Table of Contents
The Studio
When I first heard about Adrienne Hruby, who makes miniature versions of retro Osaka landmarks, I knew it would be perfect for the site. But Adrienne’s favorite spots aren’t in the “Osaka Guidebook” (aka: Glico Man)—some are rarely known and perhaps in danger of being destroyed (so go see them while you can!) Read along and discover some of these magical Showa-era gems in Osaka that you may not know about, and her skillful recreations of them using cardboard, paper-mache and other found materials! I was able to visit Adrienne’s studio space which, is itself, a work of art to get a look up close!
Originally from Colorado, she’s been living in Japan for over 10 years. Like many of us, Adrienne fell in love during her first visit -as an English teacher in the JET program. She eventually went on to study at Kansai Gaidai University. Her studies in Japanese art history have inspired her interior style and art. Naniwa’s retro relics scattered around Osaka drew her here as well as the cheaper rent (compared to Tokyo) which makes living in Osaka as a creative easier. She hopes that more people like her will come transform it into an artistic hub.
For now, that creativity is centered in her art studio. Adrienne gilded her Japanese style sliding doors with a golden “sun.” Also notice the gigantic wooden “tengu” head above her. She loves to collect Nippon memorabilia! In fact, any direction you turn your head you’re liable to see a decorative motif, a kappa frog, old matchbook, or original art piece.
Hruby also loves found signs. Here is a giant pet shop display salvaged before it got tossed! Her reasoning: too often you see these wonderful relics lost to remodeling -and the cityscape loses a bit of its charm. Besides creating miniature versions of her favorite parts of town, her studio is a museum of discarded heirlooms too!
Some of the spots she recreated are already gone and by the time you’re reading this more may be lost! (If that’s the case, then you can see small versions at her next exhibit!)
I love her old mirrors, some of them found in trashcans. Adrienne told a funny story about carrying one back from Tokyo on the bullet train. “Everybody must have thought I was crazy,” she said “but it was worth it!”
As for the stuff that wasn’t found in dumpsters? She goes to the Shi-Tennouji Flea Market in Osaka which happens every month on the 21st and 22nd at Shi-Tennouji Temple. It’s a great place to find Japanese antiques and rare items. Here are some Daruma figures, kappa frogs, and a pink Kero-chan too amongst the old “tougei.”
And if you’re feeling paranoid, here’s a tinfoil hat! A brief look at her instagram indicates it was part of a strange Halloween costume made from scratch!
We gotta include the retro matchboxes! Each one a work of art on its own! These seem much earlier 20th century than the ones I’m used to seeing. True collectibles indeed!
The Art
The decor was a preamble to Adrienne’s original sculptures: This display ↑ combines many different miniatures into one! I took photos of different angles to give a better look. It combines her favorite retro relics in Osaka into a make-believe town called “Kanpai City.”
Over the course of this article I plan on examining the different places Adrienne made replicas of. Before I get to the individual pieces, I’ll mention the little scenes she created such as this:
This is a miniature shrine using the cardboard from old delivery boxes! Here she enjoyed a New Years festival from the comfort of her own home during the pandemic!
It’s based on Namba Yasaka Shrine with its giant lion head. Of course this Osaka staple would make it into her repertoire! There was a little trouble replicating the eyes with cardboard and it had to be scrapped many times. Eventually Adrienne hit on the perfect solution: plastic spoons! But not just ANY plastic cutlery, ones from the combini (convenience store) were the perfect fit. (I suppose the smaller size did the trick!)
According to the official website the history is a little murky it’s believed to goes back to 1069-1073! It looks like the beast itself was constructed around 1974. in 2001 (Heisei 13), it was designated as the first intangible folk cultural property in Osaka City. Come here on the third Sunday of January for a magnificent tug-of-war Shinto ritual!
This next piece is based on another artistic creation. In real life it’s much bigger. Much MUCH bigger…
It’s the giant tower from the Maishima Incineration Plant. Believe it or not, it’s not Universal Studios, but I’m told thousands of people mistakenly end up here every year looking for the theme park. So funny that a magical tower is actually filled with waste!
It was designed by Austrian visual artist and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser whose work is like Spanish visionary Antoni Gaudi with its organic forms. Sadly Hunderwasser died before he could ever see the completed building in 2000.
This next piece is the light-up replica of Miss Pearl retro cabaret club located in Namba! The artistry to create this translucent sign boggles the mind -so much so that I asked if she had an interest in creating movie props or decorative window displays such as those in Hankyu Department store in Umeda. I’ve included a few pictures here:
What’s next for her? An art show to display these items? Preferably not in a sterile white gallery, she said, a retro “kissa” cafe would be more suitable with the tangible Showa vibes.
After my visit I stopped by to take a picture of Miss Pearl in person ↑ Be sure to check out neighboring Miss Osaka as well, opened in 1937!
Browsing Adrienne’s Instagram I see she also made a painting of Miss Pearl which showcases another of her talents. Somehow this watercolor feels like an illustration in an old Japanese book.
Moving along to this striking piece from “Kanpai City” ↑ which is modeled after the love hotel Daigo in Tennouji -which I love against the gold background. The building itself is based on a castle so this “representation of a representation” is very meta! An interesting video on her instagram shows the use of masking tape to get those perfect stripes on the roof tops.
Prior to being painted the pure cardboard has an almost ceramic feel to it! (I’ll never throw away an Amazon box again.)
This picture from bkyu gourmet dot net shows the original building itself. I figured Adrienne’s painted bricks on the bottom were an artistic touch but I was fascinated to discover that the love hotel had it too -it’s charmingly kitschy.
Going towards the Tsutenkaku area now, Adrienne created a replica of the “Sinsekai” retro sign ↑. The use of paint to create an “aging” effect is very skillful!
Another place I was happy made it into “Kanpai City” was the circular motif from the Misono building in Namba. ↑ (That’s also a little yakiniku sign (焼肉) at the bottom too!) I’m amazed at all the small details of bricks, pipes and sliding shutter doors. The building is also home to “Universe” which is another retro landmark. Inside there are all sorts of izakayas and old shops -I recommend checking it out because it’s another Osaka mainstay set to be torn down!
From a little higher angle you can see the “Universe” sign (ユニバース) with little water tanks. The Namba cityscape wouldn’t be complete without these colors! By placing it in the corner of a darkened room it shines magically. Universe is another section of the Misono building which includes a event/concert hall (filled with planetary orbs to fit with the theme.)
Not far from Misono this “Tamura Peanuts” sign is another oddity I’ve noticed before. Apparently, Adrienne was just as intrigued as I、she skillfully recreated it here in the upper left. After a quick Google search I was able to find the official site. They import peanuts (dried fruits, chestnuts, and pine nuts) and were founded over 70 years ago. As for the story around the sign, it may take some deeper searching! ( I stopped by to get a picture of this one as well: upper right.)
This UFO pachinko design is another throwback! From what I was able to glean it already been shuttered (sad emoji.)
According to this blog it closed in 2020 and it’s now a 711. With that in mind, Adrienne’s art takes on a new significance as a “memorial” for lost Osaka (or perhaps a “celebration.”)
She doesn’t just make buildings, here is a crab inspired by Kani Douraku in Osaka. It doubles as a mask as well!
She uses an array of recycled materials to get the shapes, the trick is coming up with what found materials will fit – like the combini spoon or a straw, etc. In this case it appears to be a plastic condiment bottle. As recycling and eco-friendly is all the rage I think Adrienne should get credit for devising a creative use for our waste!
Researching the different places that Adrienne constructed has been a learning journey. This piece is based on Kitashinchi’s “Hat Boy” and I had never heard of it! Making the list of osaka mania‘s guide to the best neon spots, they call it a classic Showa-era relic that is representative of great “bubble” era billboards!
Here’s a screen shot from Osaka mania’s website showing the night view of “Hat Boy” in all its shiny glory! The sparkly building really adds to the effect and reminds me of the vintage “Sands” hotel in Vegas or “The Flamingo.”
If you look closely, behind the “Tamura Peanuts” sign you can see cafe “Doremi” (ドレミ。）I have visited here for a previous piece for Osaka Dot Com and had a good time dining at this retro Kissa located at the foot of Tsutenkaku. In this case, she not only created the facade, but the interior as well! (It made for some interesting pictures of a giant Adrienne spooking the customers.)
While not part of “Kanpai City,” I wanted to include this recreation of the sign from the Tsuruhashi shopping arcade. For those who don’t know, the “Tsuru” in “Tsuruhashi” means “crane” (and I don’t mean the kind for construction.)
Up in northern Osaka, doubling as a play ground for her late hamster, this replica of The Giant Octopus Playground at Toyosaki Nishi Park near Nakatsu was recently picked up by Osaka Dot Com Instagram and described as follows: “One of Osaka’s most famous landmarks. The park is also popular for its cherry blossoms in the spring… it’s a short walk from Midosuji Metro Nakatsu station.” It looks to be a good place to enjoy a picnic -for human’s and hamsters alike! The smooth organic forms are skillfully done!
And last but not least we have the iconic Dotonbori (道頓堀) sign. It was a challenging piece to recreate, Adrienne described it this way “hours upon hours of cutting cardboard and wires, gluing, painting, shading and aging…but I can safely say I finally learned the kanji for Dotonbori.” Indeed, 道頓堀 has some complex ones in there! Hopefully with some of these close ups you can appreciate the fine details!
What inspires her
On Adrienne’s page I came across a link to an interview she did a few years back where she talks in depth about her love of Osaka. She had a great quote about why she likes living here: “Kansai people can’t be beat, there is a genuine openness I haven’t found elsewhere.”
As for why Adrienne creates this stuff: “Where I’m living the city is changing… sadly, with any development, a lot of old buildings get torn down. The pieces I am choosing to make are retro bubble era Japan at its finest. It’s to memorialize them, hopefully attract more people to visiting these places and keeping them around.”
Until next time!
A big thank you to Adrienne for allowing me to check out her studio space as well as introducing me to the best retro spots in Osaka. I haven’t visited all of them yet but hopefully there’s still time! Her art has inspired me to cherish them now and forever and so should you!
