A grand Neo-Classical public library at the eastern end of Nakanoshima island, completed in 1904 — one of the finest Meiji-era civic buildings in Japan. The exterior, designed by Noguchi Magoichi and Ito Chuta, features a colonnaded facade, a central dome, and two symmetrical side wings, all in white granite. The building looks entirely out of place and completely magnificent next to the modern city around it.
The library is still in full operation as a public reference library, which means you can walk in without paying admission. The central reading room under the dome is a high, quietly dramatic space with original wooden fittings. The collection specialises in Osaka and Kansai regional history, and a special exhibition room on the ground floor runs changing displays on local historical topics. The library also holds the original records of the Dojima Rice Exchange.