Nishinomiya City

On 10 January they race to pick the lucky man.

Nishinomiya Shrine's Fukuotoko

Photo by 663highland (CC BY 2.5)

01 ／ Fukuotoko

The gate opens,and 200 metres to run.

Nishinomiya Shrine is the head shrine of all Ebisu shrines. The main gate closes at midnight on 9 January for a rite, and at six in the morning on the 10th it opens; runners sprint about 200 metres along the approach to the hall, and the first three are named fukuotoko, the lucky men. It began in 1940.

The gate opens at 6 a.m. on 10 January
About 200 metres of approach
First three are named; begun in 1940

02 ／ Miyamizu

Two metres down,the water that makes sake.

Miyamizu (宮水) rises south-east of Nishinomiya Shrine and runs in shallow ground, roughly two to five metres down. Three underflows meet there, giving water rich in minerals and low in iron. The city has an ordinance to protect it.

Roughly 2 to 5 metres down
Three underflows meet
Protected by a city ordinance

03 ／ A city to live in

In 1963 it declareditself a place to live.

On 3 November 1963 the city issued its declaration as a bunkyo jutaku toshi, a city of learning and homes: to keep its scenery, protect and clean its environment, promote education and culture, and develop in keeping with that. Sitting midway between Osaka and Kobe has shaped the place.

Declared 3 November 1963
Scenery, environment, education
Midway between Osaka and Kobe

Living here

Hanshin, JR and Hankyu run east to west.

about 490,000 people

The centre has Hanshin Nishinomiya, JR Nishinomiya and Hankyu Nishinomiya-kitaguchi stations, and city hall is two minutes' walk north of the city hall exit at Hanshin Nishinomiya. The city publishes no journey times to other cities, so this guide gives none.

People living here: 485,587people
Area: 99.95km²
Households: 215,651households
Rent (average for rentals): 69,590yen
Healthcare: 25 hospitals ／ 553 clinics