Osaka area trip plans

yeah, they are super old. She grew up in the area so we have no problem with finding places but was thinking of doing something off the beaten path.

They'd probably suggest Kyoto or Nara, both good places we've been to.

I'm just fishing for ideas.

Just took a trip to Osaka last month. Only spent three days there and a day in Kyoto. Spent too much time in Tokyo instead.

Would recommend a traditional Japanese Onsen, even if just for one night. They have western style beds as well so you don't have to sleep on the floor.

Tons of cool history and things to see around there, we will definitely be returning in the future.

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I've been all over Japan for business but never spent time as a tourist outside of Tokyo and Osaka.

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I mean... Kyoto is obviously very much a no brainer to spend several days. It is kinda essential when visiting Japan and you can get there in like 15 minutes from Osaka Station on a shinkansen

quote:

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They'd probably suggest Kyoto or Nara, both good places we've been to.

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Ok missed this, nevermind

This is a very well done video on side trips from Kyoto and Osaka. Her stuff focuses less on cities which is good if that's what you're looking for.

10 Unique Trips from Kyoto & Osaka! Hidden Gems You've Never Heard Of (I guarantee it!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmiOlUPZNvM

You could go take a walk to see the kofun (ancient tomb mounds) in either Sakai or Fujiidera. There are kofun all over, but one in Sakai and one in Fujiidera or Habikino are of comparable size and volume as the Mausoleum of the first emperor of China and the Great Pyramid of Cheops. The one in Sakai is in a park with a museum and a cluster of smaller kofun. The more touristy of the two. The one in Fujiidera is basically in the suburbs.p

Go to Tennoji Station in Osaka, then take the Kintetsu Minamiosaka Line Semi-Express (to any of the end destinations, there are two or three) to tiny Hajinosato Station (third stop, one after Fujiidera Station), go out the entrance, immediately turn left and there will be a small sitting park with big signs along the walls talking about the kofun. You can see a small round one across the street. You can see the trees coming off a larger keyhole shaped one behind it. If you turn right from the station and look down to the right, you can see a 7-11 with another kofun behind it. Use Google Maps, plan out a walking path to get to the biggest one, then swing back around some smaller ones and go see Domyoji Temple and Domyoji Shrine, then head on the small Domyoji shopping street and get some beef curry at this old cafe called Cherry, then you can take the train back up to Tennoji from Domyoji Station.

That walking trip took about an hour and a half. You can also stop at Fujiidera to see the big temple and shrine near the station there, there's another large kofun nearby, and if you walk north towards the Yamato River there's a kofun that has a park and a shrine on it and a visitor's center at that site. Either walk back to Fujiidera Station, cross the river and find the terminus of the Tanimachi subway line, or cross the river and head east towards the mountain and get on the Domyoji line at Kashiwaraminamiguchi Station, either north one stop to Kashiwara Station or south on stop to Domyoji Station. Any of those walks is around an hour and a half too.

Great area for a suburban hike, other than in the summertime. I really miss living there.

One thing I really enjoyed when I lived over there was visiting Mt Koya in Wakayama Prefecture. It's home to the oldest cemeteries in Japan - which sounds odd - but there are several monasteries in the area where you stay with the monks for a few days. I thought it was pretty cool.