Dojima Rice Exchange

At the site of the former Dojima Rice Exchange, a rice-themed monument is installed to mark the historic location. It is about a 10-minute walk from Yodoyabashi Station; after crossing the Nakanoshima Garden Bridge, it is near the Shinchi area, located at the northeast end of Nakanoshima Garden Bridge under the expressway. Because it is slightly off the main streets, it can be easy to miss. The monument is a striking stone marker shaped like a large rice grain, designed by Tadao Ando. Installed in 2018, it is relatively new and therefore still quite clean. In the Edo period, a rice trading exchange operated here, where “kome-kitte” (rice receipts indicating ownership) were traded. The Dojima Rice Exchange is often regarded as the place that established the basic mechanism of modern futures markets, and is described here as the world’s first organized futures market. An explanatory plaque beside the monument helps visitors understand the site’s historical significance.