Okukawachi Illuminage

Okukawachi illuminage is a largest illumination event in South Osaka area held under the theme of "Do(movement)", "Sei(Silence)" and "Surprising" this year. Interactive contest will be also held within the area.

PLACE	Osaka Prefectural Flower Garden (Fululu Garden) 〒586-0036 2292-1 Tako, Kawachi-Nagano

SCHEDULE	December 5(Sat), 2015 - February 29(Mon), 2016 17:30～21:30

FEE	Adult：1,000yen Child：500yen 3 years old or younger：Free

URL	http://www.illuminagegroup.com/okukawachi2015-2016/

Let's enjoy the autumn colors in Minoo,Osaka : )

Hello!!
This is Haru from Osaka Hana Hostel : )

The season has completely changed to Autumn.
Autumn is a very beautiful season that we can see colored leaves.
Osaka has a good place to see autumn leaves, so I would like to recommend it to you.

【Minoo Park 】

 

Minoo Park is a forested valley on the outskirts of Osaka, located the north of the urban sprawl.
During the fall, it is one of the best places in the Kansai Region to see the autumn colors in a natural setting.



Minoo Park is a popular destination for hikers so you can enjoy hiking in a natural beauty.
The trail begins near Hankyu Minoo Station and leads to the Minoo waterfall(height of 33 meters).
This waterfall is the main natural attraction of this park!!




Minoo park can be reached in less than 1hour from Shinsaibashi station.
From Minoo station to the waterfall, it takes about 45 minutes by walk for one way.

The first half of the trail passes by several shops, temples and other facilities, while the later half is a bit steeper and surrounded by trees.





**Access**
1. Please take Midousuji Line from Shinsaibashi Station to Umeda station(240yen)
2. Then, please go to Hankyu Umeda station and take Hankyu Takarazuka Line to Ishibashi Sation (15 minutes) and transfer to the Hankyu Minoo Line to Minoo Station (5 minutes).
From Hankyu Umeda Station, the entire one way trip takes about 25 minutes, costs 270 yen.
There are frequent connections.


**How many colored leaves can we see?? (only Japanese)
http://www.mino-park.jp/e86024.html



**Minoo park(web site)
http://www.osaka-info.jp/en/facilities/cat7/post_313.html







I'm sure that you will feel comforted and relax : )
It is the time to go to Minoo park now !!

Thank you for reading!!!!

Osaka short trips

Osaka International House will hold an event "Osaka short trips" on the 7th and the 8th of November.

There are 5 courses, 1 to 4 are just a tour of Osaka area but　5th one is pretty unique.
You can try Japanese sport festival!

Japanese sport festival seems interesting for foreigners so they will have for  foreigners!
It must be very fun!

You can book here.
http://www.osaka-short-trips.com/#!program-application/ocnmc

Osaka Marathon

One of the biggest Marathon!
30,000 people run around Osaka.

Start from Osaka Castle Park, run through Dotonbori, Midosuji, Nakanoshima area,

Kyocera Dome, Tsutenkaku, and more.

You can also check a race course sideline cheer performance, Cheer leading, Yosakoi dance, Japanese drums and more!

Place: Start:) Osaka Castle Park    Goal) Intex Osaka
Date: Oct 25th
Fee: Free

Doguya-suji Festival

This festival is organized by Doguya-Suji (a specialty street of shops for professional kitchen utensil) where making and selling cooking apparatus have been sold over 100 years in the city of Osakan flour containing food.

Kuromon ichiba market　known for "Osaka's kitchen" will be cohosting with its autumn festival this year!

There will be about 60 shops to eat around, a chance to try Kitchen knife grinding and food sample making, and more of fun events around the market and Ura-Namba area. 
What's more, a giant Taiyaki (fish‐shaped pancake filled with bean jam) which was recognized by Guiness World Regord for its size will be distributed for 320 people as a sample!

SCHEDULE	October 10(Sat) & 11(Sun), 2015 10:00～17:00

URL	http://www.doguyasuji.or.jp/archives/1921

Kaiyukan ==One of the biggest aquarium of the world==

Hello, this is Haru from Osaka Hana Hostel : )

Have you ever been to Kaiyukan??
Kaiyukan is the one of the biggest aquarium of the world !!
http://www.kaiyukan.com/language/eng/index.html

You can see whale sharks,  penguins, oriental small-clawed otter, ocean sunfish and more more...
They show you a lot of cute sea creatures and animals!!

We can sell ''Osaka Kaiyu Ticket'' to our guests.

For adult : 2,550yen / For child under 12years old : 1300yen
includes 2,300yen Entrance fee and one day subway pass!!

Also you may get a discounts and other benefits at about 30 amusement facilities and tourist attractions in Osaka City.



If you go to Kaiyukan, you can find my favorite popcorn store in Tenpozan market place.
It is just next to Kaiyukan!!

If you have time, please try popcorn in several flavors.
http://www.popcornpapa.jp/
（Only Japanese）


Thank you for reading.
Have a nice trip : )

WALL OSAKA from Attack on Titan

Do you know Attack on Titan?
It's title of  manga comics and now is really big in Japan and also all over the world.
I don't really read manga but after I started to read it, I couldn't stop reading and couldn't sleep lol

The exhibition for Attack on Titan is coming to Osaka!!

This exhibition was held in Tokyo last year and it was very popular.
You can see this comic in different light with high technology. 

If you are fan of Attack on Titan, you should go there!!:D

【Term】

11th September(Fri)～18th October(Sun)

【 Opening hour】

Mon～Fri｜11:00 ～ 19:00
Weekend and National Holiday｜10:00 ～ 20:00

【 Place】

 Grand Front Osaka North

 

【Ticket】

Adults ￥2,700、

High school and Junior high school students ￥2,200、

Elementary school students ￥1,700

Enjoy Beer in Osaka!!

Hello! This is Masae from Osaka Hana Hostel!

It is still hot and humid in Osaka so I would like to recommend you 2 places you can enjoy beer for a limited time only in Osaka.

★THE PERFECT SAPPORO Black Label BEER GARDEN ２０１５★

I love the bland called Sapporo so I love this place a lot!
http://www.sapporobeer.jp/beer/perfect/garden.html#spot_02

Place : Nishi Umeda Square (south of JR Osaka Station)

You don't need to worry about rain:)
And the best menu with a beer is Kara age (deep fried chicken)

The best combination

Menu↓
http://www.sapporobeer.jp/beer/perfect/img/garden/menu_osaka.pdf

＜Operation Hour＞
Mon-Thu16：00～22：00（L.O21：30）
Fri 16：00～23：00（L.O22：00）
Sat12：00～23：00（L.O22：00）
Sun & Holiday 12：00～22：00（L.O21：30）

This shop open until the 18th of September!!!

And one more place!

KIRIN Ichiban Shibori Garden Brewer's Spirit
http://www.kirin.co.jp/products/beer/ichiban/is_garden/

Ichiban Shibori means

Kirin Ichiban is brewed from only malt, hops and water.
Unlike other beers, only the first press of the wort is used.
That's why it's called Ichiban – meaning "first" and "best" in Japanese.
"Ichiban Shibori" is a unique method of brewing beer at its purest from a single pure ingredient: 100% malt.
Place ：Ume Kita Hiroba Square @ Grand Front Osaka (north side of JR Osaka Station)

Frozen beer

Menu↓
http://www.kirin.co.jp/products/beer/ichiban/is_garden/pdf/kirin_menu_osaka_2015.pdf

Meat ball and salad (with Watercress and Roasted beef) was really nice!

＜Operation Hour＞
Until the 30th of September (Wednesday）
[Mon- Fri] 16:00～22:00（L.O.21:30）
[Sat, Sun & Holiday] 12:00～22:00（L.O.21:30）

It is so nice to drink beer outside! (^^)

I hope you will enjoy it, too!!!

Fiesta Mexicana Osaka 2015

Fiesta Mexicana Osaka 2015

Mexican festival in Osaka.

You can enjoy Mexican dance, music and food!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date: Sep. 11th-13th

Place: Shin Umeda city wonder square.

Tenjin Matsuri Festival

This festival is the greatest in Osaka boasting of a history of a thousand years.

On the morning of the 24th, it starts with the Hokonagashi Ritual (Throwing the sacred sword) by Hokonagashi Bridge.
Shishi-Mai (Lion Dance) and Mikoshi (Portable shrine) go around the territory of the shrine. In the Hommiya (Main day) on the 25th, the Rikutogyo starts from the shrine at about 15:30, and finishes in the shrine again through the Funatogyo.

The festival reaches a climax during that passage. A large number of torch-lit boats cruising the river and the fireworks are splendidly displayed.

PLACE	Osaka Temmangu Shrine

SCHEDULE	July 24 - 25, 2015

FEE	Free

URL	http://www.osaka-info.jp/tenjin_matsuri/

One of the biggest firework event in Japan 【PL Art of Fireworks】

Hello, this is Haru from Osaka Hana Hostel　：）

The rainy season is almost over so I'm excited !!
Summer is coming and Fireworks are "must" event to enjoy summer of Japan.

One of the biggest fireworks event is held in my hometown ''Tondabayashi'' on the 1st of August.

You can enjoy a grand display of fireworks, they set off 20,000 fireworks within an hour!!

And they present a new work every year.

At the end of a festival, super sized fireworks named ''Star-mine'' are set off!!

They set off 8,000 fireworks in a couple of seconds and big bang of fireworks echo throughout　South Osaka area like a rumbling of the earth.

Could you believe it??
If you can not, please go to Tondabayashi on the 1st of August ：）

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO2mnW62rq8
(Movie from Youtube)


PL Art of Fireworks
 
【official】(No English)
http://www.kohkyu.co.jp/hanabi/hanabi.html
【reference】（No English)
http://hanabi.walkerplus.com/detail/ar0727e00387/



【Date】 　the 1st of August 2015
【Time】 　about 19:55～20:55
【Place】　30min From Tondabayashi station by walk
　　　　　　40min From Kongo station by walk

**On the day,　a lot of people go to these stations.
Even if you find a bus or taxi to the place, you will be caught in traffic.

Q-pot×Sailor Moon

Have you watched Sailor Moon?
I used to watch Sailor Moon alot when I was a little girl!
I loved it ,I got many goods of them.

Sailor Moon is getting popular again lately!
We have accessory shop which is called  Q-pot in Lucua Osaka.
Sailor Moon and Q-pot made some goods and accessories together!!!

Lucua is like this now!

If you like Sailor Moon, check this event!!!!

Star festival

You can enjoy the beautiful view of illuminated temple building, pagodas, a bamboo grass tunnel(27meter long) and an artificial Milky Way will appear at Shitennoji Temple!

Place: Shitennoji

Date: July 5th-7th
Fee: Admission free
       for charity candle 100yen/tanzaku 100yen

http://www.tanabatanoyuube.net/

fireflies in Osaka!

Now June is the rainny season and one of the attractions of this season is firefly.
 Mainly they live near beautiful river.


Surprisingly we can see them in center of Osaka!!
The place is in Umeda Sky Building at Nakashizen no mori in Shin-umeda city(sky building), 2000 firefly are flown.

This is so amazing!!:D


Date : Between 12th to 21st of June.
Time : After sunset till 10pm
Fee : For free!!

Have you tried Japanese Sake? Please come to Hana Sake Bar at Shinsaibashi, Osaka!

Hello, This is Masae from Osaka Hana Hostel!

We are happy to announce that Japanese Sake bar has opened on the 1st floor or our hostel!!

It is called " Hana Sake Bar".

Hideko practiced to serve the beer.

I've got the fist beer she served



with 3 kinds Vegetarian food
It's so good!

If you never had Sake before,
I would like you to try Sake tasting set.
You can choose 3 different kind of Sake for 1000yen!

I love this atmosphere!



With our guests :)

Last Saturday (on the 30th of May) . We had the opening party.
So many people gathered to celebrate it! I really had a good time.

CHEERS!!! KAMPAI!!

 

I just love this place

Outside view

The owner Iida-san also works as waiter sometime.
How cool is that!!

I really hope this bar will be loved by many people.

It is going to be very hard for me to leave work not to stop by the bar :)

 

Please enjoy Japanese Sake @ Hana Sake Bar!!

http://hanasakebar.com/

https://www.facebook.com/hanasakebar



Hydrangea at Katsuo-ji Temple

 

 

 

The water of the Kannonike pond in the temple reflects the colors of the hydrangea around the pond. The overwhelming number of the flowers on the street between the pond and the main temple will create a beautiful scene in the rain season.

PLACE	Katsuo-ji Temple 〒562-8508 Katsuoji, Minoo, Osaka

SCHEDULE	Early June - Mid July

FEE	Adults 400yen Kids 200yen

INQUIRIES	Name : Katsuo-ji Temple TEL : 072-721-7010

URL	http://www.katsuo-ji-temple.or.jp/event/06.html

Beer festival is coming!! Osaka Oktoberfest 2015

Hello!! This is Haru from Osaka Hana Hostel :)

I think everyone knows the biggest beer festival of the world called Munich Oktoberfest.

 

I didn’t like beer before… But when I visited Munich while I had traveled around the world, I just went to the beer hall to have an experience for drinking real German beer.

I was so surprised and impressed !! Because the taste of German beer was super delicious!!! 

I have never drunk wonderful beer like that…Especially, sausages and a side of Sauerkraut really go well with beer. 

 

If you don’t like beer like me, please try German beer!! Even if I’m a Japanese, strongly I recommend it.

 

Germany is so far from Asian countries, and need a lot of money for traveling…but we have a chance. Because Osaka will hold Oktoberfest 2015 in Nagai Park!!

On the stage, live performance of a band from Germany will make you sing and dance with other people next to you. 

Mainly German fresh beers from barrels, many kind of beers and German foods such as sausages and pretzels will be sold at shop.

 http://www.gnavi.co.jp/prt/osaka/oktoberfest/beer/

 

 

Even though here is Osaka, you can feel Germany. 

If you join this festival, you can enjoy a party night in Osaka!! I'm sune ;)

 

 

 

≪Information≫
Placa: Nagai Park  〒546-0034　1-23　Nagaikoen, Higashisumiyoshi Ward, Osaka

Schedule: May 15( Fri )～31( Sun )

                    Mon-Fri 15:00-21:00/ Sat,Sun and public holiday 11:00-21:00

Entrance fee: 200yen ※Free for elementary school student or younger

other: Not allowed to bring any food and beverage

URL: http://www.gnavi.co.jp/prt/osaka/oktoberfest/(Japanese web site)

hot spring in Osaka

Do you like hot spring?
You might feel wired taking a bath with other people and being naked.
Most of Japanese love it and it's good for relaxation and your health.

There are hot springs in country side normally.
But there is in Osaka!

The name is "Yunokura"
 http://www.yunokura.net/


There are many kinds of bath and sauna in a huge 3 floor building.


What the special in this place is that you can see "Taishu engeki" 　
Taishu engeki is a old Japanese culture and it's a performance for the masses.

 

 

 You don't need to pay extra to see it.

The entrance fee is 1000yen and you can try hot spring and Taishu engeki.

It's quite reasonable!!

Syoryoe (Memorial Service for Prince Shotoku)

This event commemorates for Prince Shotoku who had this important temple build in sixth century.
You can see classical Japanese performance bugaku dance.

Place: Shitennoji Temple
Time:  April 22nd 12:30pm
Admission fee: Free

The world of Tim Burton

There is one exhibition of Tim Burton at Grand Front Osaka.

All his big hit films and the world he create in the film has been attracted people's curiosity from all over the world, kids to adult.
The exhibition allows fans to experience his imagery and aesthetic "world" portrayed in his movies through the years.

PLACE	〒530-0011 Grand Front Osaka (North Building), 3-1, Ofuka-cho, Kita-ku, Osaka
SCHEDULE	February 27th(Fri) ～ April 19th (Sun) 11：00～19：00 （till 21:00 on Friday and Saturday) ※Entry permitted until 30 minutes before close
FEE	Adult 1,800 yen High school and college student 1,300 yen 4 years old to junior high school student 800 yen

Rikuro Ojisan Cheese Cake =famous cheese cake shop in Osaka=

Hello! This is Masae from Osaka Hana Hostel!

Today, I would like to introduce one of the famous cheese cake in Osaka!

I wrote about "Pablo cheese tarte"shop before and I am sure you heard about this shop, too.

Rikuro Ojisan Cheese cake

This is my favorite cheese cake （＾－＾）

We have many guests who have this cheesecake on their hand when they come back from outside. They have been so popular!
I can understand why it is so popular because it's not too sweet, not too heavy,
fresh, fluffy and really reasonable!!

Every time I walk by I see the queue in front of the shop.
Specially when they bake fresh one, they ring the bell to attract people.


They use these special ingredient;
Import cream cheese from Denmark
Good quality eggs
Fresh milk　
Raisin from California soak in homemade syrup

Best Before： in a cool dark place- same day,

                   in the fridge- 3days 

specific raw materials：egg, daily product , flour

size [18cm］ 648yen （includes tax）

This is Shop and Cafe in Namba opened Last April

Rikuro Ojisan Cheese cake shop in Namba used to sell cake for take away only,
but you can eat fresh cheesecake in this new shop!!

★Namba Shop　-15mimutes walk from Osaka Hana Hostel
 ●1F Shop  9:30～21:30　
 ●1F Stand Cafe  9：30～21：30（Last order 21：00）　
 ●2F Cafe  10：30～20：30（Last order 20：00）
   Eat In Menu (on the 2nd floor)
    http://www.rikuro.co.jp/newsother/926.html

There are more shops in Osaka;
http://www.rikuro.co.jp/shoplist/

★Umeda Shop
①Umeda Daimaru Department store

10:00～20:30（Friday & Saturday closed at 21:00)

②Hankyu Umeda concourse shop (near Hankyu Umeda Station)
10:00～22:00

★Shin Osaka Shop
①JR Shin Osaka Station 3F next to East Ticket Gate
9：30～22：00 

 
②JR Shin Osaka Station 3F "Entree Marche"
7:00～21:00 

If you have a chance to visit Shinsaibashi , Namba area please try this cafe!!