One of the highly recommended spot to enjoy the Autumn Foliage in the Kansai region is at Minoo Park. Minoo park is just approximately 30 mins ride away from Umeda station on the Hankyu Line (covered in the Kansai Thru Pass). It is a designated national park where you can hike up the slope alongside the river to enjoy the Autumn Foliage leading to the famous Minoo Waterfall. As such, Minoo Park is one of the must visit spot during my Family trip to Japan (07112018 - 14112018). Upon exiting the Minoo Station, you can cross the zebra crossing and walk along a small alleyway to reach Minoo Park. There are many signs to guide you so you do not need to worry about getting lost. Worst come to worst you just need to follow the crowd as Minoo Park is a common destination of most who visited here. The small alleyway is filled with the aroma of chestnuts as there are many shops selling fresh roasted chestnuts (Kuri in Japanese) on the spot. You can buy one packet as snacks to enjoy when you reach the waterfall. Besides chestnuts, you can also find other seasonal harvest like persimmon (Kaki in Japanese) and sweet potatoes (satsuma-imo in Japanese). However the most interesting snacks that you can find around here is the Momiji Tempura which literally means fried maple leaves. My advice is for you to stock up on food and drinks before continuing up the path as food are limited and more expensive when you reach Minoo Park. You would have reached the entrance to Minoo Park once you reach the foot of a very tall lift leading up to a hotel. From here it will be an approximately 3km hike up to the Minoo Waterfall alongside the river. You can take your time and enjoy the beauty of the nature around you especially during the Autumn. There are many benches and toilets facilities along the way. It took me and my parents around 1.5hrs to reach the waterfall but I can guarantee you that it is worth the effort. In 2018, Osaka Japan have been hit by various natural disaster including earthquake and typhoon. There were reports that Minoo Park trail to the waterfall was closed due to typhoon damage. It was just right before my trip when the officials announced that road closure will be temporarily lifted during the autumn season. During our hike, we can see various damages caused by the typhoon. Finally after a long hike, we reached the waterfall. Yay!!! With a height of 33 meters, the waterfall is the park's main attraction. On the way back from Minoo Park just before you enter the shop alley, there is a free foot onsen where you can soak your tired leg after the round trip hike.
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KelvinYo. I am from Singapore. I love to travel. Follow me as I share my experiences and tips for budget travelling as well as my hunt for Ho Kangs around Singapore. Archives
November 2020
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