JCC E-Magazine April 2019

Featured Article of the Month

By JENESYS Student Ambassadors

In December 2018, we hosted “JapaNitch Tour”, which aims to introduce hidden attraction of Japan to international students. We guided exchange students at Osaka University to Minoh Park (箕面公園), an attractive sightseeing spot in Japan which is not well-known to foreign people. This is a brief report of our tour.

Minoh Park is a natural park in the northern part of Osaka. During the fall, it is one of the best places in the Kansai area to taste the beauty of nature. The park is the nearest natural recreational spot to the crowded metropolis. It takes about 30 minutes from Umeda, the central area of Osaka.

Around 1:00 p.m., we met at the nearest station had lunch together, and headed for the waterfall. It was sunny and cool day, and we enjoyed hiking in the forest. Since it was the best season for seeing the coloured leaves, a number of people were walking in the park.

Some of the participants had just come to Japan for study, and they looked really happy to see the colourful leaves.

In Minoh Park, you can also enjoy eating local delicacies. One of the food particular to Minoh Park is Maple Leaf Tempura, or Momiji Tempura. It is a piece of lightly-battered, deep fried autumn leaves, which is crispy and slightly sweet.

After walking for about 45 minutes, we finally arrived at Minoh Waterfall with a height of 33 meters, the main attraction of Minoh Park. We admired the view and also enjoyed listening to the sound of falling water.

The participants looked very happy to have discovered a hidden attraction of Japan. Although Minoh Park is less famous than other sightseeing spots in Kansai area such as Kinkaku-ji temple and Nara Park, it is worth visiting for both people living in and travelling to Japan. Next time you travel to Japan, especially in autumn, please visit Minoh Park and enjoy the beauty of nature in Japan!

Access to Minoh Park

“Minoh Park starts a short walk north of Hankyu Minoh Station.

From Umeda in central Osaka, take the Hankyu Takarazuka Line from Hankyu Umeda Station to Ishibashi Sation (15 minutes) and transfer to the Hankyu Minoh Line to Minoh Station (5 minutes). The entire one way trip takes about 25 minutes, costs 270 yen and is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass. There are frequent connections.”

Osaka Travel: Minoh Park - japan-guide.com (https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4019.html#section_get_there)

Who we are?

We are the members of Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths (JENESYS) program, a part of Japan's Friendship Ties Programs by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. In October 2018, we were dispatched to Singapore to promote Singaporean people’s understanding of Japan. After coming back to Japan, we have been implementing our Action Plans (post-program activities) to disseminate the attractions of Japan to foreign people inside and outside Japan.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs JENESYS2018 HP: https://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/a_o/rp/page23_002482.html

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