Osaka Prefecture: Kofun, Museums and Gardens

Osaka Prefecture brings together a variety of travel experiences: centuries-old culture, museums with distinctive focuses, gardens that change with the seasons, and trails through protected landscapes. When planning your hotel stay, you can start by considering which sights and experiences you want your trip to focus on.

Kofun and historical perspectives

The Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2019. The Mozu Kofun Group comprises 44 surviving kofun, including keyhole-shaped, scallop-shell-shaped, round, and square burial mounds. Their different shapes give a tangible impression of the variety of these burial sites. One named kofun with a stated measurement is Nintoku-tenno-ryo, also known as Daisenryo Kofun: it is approximately 486 meters long.

More recent architectural history can also be seen at notable sites. The current main tower of the Osaka Castle Museum was built in 1931 and is registered as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. The current tower of Kishiwada Castle dates from a 1954 reconstruction and houses exhibitions as well as an observation tower. Kishiwada Castle is also home to Hachijin Garden, designated a National Place of Scenic Beauty.

Museums and distinctive visitor experiences

The National Museum of Ethnology is located in Expo Commemorative Park and focuses on cultural anthropology and folklore. It is approximately a 15-minute walk from Bampaku-Kinen-Koen Station on the Osaka Monorail. The museum holds more than 340,000 collection materials and has over 10,000 objects on display. Check local transport conditions before your trip; the walking time is approximate.

Expo'70 Commemorative Park was created on the former site of the 1970 Japan World Exposition. Visitors can enter the Tower of the Sun and see the exhibitions inside; check current operating conditions in advance. The park's Japanese Garden offers a landscape that changes with the seasons. This makes it possible to combine a visit to the park with an interest in museums and gardens, without every stop needing to have the same focus.

The Osaka Municipal Museum of Fine Arts holds more than 8,500 paintings, sculptures, and crafts from Japan and China. Its Tennoji Gallery regularly hosts public exhibitions organized by various art organizations. As the exhibition program changes over time, it is worth checking the dates before visiting the museum.

Gardens, waterfalls and green trails

Minoh Waterfall is 33 meters high, is located in Meiji no Mori Minoh Quasi-National Park, and is one of Japan's Top 100 Waterfalls. The Minoh Waterfall Trail runs from Hankyu Minoh Station to the waterfall; the walk takes approximately 40 minutes each way. For planning purposes, it is helpful to compare this with the walk to the National Museum of Ethnology: from the monorail station, it takes about 15 minutes on foot, while the Minoh Waterfall Trail takes around 40 minutes each way. These are different routes and approximate times; check local conditions in advance.

Osaka Municipal Nagai Botanical Garden covers approximately 24.2 hectares and contains about 1,200 plant species and 11 specialized gardens. Plants bloom there throughout the year, including seasonal flowers and aquatic plants in the large pond. The garden can therefore also be explored according to the season: the blooms and aquatic plants offer different points of interest for a visit. Kishiwada Castle's designated Hachijin Garden is another named garden with its own cultural status.

Tradition and food culture in Ikeda and Kishiwada

The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival is a traditional cultural event in Kishiwada City with a history of approximately 300 years. Yarimawashi involves danjiri festival floats weighing more than four tons being pulled at high speed and making right-angle turns without slowing down. A practice run takes place on the first Sunday in September each year; the exact date varies from year to year. If the festival or practice run is part of your travel plans, check the dates in advance.

Ikeda City is known as the birthplace of instant ramen: Momofuku Ando invented Chicken Ramen there in 1958. At the My Cup Noodle Factory in the Cup Noodles Museum Osaka Ikeda, visitors can make their own personalized cup noodle product. The museum also has a Ramen Tunnel featuring approximately 800 package designs. Experience availability and reservation procedures may change; confirm these details before your visit.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Izumi, Hannan, Neyagawa, Shijonawate, Ibaraki, Misaki, Izumiōtsu, Toyonaka, Suita, Yao, Sakai, Kaizuka, Yamashiro, Takaishi, Tondabayashi, Minoo, Daito, Habikino, Ōsakasayama, Takatsuki, Kishiwada, Kanan, Sennan, Hirakata, Kawachinagano, Ikeda, Tannowa, Osaka, Moriguchi and Higashiōsaka.

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