With popular neighborhoods, like Dotonbori and Shinsekai, coupled with iconic Japanese foods such as takoyaki (grilled octopus balls) and okonomiyaki (savory pancakes packed with a variety of ingredients), Osaka is understandably one of the most popular cities in Japan for travelers. But, outside Kansai’s largest metropolis, there's a whole other world to explore in the rest of the prefecture.
Four regions surround Osaka City. Senshu lies directly south and stretches westward, Minami Kawachi sits to the southeast, Tobu Osaka is situated east and Kita Osaka extends north.
In addition to having plenty to enjoy for history buffs, green thumbs, foodies and spiritualists, each region is accessible via the prefecture’s extensive transportation network.
Izumisano City
Nestled between the Izumi Mountains and the Seto Inland Sea, the Senshu region is known for its plethora of shrines and temples as well as natural scenic beauty. Izumisano City offers a snapshot of what greater Senshu has to offer and also has a long history rooted in agriculture. In fact, the city’s Hine-no-Sho district has been designated as a Japan Heritage site by the Agency for Cultural Affairs for its historical significance and preserved traditional rural landscape.
Kitashouji Shuzouten
For over a century, the Kitashouji Shuzouten brewery has been harnessing the city’s fertile fields and natural spring water to produce quality, award-winning Japanese nihonshu (rice wine).
Since 2021, Kitashouji Shuzouten has taken home three gold medals at the National New Sake Competition. The brewery’s 2024 awarding-winning daiginjo (premium nihonshu produced with high-quality rice and high polishing ratio) is characterized by its mellow and light flavors.
If you’re interested in the brewing process, take a brewery tour complete with tastings of rare nihonshu not typically sold in stores and a two-tiered lunch box showcasing local cuisine.
Inunakisan
About a 20-minute bus ride from JR Hineno station in Izumisano City, Inunakisan is a revered area for practitioners of shugendo, a syncretic religion centered around the spiritual power of mountains.
Founded in 661, Shippo-ryuji is one of the oldest shugendo temples in Japan. The temple and its precincts function as a large training ground where shugendo practitioners abstain from worldly pleasures while studying in Inunakisan’s mountainous terrain. In addition to Gyoji no Taki, a sacred 10-meter high waterfall used by local monks, you can also find a sense of peace under the lush green canopy that turns orange and yellow in the autumn.
At the end of a long day hiking through the forested mountainside, soothe your aching body at Fudouguchikan Onsen and beautify your skin in its sodium hydrogen carbonate-rich waters.
Minami Kawachi
The southeastern corner is a hotspot for cultural history as well as containing almost a quarter of available agricultural land in the prefecture. Soak in Osaka’s past and appreciate its floral bounties in the Minami Kawachi region.
Tondabayashi Jinaimachi
A bit more than an hour by train from JR Shin-Osaka station, Tondabayashi City’s Jinaimachi district is a well-preserved former merchant town perfect for visiting a bygone era. Although the area is relatively small, it manages to pack in over 150 historical buildings spanning more than 400 years of history.
Founded in the mid-1500s, Kosho-ji Betsuin Temple is the heart of the community and designated as a National Cultural Property. Take a two-minute walk southwest and step inside the Former Sugiyama Residence. Marvel at the meticulously recreated interior decor of this traditional wooden Japanese household dating back to the Edo period. And don’t miss the landscape garden around back!
Osaka Garden of Floral Culture
Opened in 1990 and operated by the Osaka prefectural government, this botanical garden aims to be a relaxing place for learning about and appreciating flowers and plants. Covering about 10 hectares of land, the garden features over 240 plum trees in bloom at the start of March, almost 500 varieties of roses flowering over Golden Week in early May and nearly 1,000 hydrangeas blossoming in June’s rainy season. There’s also more to see throughout the year as well in the pyramid-shaped greenhouse and the large flower bed near the main entrance that changes with the seasons.
Minoh Falls
Kita Osaka is known for its beautiful natural terrain and Minoh Falls captures the best the region has to offer. Tucked away in Minoh Park, Minoh Falls measures 33-meters tall and is surrounded by a forest of deciduous trees.
Minoh Falls and the parkland also take on different appearances depending on the season. While spring travelers can take in the relatively late-blooming sakura, summer visitors will be able to enjoy fireflies in the evening. In autumn, fall foliage erupts in fiery reds and bright oranges. A thin blanket of snow coats the bare trees in winter and the falls are illuminated with LED lights for a magical experience.
Hirakata Park
While Universal Studios Japan often gets the spotlight, it isn’t the only park for thrillseekers in the prefecture. Head east to the Tobu region for a nostalgic trip at Japan’s oldest amusement park still in operation. Opened in 1910, this 40-acre space is great for all ages and houses almost 40 rides, including a 700-meter long wooden roller coaster and several attractions where riders can opt to be blindfolded for an extra fright. Seasonal highlights include a pool zone in the summer, skating rink in the winter, beautiful nighttime light displays between November and April and a rose garden with over 4,000 plants.
More to explore
Osaka Prefecture has lots to experience. Here are a few more ideas to get you exploring outside the big city!
- Hoshi no Buranko (Star Swing Bridge)
Immerse yourself in stunning forest views from one of the largest wooden suspension bridges in Japan. - Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farmhouse
Stroll through a dozen relocated farmhouses from across the country complete with period-accurate interiors dating back hundreds of years. - Kishiwada Castle
Enter the castle and learn about local history and check out the exciting Kishiwada Danjiri Festival in mid-September.
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