Legends in Osaka

With the start of the Osaka Expo 2025, we think we will check out some of the most iconic figures in the history of the prefecture in the latest 7 list. We only include people born in Osaka, even if they only spent a short time there.

Yukichi Fukuzawa

Yukichi Fukuzawa is a 10,000 yen face from 1984 to 2024. Jiji Shinpo newspapers and Keo University. He is also a progressive thinker Dokuritsu-Jison (Independence and Self-esteem).

In the 1860s, Foshawa participated in shogunate missions before writing, participating in the United States and Europe Seiyo Jijo (Western conditions), this became a bestseller. He is considered to be the most important expert in Western civilization in Japan. He also played a key role in the Meiji recovery, advocating modernity, so that the country could achieve national independence.

Fukuzawa was born in 1835 in the modern Osaka province. His family then returned to Nakachu. In 1855, Fushawa returned to Osaka to attend the Dutch study school Tekijuku. He died in 1901 after a stroke.

Akiko Yosano

Akiko Yosano (born Ho Sho) is a giant in Japanese literature and a pioneer who describes women as strong and independent beings who are not afraid of their own sexual desires. She is a prolific writer who has written over 75 books in her career, including over 20 poems.

One of Yosano’s most memorable poems is “Kimi Shinitamou Koto Nakare” (“You’ll All”), addressing her brother during the peak of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904. tank (Short Poem) titled Midaregami ((Twisted hair). Initially influenced by literary critics, it eventually received widespread praise.

Born in 1878 in a prosperous businessman family in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Yosano developed a love for literature and poetry since childhood. Tekkan Yosano, Editor of Poetry Magazine myojo (Bright Star) She subscribed to teach her tank poetry. They later got married and had 13 children. She died of a stroke in 1942.

Yasunari Kawabata

Yasunari Kawabata is one of the most respected writers of the 20th century Snow Country and Thousand cranes. The former – widely regarded as his large-scale work – begins by saying: “The train enters the snowy countryside from the long tunnel. The earth lies in the white under the night sky.”

These can be said to be the most famous opening remarks in Japanese literature. In 1968, Kawabata became the first Japanese to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, beating the contest for 75 other nominees. according to Kawabata of the Nobel Committee gained “his narrative mastery, expressing the essence of the Japanese with great sensitivity.”

Kawabata was born in Osaka in 1899 and lost his parents before he was 4 years old. This period of his life was the main theme of his autobiographical short stories.My sixteen-year-old diary. ” In 1972, he apparently died of suicide, although many people think his death was accidental.

Machiko Kyo

Machiko Kyo is one of the stars of the Golden Age of Japanese cinemas, and her role is the role of Masago, the wife of the murdered samurai in Akira Kurosawa’s classic game Rashomon. She also appeared in several Kenjimi Zogic’s films, including ugetsu As the mysterious noble lady Wakasa and sex worker Mickey The street of shame.

Another outstanding performance by Teinosuke Kinugasa is Gate of Hell – The first Japanese color film to be released internationally – in which she plays the KESA where Lady is waiting. Her only international film is with Marlon Brando and Glenn Ford The teahouse in August, She was nominated for the Golden Globe Award.

Kyo – Real name Motoko Yano- was born in Osaka in 1924. Her mother is Geisha, and her father is an aspiring dancer after she left home when she was 5 years old. Kyo joined Shochiku Kagekidan Osaka in the mid-1930s. Daiiei film scouts then discovered her in 1949. 70 years later, she died of heart failure.

Fujita

Den Fujita, known as the original American-style business tycoon of Japan’s post-war Japan, was the person who was mainly responsible for bringing McDonald’s to Japan. He first ate at a fast food chain in the United States in 1967 and then oversees the first makudonarudo Four years later in this country. It was launched on July 20, 1971 in the Ginza district of Tokyo.

Fujita also helped bring the toy R US to Japan, and he was regarded as a commercial superstar. He is a hero of many entrepreneurs here, including the son of SoftBank founder Masayoshi, who flew to Tokyo to meet him when he was 16. That was after he called Fuji Island’s office more than 60 times, trying to arrange a meeting.

Born in Osaka in 1926, Fujita grew up with relatively privileged growth. After World War II, he worked as a part-time interpreter at General MacArthur’s headquarters. He then turned down a job in the Treasury to start his own business and sell imported debris. Fujita died of heart failure in 2004.

Osamu Tezuka

Known as the “God of Manga” and “Godfather of Anime”, Osamu Tezuka wrote about 150,000 pages of manuscripts, with over 700 volumes, and created about 60 animations. Inspired by Western cartoon characters such as Donald Duck and Betty Boop, he was the first mango to attract a large number of expressive eyes here that are everywhere in today’s comics.

In 1951, he introduced the world to the most famous creations. Astro Boy started as a supporting character in a famous comic series Captain Atom. He has proven to be so popular. The derivative person is called Powerful atoms Created one year later. Other famous works include Kimba White Lion, Phoenix, Buddha and Black Jack.

Tezuka was born in Toyonaka, Osaka in 1928. When he was 5 years old, his family moved to Takarazuka, where he often watched Takarazuka Revue with his mother. The show left a deep impression on him. Like Walt Disney’s movies, especially Bambihe looked at it 80 times. Tezuka died of gastric cancer in 1989.

Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka is the first Japanese tennis player to win a major singles title and is one of the most sold athletes in the world. She is known for her aggressive style, beating Serena Williams in the 2018 U.S. Open final and then won the Australian Open a few months later, beating Petra Kvitová of the Czech Republic in the final.

Osaka then became the first Asian player to rank world number one in singles. She successfully defended her open and Australian open championships, but then struggled in form and spoke openly about her frustrations and anxiety. Included three times timeHer annual list of 100 of the most influential people in the world has ignited the Olympic cauldron at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.

Osaka and her family were born in Haiti in 1997 in an American father and Japanese mother. She and her family went to New York when they were 3 years old, so her memories of Japan were hazy. Speech NikkeiHowever, she said she does have some vivid memories, such as walking and eating in the park with her mom, Nicoman (Steamed pork bread).

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