Sankaku Park, officially called Mitsu Park, is a small triangular park right in the heart of Amerika-mura, one of Osaka’s youngest and most creative districts. Just a few minutes from Shinsaibashi Station, this simple concrete space may look quite ordinary at first, but for more than fifty years it has been one of the main gathering spots for the area’s youth. The park was created after the Second World War on a leftover piece of urban land, and from the 70s onward it gradually became a place for free expression, where students, street artists, musicians, and performers often cross paths. It’s not unusual here to see duos performing manzai, a traditional style of Japanese comedy, right in front of passersby, in a relaxed and spontaneous atmosphere. If you look slightly upward, you’ll notice a small replica of the Statue of Liberty on top of a building at one corner of the park, in the direction of Sumiya Machisuji. Much smaller than the original of course, it’s a playful reminder that this neighborhood is nicknamed the American Village. Continue a little further to discover its story in the next audio guide.