We wrote about building names on April 14; here is a sequel—Osaka.
On March 7 Japan's tallest tower "Abeno Harukas" (Abeno Ward, ~300 m) fully opened before Tennoji Station. "Abe no" is the place name Abeno. "Harukas" comes from "harukasu." In the Heian era
a tale tells of a man serving Empress Fujiwara Takako proposing to a serving woman: "Somehow meet across a screen and relieve this anxious heart a little harukasu "—the man kept proposing, wanting to meet across a partition (a folding screen) to clear his unease. When she agreed to meet
"Harukasu" means to brighten hearts—named so visitors enjoy clear views from upper floors and rich facilities.
Another Osaka building: "Mainichi Intecio" (Umeda 3-chome, Kita Ward), managed like Palaceside by Mainichi Building Co.
On the west side of The Mainichi Newspapers Osaka HQ grounds—21 floors, 99.3 m, opened August 2007. As in the photo upper left, it stands like a sibling embraced by the L-shaped Osaka HQ (right in photo). Three sides of horizontal windows, bright open offices, non-contact IC cards...
Unrelated digression: the Cancé Building in Kagoshima where I lived decades ago—right before Chuo Station east exit. Daejeon logo on the tower...
Coca-Cola and "Satsuma Shiranami" ads once stood out (perhaps still). Completed June 1999 in station-area redevelopment.
Chosen from 1,200 entries, "Cancé" comes from Kagoshima dialect "kayanse"—"please come," "welcome."
No real thread, yet every name carries thought—we feel the density of human endeavor.