Nakanoshima Children's Book Forest — Attraction in Osaka

A terrible space for children

I am a huge fan of tadao ando so it was a great disappointment to visit this library with my son. I found it quite fascinating actually, how it was a space that felt more like a prison for books than a space where children can imagine, explore, fantasise and immerse themselves in stories.

I highly doubt children were consulted in the design of this space or it would not have ended up being so sterile. Prior to entering the building, forms were handed out explaining the rules and all the things that you were not allowed to do. It is almost as if it was not designed with the intention that it should be a space for children - or alternatively, something has gone very very very wrong in the process here.

It seemed to be a space for adults who wanted to take selfies more than for children who wanted to dream away and be immersed in the immense treasure that is reading and books.

There are some amazing children's libraries and culture centers around the world - full of colour, energy, buzz, chaos and typically spaces that the children help evolve and defined through play and creation. This is a static, monochrome storage...

Walking around the Nakanoshima Children's Book Forest, even without stepping inside, felt like discovering a hidden treasure. Designed by the renowned Tadao Ando, the building is minimalistic yet full of life. Its concrete structure, softened by the surrounding greenery, invites you to linger and admire the harmony between architecture and nature. Near the entrance, I was delighted to find a plaque with Samuel Ullman's Youth. Reading his timeless words while standing next to the cheerful green apple sculpture felt surreal—like the building reminded me to stay young at heart. The poem resonated deeply, offering an unexpected moment of reflection in such a tranquil setting. Although I didn't get to explore the inside due to closing time, the exterior alone was worth the visit. This is the first building I've seen by Tadao Ando, and I'm already very impressed. It's a place where design, literature, and...

We stumbled upon this place after crossing the Toshahori river looking for the nice park. Hold up?! Giant green apple and a kid’s library? Wait a sec. We love them. I and happen to own 2 children! Sign us up. Luckily we didn’t need any type of reservations and the ladies in the front desk spoke a little English. Super impressed by the layout and design of this architecture. I shouldn’t be surprised but am. Love the staircase for the people to chill and get lost in a book. Great vibe with children and families. We spent almost 1 hour there. My children really enjoyed flipping through some Japanese books. They had a tiny selection of English books too but not a lot. We didn’t have much to...