Eastern Osaka

Eastern Osaka is called ‘Kawachi’ by locals where is surrounded by Mt Ikoma and Mt Kongo. The world famous Panasonic was born here and it is a hometown of the most famous bon odori, a traditional Japanese dance, ‘Kawachi-ondo’.Panasonic Konosuke Matsushita Museum Konosuke Matsushita (1894-1989) is the founder of Panasonic (formally called Matsushita Electric) who started his business at a tiny workshop. The museum displays the history of the company as well as his life. This audio/video corner introduces Konosuke’s thought on management and his view of life in his own voice and actual images. His concept of employees development as typified by the quote, “Our company develop people before making products”. The exterior of the building is an exact replica of the original head office building that was constructed in 1933. Address: 1006 Oaza-Kadoma, Kadoma-shi, Osaka Access: 3 min walk from Nishi-sanso Station (Keihan Line) Open hours: 9:00am - 5:00pm Close on Sundays and public holidays Admission: Free Official Site: http://panasonic.net/history/museum/ Kurondo-enchi (Kurondo Picnic Site) There are many hiking courses around Lake Kurondo surrounded by beautiful flora. BBQ areas and play equipments are available. Address: Oaza-kisaichi, Katano-shi, Osaka Access: 50 min walk (hiking course) from Kisaichi Station (Keihan Line) Open hours: 9:00am - 5:00pm Close on Tuesdays Admission: Free Nozaki Kannon (Jigenji Temple) Jigenji Temple, know as Nozaki Kannon, is one of the famous temples in the history which often appears in novels, songs and plays. Gyoki (668-749), the high priest at that time, made a wooden sculpture of the Goddess of Mercy and enshrined it. This is the origin of the temple. Nozaki Mairi is the biggest event of the temple and there exhibit more than 300 stalls, attracting over 200,000 visitors every year. Address: 2-7-1 Nozaki, Daito-shi, Osaka Access: 8 min walk from Nozaki Station (JR Gakkentoshi Line) Open hours: 9:00am - 4:00pm Admission: Free Ishikiri Tsurugiya Shrine Established in 658, Ishikiri Tsurugiya Shrine (normally called Ishikiri Shrine) is well known to Osaka people as ‘Ishikiri-san’ or ‘denbo no kamisan (god of curing lumps)’. ‘Ishikiri’ means ‘cut rocks’ therefore it gained the reputation that it could cut and cure lumps. It is also known as the place for ‘Ohyakudo-mairi’. It is believed that your prayer will be answered when you walk around the two stones placed in the shrine 100 times while praying. Walking along the 1 km approach to the shrine from the station, you can find a number of fortune-tellers’ signboards, eateries, herbal medicine pharmacies, and grocery stores. Address: 1-1-1 Higashi-ishikiri-cho, Higashi-osaka-shi, Osaka Access: 7 min walk from Shinishikiri Station (Kintetsu Higashiosaka Line) Jokoji Temple Established by Gyoki (the high priest at that time) in 745, Jokoji Temple is the birth place of ‘Kawachi-ondo’. It is the most famous bon odori (a traditional Japanese dance) song and is played at the temple on 23rd and 24th of August every year attracting many visitors. Address: 5-8-1 Honmachi, Yao-shi, Osaka Access: 7 min walk from Yao Station (Kintetsu Osaka Line) Admission: Free |