Shark Attack Antiques Nakazaki has an assortment of classic, bizarre, and trendy antiques and vintage-inspired objects (Photo: Saskia Gilmour)

Shark Attack Nakazaki Antiques [Closed]

Osaka's greatest antiques warehouse

Shark Attack Antiques Nakazaki has an assortment of classic, bizarre, and trendy antiques and vintage-inspired objects (Photo: Saskia Gilmour)
Saskia Gilmour   - 3 min read

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Last updated: Jan 31, 2021

I knew I was in the hip part of town the moment I saw someone wearing leather pants. It was here, in a tunnel beneath a railway track, that I discovered Shark Attack Antiques. As the clickity clack of the trains above echoed endlessly against the concrete walls, youths gathered in hoards to discover vintage wonders and hipster delights.

In one of the most trendy parts of Osaka, between Nakazakicho and Umeda, Shark Attack Antiques stands amongst some of the most stylish fashion outlets and cafes. A treasure trove of peculiar objects from the past, Shark Attack Antiques divides their stock into mid-century furniture, industrial design, and American "junk". Though whether it's junk or not, you decide - as they say "one man's trash is another man's treasure".

As a shop situated in an area of Osaka's vibrant youth culture, Shark Attack Antiques is different to your usual antique store. There is an element of grunge in the atmosphere, with a soundtrack of recent alternative music. There are regularly new additions to the well-curated collection, with price tags to suit younger buyers and recent professionals. The goods are imported from across the globe, and it's not unusual to see products reminiscent of European or American histories. Reproductions of vintage designs are also available, in anything from lights to picture frames.

Shark Attack Antiques also embraces the Japanese concept of 'zakka', which refers to fashions and designs which are intended to improve your home, life, and appearance. The Nakazakicho area of Osaka is perhaps the best representative of this phenomenon. There are a variety of interesting zakka at Shark Attack Antiques Nakazaki, including busts of famous historical figures, hand-painted skulls from Mexico, and eerie figurines of human torsos. Peculiarly Christian motifs are also a popular seller; an altogether a bizarre mix of historical motifs with contemporary trends.

You can also visit other affiliated stores of Shark Attack Antiques across the Kansai region of Japan; the antique store also goes by the name of 'Cerote Antiques'. Shark Attack has some of the greatest vintage furnishings and decorations available on the market and is worth a visit just for its bizarre juxtaposition in Osaka's trendy youth culture. You can access the Nakazaki store from Umeda (Hankyu Line) or Nakazakicho (Tanimachi Line) stations.

Saskia Gilmour

Saskia Gilmour @saskia.gilmour

Saskia is an obsessive compulsive traveler with Japan as her #1 preferred destination. Her appreciation for Japan's unique culture was cultivated through several years of studying the language during high school and also an otaku phase about which she prefers to no longer speak.