Harvest-no-Oka, or Harvest Hill, is an agricultural theme park on a vast expanse of land. Seasonal flowers are always in full bloom, as the natural environment is carefully maintained throughout the year. It's the perfect day trip from Osaka to enjoy with family, especially if you have younger children.

There are also many experiences where you can interact with animals, such as milking cows, riding horses, and feeding animals such as sheep, capybaras, and rabbits. There is a playground, too, with all kinds of interesting activities, such as an aerial athletics adventure, a grass slide, and funny bikes that you can ride!

You can also enjoy hands-on experiences such as harvesting vegetables in the garden, making handmade ice cream and bread, and eating gourmet dishes.

Access:
・Time from Osaka (Umeda): 1 hr 21 min
・From Izumigaoka Station of the Semboku Rapid Railway, take the No. 6 Bus Line from the bus terminal to Harvest no Oka (Nankai Route Bus). You will arrive in about 20 minutes.

A popular seaside day trip from Osaka, Nishikinohama Beach Park attracts nearly 1 million visitors each year.

Inside the park are popular Osaka beaches, BBQ facilities, clamming areas, and sports facilities. The place gets its name, Nishikinohama (literally, "two-color beach"), from the white color of the sandy beach and the green color of the pine forests.

The picturesque beach and green park were selected as one of the top 100 sandy beaches with green pines in Japan. They are full of sights to see that will keep you busy from sunrise to sunset! On sunny days, you can even see Kansai International Airport, Awaji Island, Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, and the Rokko Mountains from the beach. This is definitely a fun place to visit as a family or with your friends!

You can also enjoy a BBQ at the rental facilities along the coastal green area (you must use the facility's ingredients; bringing your own BBQ into the park is prohibited).

To use the space, make reservations online. You can also reserve the food ingredients you would like to use. The cost is about 2,000 yen (tax included) per person, and may be used by parties of 2 people or more.

Access
・Time from Osaka (Umeda): 1 hr 11 min
・About 10 minutes west on foot from the nearest station, Nishikinohama Station on the Nankai Main Line.

Especially for trekkers, one of the more popular day trips from Osaka would include visiting Mount Inunaki. The temple of Inunaki-san was established 1,300 years ago as the sacred training grounds of Shugendo (mountain asceticism) by well-known ascetic and mystic, En-no-Gyoja.

There are many waterfalls in the mountains, both large and small, and the scenery along the mountain streams is as mysterious as it is breathtaking.

People from all over Japan still gather here for this training, such as 'takigyou,' the practice of meditation while sitting under a waterfall. You can also visit Shipporyuji Temple, the main temple of the Shingon Buddhist sect, and home to the principal guardian deity Kurikara Dairyu Fudo Myo-o, a dragon deity believed to grant wishes.

Inunakiyama Onsenkyo is also popularly known as the closest hot springs to the Kansai International Airport. There are many hot spring inns you can visit on a day trip, including some with rock baths and open-air baths. For more information on Shipporyuji Temple and individual hot springs inns, please visit their website (http://www.kankou-izumisano.jp/).

We also recommend checking out the 5-hour round-trip hiking course!

Access
・Time from Osaka (Umeda): 1 hr 25 min
・Ride the Nankai Wing Bus South to the Inunakisan Bus Stop from Izumisano Station on the Nankai Main Line.

Kishiwada Castle is a landmark of Kishiwada City. The exact date of its establishment, as well as exactly who established it, remains unknown. However, it did serve as the residence of the Matsura clan, the family that ruled the Senshu Region at the time, towards the end of the Sengoku (Warring States) Period in the mid 16th century.

The garden is designated as a National Scenic Spot, and the castle ruins are designated as Historic Sites of Osaka. As you can see, the historical value of Osaka is highly regarded! The garden, called Hachijin-no-Niwa (Garden of Eight Battle Formations), was developed by a famous Japanese gardener, Mirei Shigemori, based on the strategic battle formation designed by the Chinese general Zhuge Liang.

During the Danjiri Festival (Autumn Festival) period, danjiri floats are brought around Kishiwada Castle. The castle tower is illuminated both during the day and at night.

Kishiwada Castle is about 7 minutes on foot from Takojizo Station on the Nankai Electric Railway/Nankai Line. It is a great place for anyone interested in Japanese buildings and historic sightseeing spots.

Information boards and websites in the venue are multilingual for your convenience.

Access
・Time from Osaka (Umeda): 1 hr

The Kishiwada Danjiri Matsuri is an important festival in Japan, and you can learn all about it at the Kishiwada Danjiri Kaikan!

The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival began in the middle of the Edo Period, boasting 300 years of tradition. This festival is still held annually in the fall (September/October), and attracts nearly 600,000 spectators from all over Japan. The origin of this festival is said to have been to pray for a good harvest and to ward off plague.

Inside the building are reproductions of old townscapes, and displays of some of the oldest objects, happi coats, and ancient documents related to danjiri. You can also experience what it's like to be the Daikugata, the person who performs on top of the danjiri, play the taiko drums, and learn all kinds of things from the video displays.

It is about 7 minutes on foot from Takojizo Station on the Nankai Electric Railway/Nankai Line. Whether you want to experience Japanese culture or just enjoy festivals, it is a worthwhile place to visit.

Please note that the 'Nerimono Taiken (Sound Experience) Corner' has been discontinued.

Access
・Time from Osaka (Umeda): 1 hr

Mount Izumi Katsuragi is the central mountain of the Izumi Mountains, lying at the prefectural border between Kishiwa City and Kaizuka City in Osaka Prefecture, and Kinokawa City in Wakayama Prefecture. At an altitude of 858m, the beech forests at the summit are designated as National Natural Monuments.

There are several hiking courses available here. Hike along the trails while enjoying 'shinrin-yoku,' or forest bathing. There is also the Ushitakisan Daiitoku-ji Temple, a popular spot known for its autumn colors.

At the top of the mountain, there are two shrines called Hachidai-ryuo, and an observatory where you can view the foothills of Kinokawa City and the Osaka Plains. The clear, starry sky at night is recommended for stargazing.

Access
・Time from Osaka (Umeda): 1 hr 30 min
・If you are new to the area, we recommend getting there by taking the Nankai Wing Bus South from Kishiwada Station on the Nankai Electric Railway/Nankai Line to the Ushitakisan Bus Stop.

If you love exploring old towns, this is one of those day trips from Osaka that's for you! Tondabayashi Jinai-machi is a town that still retains its old buildings and townscapes from the Edo Period and early Showa Period. It is the only important traditional architectural preservation district in Osaka Prefecture.

The origin of Tondabayashi Jinai-machi dates back to the Middle Ages of the Sengoku Period (c.1558-1560). A Buddhist temple was established, and soon, so was a religious autonomous city centered around that temple. Afterward, it flourished as a commercial city.

Recently, the number of shops that have been established in these old townhouses, such as cafes, restaurants, bookstores, general stores, and workshops, has been increasing. Enjoy dining and shopping as if you had stepped back in time!

Access
・Time from Osaka (Umeda): 1 hr 7 min
・Tondabayashi Jinai-machi is about 10 minutes on foot from Tondabayashi Station on the Kintetsu-Nagano Line.

Rinku Park is a vast seaside park on the opposite bank of Kansai International Airport.

On the seaside is Marble Beach, a white sandy beach where you can watch the planes fly in and out from the airport, and see views of Osaka Bay, Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, and Awaji Island, on a clear day.

Shiki-no-Izumi is a symbolic fountain of the park, and is beautifully illuminated at night. The 'LOVE RINKU' statue nearby is also popularly known as the "sacred place for lovers."

The beautiful sunset and nighttime views make this the perfect spot for a date... or even a proposal! If there is someone special in your life, this is one place you will want to bring them.

Access
・Time from Osaka (Umeda): 1 hr 10 min
・Rinku Park is about 3 minutes on foot northwest of Rinku Town Station on the Nankai Airport and JR Kansai Airport lines.

These grand burial mounds, located in the Mozu Area in Sakai City, and the Furuichi Area in Fujiidera and Habikino City, were registered as World Heritage Sites in July of 2019. From the latter half of the 4th century to the latter half of the 6th century, over 200 burial mounds were built in these areas.

The Mozu area is one of the 3 greatest tombs in the world, and includes Japan's zempo-koen-fun (keyhole-shaped mounds), the Mausoleum of Emperor Nintoku, the Kamiishizu Misanzai Tomb of Emperor Richu, the Itasuke Tombs, the Gobyoyama Tombs, and the Mausoleum of Emperor Hanzei.

In the Furuichi area, you can visit the Mausoleum of Emperor Ojin, the Mausoleum of Emperor Chuai, and the Mausoleum of Emperor Ingyo. Each of these burial mounds are important sites of ancient Japan. There are also many parks, shrines, and temples around, so it is a great place to visit, whether you enjoy history or hiking!

Access
・Time from Osaka (Umeda): 45 min
・The closest station to the Mozu area is Mozu Station on the JR West/Hanwa Line. For the Furuichi area, you can use either Hajinosato Station or Furuichi Station on the Kintetsu Minami-Osaka Line.

Boken no Mori in NOSE is one of the largest forest adventure parks in Japan, with 78 types of treetop activities set up over a vast site of 90,000 square meters in size (that's nearly 2 Tokyo Domes!), all of which were constructed by forestry engineers.

There are many athletic activities, such as the Tree Top Adventure, where you can walk on wires high in the trees, and the Mega Zipline Teppen, where you can glide over the pond strapped to a harness.

One of their programs lets you take an off-road ride in the forest on a Segway, which adults and children alike can enjoy (age restrictions may apply by activity). At night, live a completely different experience camping out and relaxing underneath the starry sky. Make your great adventure last all day (and night) long!

Access
・Time from Osaka (Umeda): 1 hr 45 min
・Take the Takarazuka Main Line to Yamashita Station; from there, board a Hankyu Bus bound for Nosemachi-Sukuno bound bus, and get off at Nosemachi-Sukuno - the final stop. Boken no Mori in NOSE is about 60 minutes away on foot.

Finally, if you are willing to travel a little further, there is one more place you can visit, located in Wakayama Prefecture.

Mount Koya is a sacred place in Japanese Buddhism, with a Shugen Dojo opened by the Buddhist monk, Kobo-Daishi Kukai, in the 9th century. However, while Mount Koya is indeed an important place in religion, it is also popular as a tourist destination.

There are a number of famous spots in Mount Koya, including the main temple, Kongobuji Temple, Okunoin, a designated historical site, Danjo-Garan, and the Tokugawa Clan Mausoleum, an important cultural property where the generals of the Edo Period, Tokugawa Ieyasu and Tokugawa Hidetada, were entombed.

You can even visit the priests quarters on a day trip, and enjoy shojin-ryori (Buddhist vegetarian cuisine), and experience Buddhist meditation practices called Ajikan.

Access
・Time from Osaka (Umeda): 2 hr
・From Osaka Station, take the Osaka Loop Line to Shin-Imamiya Station; transfer to the Nankai Limited Express and transfer at Hashimoto Station to the Nakai-Koya Line. From there, take the Nankai-Koya Line to the final stop, Gokurakubashi.

While you can get to Mount Koya by cable car from Gokurakubashi Station on the Nankai Koya Line, we also recommend trying out the hiking course!

Who knew there were so many cool spots to enjoy day trips from Osaka? Whether you want to experience culture, get lost in nature, or just get out and move, one of these 11 sightseeing spots is bound to spark your interest!

*This article was originally published in August 2020. Details may have changed since this time.