Mino Park

Mino Park is a forested valley on the outskirts of Osaka, just north of the urban area. In autumn, it is one of the best places in the Kansai Region to see autumn colors in a natural setting . The colors are usually at their best in the second half of November. Similar to Tokyo's Mount Takao, Minoo Park is the closest point to the bustling metropolis of Osaka to find a spacious natural recreation area. You can reach the park in less than 30 minutes from the downtown Umeda area. Another similarity, Takao and Minoo were both given national park status in 1967 to commemorate the centenary of the Meiji era (1867-1912).

Minoo Park's main hiking trail extends for about 3 kilometers through a valley along the Minoo River. The trail begins near Hankyu Minoo Station and leads to Minoo Falls. At 33 meters high, the waterfall is the main natural attraction of the park. The name Minoo Waterfall comes from autumn's similarity with a traditional farming technique to separate the grain from the husk (the Japanese word for "winnow basket" is "mino"). The name was later applied to the region as a whole.

The trail from the station to the waterfall is fairly flat, paved, and will take most hikers about 45 minutes to walk (one way). The first half of the trail has a number of shops, buildings, temples, and other facilities, while the second half is a bit steeper and surrounded by trees. Of the few temples along the trail, Ryuanji Temple is the most impressive. Located at the midpoint of the train station and the waterfall, the temple is part of the religious sect that worships Mount Shugendo and has some interesting structures. In the fall, shops along the street sell a delightful snack called momiji tempura: maple leaves deep-fried in batter. The park also has a small insectarium and more extensive hiking trails, some of which lead to lookout points and to the hills beyond the waterfall.