Completed in 1970, the year of the first Osaka Expo, the Semba Center Building is a symbol of its bustling neighbourhood in the heart of Osaka. The hefty landmark received a splash of colour in celebration of its 50th anniversary, when 24 artists were commissioned to paint murals along the underground corridor connecting the building’s No. 3 and No. 4 wings.
Now known as Semba Mural Park, the passageway has been turned into a veritable gallery of wall art, featuring powerful paintings mainly by Osaka- and Kansai-based artists such as Baki Baki, who combines traditional Japanese patterns with street culture, and Masagon, who fuses geometric and organic lines with pop-culture influences. In addition to murals, the artworks include a number of eye-catching video pieces.
Tables and chairs are set up throughout the corridor, making for a popular lunch and break spot for local office workers and visitors alike.