Takarazuka, the city which raised God of Manga Osamu Tezuka

Takarazuka, the city beloved by the god of "MANGA" - Osamu Tezuka

He made his debut as a manga artist at the age of 18 in 1946, and by the time he passed away at the age of 60, he had created over 700 works, and it is said that he had drawn as many as 150,000 pages of manuscript.

His works, which are aimed at children and young people and have themes such as "love of nature" and "the preciousness of life," are full of an appeal that never fades, even as the times change.

The city where he lived from the age of 5 to 24 is Takarazuka in Hyogo Prefecture.

Takarazuka is located exactly halfway between Kobe and Osaka. It was developed as a glamorous town with hot springs, hotels, theaters, and other facilities along the river, but in the 1930s when Osamu Tezuka was a boy, the area outside the city center was covered with mountains and forests.

As a boy, Tezuka Osamu loved insects so much that he dreamed of becoming an entomologist, and it is likely that he learned about the transience and beauty of life from the nature of Takarazuka.

Immerse yourself in the world of manga at the Tezuka Osamu Manga Museum!

The Takarazuka Municipal Tezuka Osamu Memorial Museum is a museum where you can learn about Tezuka Osamu.

Cute characters from Tezuka's works are designed throughout the facility, allowing you to immerse yourself in the world of the work.

The library, which has almost all of Osamu Tezuka's works, offers not only Japanese but also foreign language versions and Braille books, so visitors from overseas can also enjoy the contents.

In fact, Osamu Tezuka was both a manga artist and a doctor. "Black Jack" is a masterpiece that is filled with his knowledge and experience as a doctor, as well as his philosophy on life.

The museum screens original animations on a monthly basis (with English subtitles).

There is also a corner where you can experience how to make animation, and you can draw the original animation drawings by tracing the sketches provided. If you actually try it, even just tracing the lines may be difficult for those who are not good at drawing.

If you look at the manuscripts on display after this experience, you can get a good idea of Tezuka Osamu's incredible drawing ability.

Many of the exhibits have explanations in English and there are plenty of features that even people who have never read manga can enjoy, so you might become a manga fan by the time you leave.

Stroll along the Flower Path that Osamu Tezuka also walked

Hana-no-michi (Flower Street), known as a famous cherry blossom viewing spot in Takarazuka, is a 400-meter promenade that stretches from Takarazuka Station to the front of the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum. In spring, the tree-lined path turns into an arch of cherry blossoms.

(↑Please confirm permission to use with the Takarazuka Tourism Association. https://kanko-takarazuka.jp/english/access/)

Takarazuka City is located in the southeastern part of Hyogo Prefecture, and is easily accessible from Osaka and Kobe, about 30 minutes by train. Surrounded by abundant nature, it is known as a historic hot spring town, and is also famous as the home of the Takarazuka Revue Company. Away from the hustle and bustle of the city, it offers a wealth of sightseeing and cultural experiences, and attracts many tourists.

If you look closely at your feet, you will see tiles featuring popular characters from Tezuka's works, such as Astro Boy, Black Jack, and Jungle Emperor.

There is also a theater dedicated to the all-female Takarazuka Revue here. Takarazuka Revue is a theater company with over 100 years of history, and the distinctive feature is that even the male roles are played by women. The beautiful worldview, which seems to embody the world of manga and anime, is loved by people of all generations.

Osamu Tezuka also went to the theater from his childhood, accompanied by his mother, who was an opera fan. The main character of "Ribbon no Kishi," Japan's first full-length girls' manga, is said to have been modeled after a star of the Takarazuka Revue.

Following in the footsteps of Osamu Tezuka at Takarazuka Onsen and Iwashizu Shrine

There are other places in Takarazuka that are associated with Tezuka Osamu.

One of these is Hotel Wakamizu in Takarazuka Onsen, which is said to have a history of over 800 years.

Wakamizu is an elegant hotel located along a scenic river. Apparently Osamu Tezuka once stayed here with a number of fellow manga artists, and an illustration was drawn to commemorate their stay.

When Tezuka Osamu gave illustrations as gifts, he often drew popular characters, but at this hotel you can see paintings of beautiful women enjoying hot springs.

Perhaps it was the comfort of the hot springs that caused him to paint a different picture than usual.

Along with other manga artists' works, the artwork is on display in the public space on the second floor and is open to all hotel guests.

Tezuka Osamu's footprints can also be seen at Iwashizu Shrine, a historic shrine in Takarazuka.

The shrine has a traditional and sacred atmosphere, and you'll be surprised to see rows of votive plaques* depicting the popular character, Black Jack.

* Ema...A board on which wishes are written and offered to the gods

This was created during the coronavirus pandemic in honor of the genius doctor Black Jack, and contains words of prayer and wishes for health and medical care.

The shrine also carefully preserves illustrations donated by Tezuka Osamu.

This is a rare illustration of Atom, the main character of the famous manga series "Astro Boy," playing a Japanese drum. It is open to the public only during the autumn festival every year.

▲A special goshuin stamp* is available only at this shrine. You can also get a goshuin stamp book with a picture of Atom and his friends beating Japanese drums and playing gagaku*.

This shrine also offers goshuin stamps featuring characters from Tezuka Osamu's works.

* Gagaku: Traditional Japanese music passed down since ancient times, mainly performed at shrines and imperial court ceremonies. It uses instruments such as flutes and drums and is characterized by a solemn and calm style of music.

* Goshuin/Goshuincho...Goshuin is a seal that you receive as proof of visiting a shrine or temple, and is stamped on paper or a book as proof of your visit. Goshuincho is a book dedicated to collecting multiple goshuin, and is used to record memories of travels and visits.

Discovering the charm of Takarazuka through manga

What we have introduced this time is only a small part of the charm of Takarazuka, which Tezuka Osamu loved.

Looking back on his hometown, he later commented, "Takarazuka is a town that is filled with everything I want to write about in my manga." The nature and culture of Takarazuka had such a profound impact on his sensibilities and work.

The Tezuka Osamu Memorial Museum displays a map of places associated with him along with stories from his childhood, so why not use it as reference for your stroll around Takarazuka?

The Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum
Address: 7-65 Mukogawacho, Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture, 665-0844 ( Google map )
Business hours: 9:30-17:00 (last entry 16:30)
Closed: Every Monday *For details, please refer to the opening days calendar on the website: https://www.city.takarazuka.hyogo.jp.e.pc.hp.transer.com/tezuka/ (English)

Takarazuka-Onsen Hotel Wakamizu
Address: 9-25 Yumotocho, Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture, 665-0003 ( Google map )
Website: https://www.h-wakamizu.com/lg_en/

Iwashizu Shrine
Address: 1-4-3 Ikeshi, Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture, 665-0033 ( Google map )
Website: https://iwashidu-jinja.jp/ (Japanese only. Please use the translation function.)