Yagura Ryukuchi Park

Collaborator : Sharissa Patanapanich

Yagura Ryukuchi Park, located on between the rivers Kanzaki and Yodo in Osaka, Japan serves as a waterfront park that commemorates ecofeminism inspired by the Japanese Shinto religion for the city’s demo graphic. The park also sets an example for raising awareness, encourage self, reflect and inspire.

Yagura Ryokuchi Park (which translates to ‘green within the industrial’), is located in the Nishiyodogawa Ward at the end of the peninsula west of the Yodo River, the central and largest river of Osaka.

The park is surrounded by industrial buildings and is adjacent to a school and a few baseball fields. It is also surrounded by water on 3 sides. Designed in 1999 by LandTec, the park is intended to serve as a place that offers people a closer access to the water while mitigating the urban climate.

Prioritizing pedestrians, most visitors walk or bike to the park entering through the two paths southeast of the site. (Those that drive may park at the baseball fields.) The space’s highest point is the center lawn with the topography slope going down from there to the ocean shore. Winding paths surround the topography and native vegetation canopy over the paths.

110th: Japan’s position in gender equality when ranked against 149 other countries

79% of Japanese women say society favors men and 68% of men agree

61% of high school females say they regularly see or suffer sexual discrimination

25 hours are spent on housework per week by married Japanese women

25 hours are spent on housework per week by married Japanese women

Paths surround the topography and native vegetation canopy over the paths. Existing infrastructure includes a restroom, picnic gazebo, and an observation deck. The site also includes a preservation area up north to protect wildlife habitat and tide pools to protect shallow-water marine life as well as to help prevent disasters. The park has become a popular place for locals to fish.

WAVE-ENERGY CONVERTING BOARDWALK

EXISTING OBSERVATION DECK

MEDITATION SPACE

FLOATING PLANTERS

MIRROR GATE

NEW RESTROOMS

EXISTING GAZEBO

ONNA-BUGEISHA MEMORIAL SPACE Master

EXISTING MAINTENANCE BUILDING

INSPIRATIONAL WALKWAY

Center Space

Mirror Gate

Mirror gate is a 5’ wide two-way spherical mirror. The mirror is designed and places at the center of the site as the user who views themselves in the mirror can place themselves with the environment they are surrounding.

The Onna-Bugeisha Memorial Space

The Onna-Bugeisha Memorial Space serves as reminder to the public of women’s involvement in early Japan. The memorial consists of an 8’ tall statue of Tomoe-Gozen who is regarded as one of the greatest Onna-Bugeisha’s

Meditation Area

The meditation serves a space to mediate, read or just relax within the park.