title: Taishō-ku, Osaka
text: # Taishō-ku, Osaka
  
  Taishō (大正区, Taishō-ku) is one of 24 wards of Osaka, Japan. As of October 1, 2006, the ward has an estimated population of 72,742 and the total area is 9.43 $km^2.$ Taisho is surrounded by canals and it is named after the Taisho bridge, a main bridge built in Taishō period. One fourth of residents has their roots in Okinawa Prefecture, and there are many stores associated with Okinawan culture and Okinawan cuisine in Taisho.
  
  ## Transport
  
  Taishō on the Osaka Loop Line railway and the Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line subway is located at the northern tip of the ward. The rest of the ward is served by the bus lines operated by Osaka City Bus. As the ward is surrounded by rivers with few bridges for pedestrians, the city provides ferry services.
  
  ### Train Stations
  
  **West Japan Railway Company (JR West)**
  
  
      Osaka Loop Line
         Taishō
  
  **Osaka Metro**
  
  
      Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line
         Taishō Station
  
  ### Road
  
  * Hanshin Expressway: Route 17 Nishi-Osaka Line
  * Japan National Route 43
  * Onami Street
  * Taishō Street
  * Kaigan Street
  
  ### Airport
  
  In the south end of the ward is Funamachi industrial area and at the foot of the Shin Kizugawa Bridge was the site of Kizugawa Airport, which was Osaka's main civilian airport from 1929 until Itami Airport opened in 1939. It began as a seaplane base in 1923 but expanded by Ministry of Communications to support Japan Air Transport flights to Tachikawa Army Airfield in Tokyo with a 720 metres (2,360 ft) runway.
  
  ## Education
  
  Public elementary and junior high schools are operated by the Osaka City Board of Education.
  
  ## Facilities
  
  ### Libraries
  
  * Osaka Municipal Taisho Library (大阪市立大正図書館)
  
  ### Parks
  
  * Mount Shōwa (Chishima Park) (昭和山 (千島公園))
  
  ### Sports venues
  
  * Azalea Taishō (アゼリア大正): The venue has a hall.
  * Marine Tennis Park Kitamura (マリンテニスパーク・北村)
  
  ### Hospitals
  
  * Taishō Hospital (大正病院)
  * Pref Osaka Saiseikai Izuo Hospital (大阪府済生会泉尾病院)
  
  ### Department Store
  
  * Chishima Garden Mall (千島ガーデンモール), shopping mall
  * IKEA store (Tsuruhama)
  