When it comes to places to see autumn leaves in the Kansai region , people often think of the ancient temples in Kyoto or the large parks in Nara first. In Osaka, although the number of places to see autumn leaves is less than Kyoto and Nara, the scenery is no less beautiful than the two cities above. Today, I will introduce to you the most beautiful place to see autumn leaves in Osaka in my opinion - Katsuoji Temple .
Address : https://maps.app.goo.gl/vvmE3g8TriPff1Bh6
How to get there: First you need to take the train to Senrichuo Station, then walk about 100 meters to the nearby bus station, get on bus number 29, it takes about 30 minutes and the last stop will be Katsuo-ji Temple. The bus comes about once an hour, so you should search Google Map to check the bus schedule before you go to avoid waiting for a long time.
However, during the red leaf season, because the demand for tourism here increases, there will be many additional buses running directly from Senrichuo Station to Katsuoji Temple , about 15-20 minutes. To avoid the crowd, you should depart around 8 o'clock!
Admission : 500 JPY / 1 adult.
Right at the entrance of the temple is a magical scene. Surrounded by red leaves, there is also a fountain and misting at the large Koi pond – a unique feature of the temple.
I arrived around 9 o'clock, but there were already quite a few tourists visiting at that time.
Katsuoji is a Buddhist temple renowned for its prayers for good fortune, and the lucky symbol here is the Daruma doll.
You can find thousands of Daruma dolls scattered throughout the temple, placed in various spots.
Daruma dolls initially have no eyes. Visitors come here to draw the left eye of the doll while making a wish, then take it home. If the wish comes true, they return to the temple, draw the right eye, and place the doll here. Looking at the number of dolls scattered throughout the temple, it's clear how sacred and revered this place is!
Before heading up to the main hall of the temple, we pass through an area with stairs lined with Daruma dolls of all sizes. This spot has become a favorite photo opportunity for visitors to capture the charm of the temple.
From the main hall of the temple, we can enjoy a stunning view of the entire autumn landscape below, with vibrant colors stretching as far as the eye can see.
Today, I was also very lucky to capture this wonderful photo. The vibrant reds, yellows, and greens, combined with the view of the entire city disappearing under the clouds in the distance, made for an unforgettable scene.
As you go further up to the higher part of the temple, you'll find more red maple trees, their leaves gradually turning into the most stunning shades of red and orange.
As we reach the top of this slope, we’re rewarded with an even more panoramic view of the city, offering a breathtaking perspective.
The colors of autumn in Japan.
Next, I start to go down to the other side of the temple.
On the way down from the temple, there are plenty of beautiful photo opportunities with vibrant red leaves, perfect for capturing the autumn beauty.
A large fish pond at the entrance, where people can watch and feed the Koi fish. In the distance is also a souvenir shop. The famous souvenir here is Momiji tempura - fried red leaves :D, remember to buy and try it when you come here.
There are also quite a few food stalls at the entrance, mainly cakes and snacks.
After taking pictures and exploring Katsuoji, I moved to the next equally famous place in this area – Minoh Waterfall (箕面大滝) at Minoh Park.
Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Wm6Jtc57tEQVpNVQA
On weekends during the autumn leaves season, the road to Minoh Waterfall from Katsuoji Temple is closed to vehicles, and only pedestrians are allowed to pass. So, walking is almost the only way to get there on weekends. The distance is about 3.7 km, and it takes around 45-50 minutes to walk.
But don’t worry, because the scenery along the way is absolutely stunning. I stopped to take so many pictures that I hardly noticed the distance, and I didn’t feel tired at all.
In addition, from November 11th to December 3rd, on weekends, Minoh Waterfall hosts the Minoh Expo event, where they light up the red leaves, temples, and waterfalls. This is also the main reason I was so eager to visit Minoh Waterfall today.
The lighting starts at 5 PM here. Since I had some time to spare, I took a stroll around the area and stopped by a few of the restaurants nearby.
There are many restaurants catering to tourists here, offering a wide variety of food, from grilled sausages and mochi to salt-grilled fish. The most special dish, however, is Oden, a comforting Japanese hot pot dish.
There are many Oden shops here, with long lines of people queuing up to buy in front of the stores, drawn by the delicious aroma.
I also queued here and tried Oden.
The Oden here is absolutely delicious and perfect for the chilly weather in Minoh (the afternoon temperature in Minoh is around 4-5 degrees Celsius).
After eating, I made my way to the waterfall area to take pictures and wait for the lighting to begin. And here’s the result after 2 hours of waiting:
Very beautiful, isn't it?
By stepping back, you can capture the entire bridge, along with the waterfall and the beautiful rows of red leaves, creating a stunning scene.
Really worth my waiting time!
After taking photos here, I started making my way to the nearest train station, Minoh Station. The distance is about 2.7 km, and it takes around 40 minutes to walk. The path from the waterfall to Minoh Station is also beautifully lit, and there are plenty of people walking back and forth, so you don’t need to worry about it being too dark.
Minoh Station Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/dVQXGm3W5GCsNCL8A
This marks the end of my one-day journey exploring Katsuo-ji Temple and Minoh Waterfall. I hope this article helps you better understand how to get here and introduces you to an incredibly beautiful place to enjoy the autumn leaves in Osaka. Thank you for reading to the end of the article!
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Really excellent photos