Travel to small shrines and local restaurants.
When I was living in Japan I had many chances to walk around the places I lived, and although I moved 3 times only I was in different part of towns (That’s Osaka) and despite being so distant they have one thing in common. All around the local life is vibrant, small shrines, restaurants, old houses, tea shops and Shotengais give an idea of how life is lived outside the cities.
The truth is that the longer you travel from the center, life starts becoming more and more local, in a weird Japanese stile. For example in the mountains you can see soda, coffee and cigarette machines in deserted places. Also people buy in local small markets, tofu factories, groceries store instead of getting instant food in the 7/11.
In the Kansai Area I can strongly recommend visiting the following sites:
1.Iga Ueno
Also know as Ninja town and also famous for it’s anual Tenjin Matsuri, in which you can see more that 12 portable shrines (mikoshi) and scores of young kids and adults dressed in demons costumes. Iga Ueno it’s a cute place where everything has a ninja shape, figure, sticker and even the train that takes you there is painted as a ninja. Located in the Mie prefecture is accesible by Kintetsu lines, changing to the famous Ninja train in Ueno shi station
2. Ikeda Jo
Ikeda Jo, just next station after Ishibashi on the Hankyu Tatakarazuka line, is a nice small reconstructed castle and an amazing view. The garden is also very well decorated and inspiring. A nice place to spend the time reading under a tree or to take a pic nic in the grass.
3. Mino-o
The small waterfall located at the end of a nice and easy walking trail is a perfect day excursion and ideal for a relaxing stroll in the woods, surrounded by maple trees and monkeys, some of them really smart and know they ways around, like using soda machines or stealing bentos. You can reach the start of the path of the Hankyu Takarazuka line, depart from Umeda changing trains at Ishibashi to Mino-o.
4. Kawachi Kosaka
This Station is located in the Kintetsu Nara line and features a number of attractions to boost, including a small shotengai, 4 or 5 shrines and various local small coffee and food restaurants. In front of the station there is a map with the local attractions but it’s fairly disproportionate with reality. Best to move around is in bicycle and patience.
5. Hyotan Yama
Just 4 more stations in the Kintetsu Nara line is the starting point of many mountain trails along Hyotan Yama. The next 2 stations are also packed with trails and small temples which makes the area rich in things to do. I lived near by and went there many times, getting down in any station and wondering through the trails until leaving to board the train in other station.
For more information about things to do in Japan please visit my Japan section in www.worldnomad.com.ar and in https://theworldnomad.wordpress.com/category/japan/
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