Inochi Plaza – Creating a space for the brilliance of life and the achievement of SDGs

“Inochi Plaza” is a social-academia co-creation center, a place where we can work together with people in society to face social issues and envision the future that people want. The “Inochi Plaza” was made possible through donations from the Inamori Foundation.

The “Inochi Plaza” will also be a place for real dialogue and exchange during the “Inochi Forum,” which is one of the initiatives at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.

From now on, we would like to use every Thursday after 3pm as a time for interaction and discussion for the Inochi Forum.
You can view the upcoming schedule here.

The “Inochi Forum” is a place where each person connects with the awareness of “life” that lives on the earth, raises their voices, listens, thinks, and speaks, and uses one voice to connect to a global movement. . We hold a variety of events at the Inochi Plaza, including the “Action Panel,” where we share our thoughts and activities, engage in dialogue, and encourage new initiatives.

Osaka University Nakanoshima Center is conveniently located, within walking distance from Umeda, with the Osaka Nakanoshima Museum of Art next door, and from the floor you can see the Nakanoshima cityscape and Dojima River, making it a very comfortable environment.We would like to invite all kinds of people to come and work with us to create a place where people can empathize with various lives, transcending the boundaries of age, gender, country and culture.

We look forward to your visit.

A place to “know, feel, and create” for “all” lives

“Inochi Plaza” is a “place to learn” about the various issues that exist in the world and local communities, a “place to feel” where you can feel and empathize with your whole body, and to solve those issues, we will create a brighter future. It consists of a “creation place” where one’s own empathy is visualized and new value is created.

Place to know

A place to learn is a place where you can learn about the current situation in the world and local communities, and where the challenges are. Depending on the event, we will display videos, websites, panels, and other items. Additionally, the stool modeled after the SDGs logo is our message that the entire Inochi Plaza will promote the SDGs.

Place to feel

The “feeling place” has a projection VR theater that projects 360-degree videos on four sides of the room: the front, left and right sides, and the floor, allowing you to feel immersed in the images. Unlike VR goggles, where only one person can experience the image, here children in one class at school can see the same screen and have a joint experience as if they were all there. Here, we have prepared videos about the status of issues in various places around the world, and we hope that those who watch the videos will gain various different insights, and based on these insights, we can explain the essence of the issues. The purpose is to think about.

Place to create

The “creation space” is an open space that can accommodate up to 80 people. The chairs are also in colors that evoke the SDGs, and the bookshelf is stocked with a variety of books, including not only research books but also picture books that children can read. There is also a tatami area where you can take off your shoes and go up, and we are trying to create an atmosphere where elementary school, middle school, high school, and university students can feel free to come in and use the space.

We have everything you need to learn and feel about the sustainability of the earth, SDGs, and social issues.

In addition to the VR theater and content that is a “place to feel”, the Inochi Plaza also has many things that will help you come up with ideas for “knowing,” “feeling,” and “creating,” such as the following. 
・Digital globe “Sphere” that allows you to dynamically understand the state of the earth, such as the status of SDGs issues, movements of planets and ships, continental drift, flora and fauna, atmosphere, ocean currents, etc.
・Shake it to emit light SHAKE SYNC is a block that lets you play with light by changing its color, bringing out your imagination and self-expression by bringing it close to you, etc.
・3D printer that can output an image conceived in 3D-CAD into an actual model 
・“GET THE POINT” board game that supports you to experience economic society and sustainability 
・Various toys and games (wooden toys from Tono, Iwate Prefecture that can be enjoyed by various people, Othello, playing cards, Rubik’s cube, etc.) 
・Various items for children and adults books 　　etc.

Access

Address 5th floor, Osaka University Nakanoshima Center, 4-3-53 Nakanoshima, Kita-ku, Osaka 530-0005

• 1 minute walk from Nakanoshima 4-chome bus stop of Osaka City Bus No. 53 from Osaka Ekimae Bus Terminal
• 2 minutes walk from Tanobashi bus stop of Osaka City Bus No. 75 from Osaka Ekimae Bus Terminal
• Approximately 5 minutes walk from Nakanoshima Station on the Keihan Nakanoshima Line
• Approximately 9 minutes walk from Fukushima Station on the Hanshin Main Line
• Approximately 9 minutes walk from Shin-Fukushima Station on the JR Tozai Line
• Approximately 10 minutes walk from Higobashi Station on the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line
• Approximately 12 minutes walk from Fukushima Station on the JR Loop Line
• Approximately 16 minutes walk from Yodoyabashi Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line

For more information, please visit the Nakanoshima Center website. https://www.onc.osaka-u.ac.jp/access/