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Waterfall in Minō Koen

Minō is a city in Osaka (prefecture).

[edit] Get in

Take the Hankyu Takarazuka line to Ishibashi and change to the Minoh Line. Railway buffs take note: this was among the first pieces of the Hankyu railway system.

[edit] Get around

The main sights in Minō can be reached on foot.

[edit][add listing] See

[edit][add listing] Do

No omiyage for monkeys

• Minō Koen 箕面公園 (follow the signposts and hikers from the train station). Quiet, secluded, heavily wooded Minō Park is a great place to get away from the concrete and bustle of the big city. It used to be a getaway for the well-to-do. Easy walking paths follow a burbling brook up to a waterfall, where wild monkeys spend time when they see fit. The park features cedars and momiji (Japanese red maple).
• There's also a small insect museum nearby.
• There is a small tea-room building nearly halfway up, which seems to sell only hot-dogs, tea, coffee and cake. It was quite overpriced, (a coffee, tea and two slices of unimaginative cake came to ¥2000 and took about 20 minutes to turn up), and there are alternative cafes at the top walk next to the waterfall.
• Minō has a large run-down and expensive onsen (hot-spring) resort. There are many, much better Onsens in the area. If you do decide to go, get ready to be nickel and dimed for everything. The elevator up to the resort is 100 yen per person, To use the Onsen, its 1300 yen for adults, 900 for kids. Next, get ready to pay 50 yen for the locker for your shoes, then 100 yen for your clothing locker. Then you get down to take the bath, and for all your money, there is no soap or shampoo! Yep, you guessed it, get ready to shell out another 300 yen for soap. Probably the biggest waste of money for taking an onsen in the entire Kansai region, if not the whole of western Japan. Note: The men's onsen requires walking down two flights of slippery stairs (while butt naked). If you have disabilities that hinders movement you should avoid this onsen entirely.

[edit][add listing] Buy

There are small shops along the path to Minō Koen, with most of the usual souvenirs - albeit with a few more plastic bugs than usual, owing to the insect museum.

[edit][add listing] Eat

The local snack and souvenir specialty is small maple leaves slowly deep fried in batter. It tastes much like you would expect a deep-fried maple leaf to taste. If you feel compelled to try one, get a small quantity.

[edit][add listing] Drink

[edit][add listing] Sleep

Travelers may wish to look for accommodations elsewhere, as several major cities are within easy reach (see below).

[edit] Get out

Osaka and Kobe are within easy reach on the Hankyu Line; it's also plausible to day-trip here from Kyoto.