Kamagasaki

Kamagasaki (釜ヶ崎) is an old place name for a part of Nishinari-ku in Osaka, Japan, which has the largest day laborer concentration in Japan: 30,000 people are estimated to live in every 2,000 meter radius in this area, part of which has been in slum-like conditions. The area surrounding Kamagasaki is upscale, clean and attracts tourists with popular sightseeing spots including the Tsutenkaku, Shinsekai, and Nipponbashi. However, in Kamagasaki, homeless people can often be seen sleeping in the streets throughout the day, and doya (ドヤ) hotels (cheap temporary rooms intended for day laborers) abound in the area. These hotels have recently become popular amongst backpackers from outside Japan due to their cheap price and proximity to rail transportation. The city government of Osaka does not allow the name "Kamagasaki" to appear on official maps and discourages the use of the name in the media. Sections of four different towns — Nishinari-ku Taishi (西成区太子), Haginochaya (萩之茶屋), Sannō (山王), North Hanazono (花園北) and Tengachaya (天下茶屋) — are collectively known as Kamagasaki. As part of slum clearance in preparation for World Expo 2025, the government ordered the closure of the Airin Labor and Welfare Center, a symbol of Kamagasaki since its opening in 1970.