debate over whether it counts as a branch name, but the “Nishinomiya” in “Nishinomiya Shokudo” is written in large letters and really puts Nishinomiya front and center. It’s also written as “Nishinomiya” in romaji. So we decided it counts as a Nishinomiya shop.
Okay, nextー↓
The second shop is “Nishinomiya Niku Gekijo” along Route 2.
Like Nishinomiya Shokudo, this is a chain restaurant, but the Nishinomiya lettering is quite large, so by Nishitsu standards, we certified it as a shop with Nishinomiya in the name.
Moving on～↓
The third shop is “Nihon Chozai Nishinomiya Pharmacy,” a prescription pharmacy north of JR Nishinomiya.
Please look closely at this image.
Can you tell that the “Nishinomiya Pharmacy” text is just a little bigger than the “Nihon Chozai” text?? In web terms, it’s a tiny difference of maybe 1 or 2 pixels, but we felt an unmistakable Nishinomiya push here that couldn’t be overlooked.
NEXT↓
The fourth is “Nishinomiya Watanabe Cardiovascular and Stroke Center” along Route 2.
Putting Nishinomiya right at the very beginning of the name gives off a sense of respect for Nishinomiya.
Now, let’s keep going～↓
The fifth and sixth shops are “Nishinomiya Fish Shop and Juice Shop” along Route 2.
It’s written in hiragana as “にしのみや,” but by Nishitsu standards, that’s within the criteria. Since they’re a fish shop and a juice shop, we’re counting them as Nishinomiya shops.
Okay, next↓
The seventh is “Nishinomiya Animal Hospital” on the Imazu Nishi Line.
It’s an animal hospital in Nishinomiya, so “Nishinomiya Animal Hospital.” Straightforward, and a name that shows maximum respect for Nishinomiya. We appreciate how easy it is to understand.
Now, here comes the final boss↓
The eighth shop is “Frente Nishinomiya,” standing boldly at JR Nishinomiya Station.
This one could also be controversial, since some might say it’s owned by Nishinomiya City, but even with Co-op’s somewhat complicated grown-up circumstances (see wiki), the fact that it just barely makes it in means it’s fair to call it a private facility. So we’re counting it as a shop with Nishinomiya in the name.
Update from 9/17↓
This is “Nishinomiya Shoten,” famous for gyoza, which readers told us about when the article was first published. It’s located across Route 2 from JR Nishinomiya Station, down the road by the post office.
Currently, there was a notice posted saying, “Due to the impact of COVID-19, we will be closed for the time being.”
So, around JR Nishinomiya Station, there are 8 shops 9 private shops with Nishinomiya in their name. We worked really hard to find them by sight, but we may have missed some, so please let us know if you spot any<m(__)m>
