Osaka’s Minoh Park: A Refreshing Escape With Waterfalls, Onsen & More

What Is Minoh Park?

Minoh Park is a spacious 83.8-hectare forest in the mountainous northern regions of Minoh City. For its abundant wilderness, it was recognized by the Forestry Agency of Japan as one of the “100 Spots For Forest Bathing” in 1986.

It has long been adored as a popular hiking spot close to Osaka City, and is noted for the unique facilities along the waterfall trail, including insectariums, restaurants, temples, and hot springs.

Getting to Minoh Park From Osaka City

The closest station to Minoh Park is Hankyu Minoh Station, about 30 minutes by train from central Osaka. While there is a parking lot near the station, it often fills up, and only authorized vehicles can drive to Minoh Falls—making public transport the easiest option.

How to Spend a Day in Minoh Park

Stop at the Tourist Information Center First

Just outside Minoh Station, the Minoh Transportation and Tourist Information Center is a great place to start your trip. Pick up a trail map, restaurant guides, or pamphlets in English, Korean, and Chinese, and ask the staff for advice on local buses and sightseeing.

Begin Your Walk on the Waterfall Trail

You’ll find convenience stores, restaurants, and restrooms near the station, but don’t worry about stocking up—there are also vending machines, eateries, and toilets along the trail. Now, let’s follow the signs up the hill and head to the falls!

Taste Minoh’s Famous Momiji Tempura

Souvenir shops along the trail sell Minoh’s local specialty, “momiji tempura.” This quirky treat dates back some 1,300 years, when the beauty of the maple leaves inspired locals to fry them in oil for visitors. Coated in a sweet batter of sugar and flour and fried until crisp, they’re both a tasty pick-me-up on the hike and a unique souvenir to take home.

Hisakunikosendo: One of the Most Popular Stops For Momiji Tempura

Among the many shops selling momiji tempura, Hisakunikosendo is especially famous. Just a short walk from the station, it uses organically grown maple leaves from its own mountain and carefully selected ingredients, with the frying oil changed daily for a clean, crisp taste.

Each leaf is fried by hand in limited batches, and they often sell out quickly, especially during autumn foliage season. To avoid disappointment, reserve on your way to the waterfall and pick them up on your return.

You can actually watch as the maple leaves are fried to make momiji tempura. While it looks easy, it actually requires a lot of skill to ensure the leaves retain their delicate shape.

After being coated in batter, the leaves are dipped into the oil and turned over and over for around 20 mins to be slowly deep-fried.

The second-generation owner, Setsuko Hisakuni, was selected as one of the official “Great Craftspeople of Naniwa” by the Osakan Government, so it’s definitely worth seeing her talents up close!

Stroll Through the Forest to Minoh Falls

Walking to Minoh Falls through maple and cedar forests with the gentle sound of the Minoh River is pure bliss.

The riverside path is fully paved and easy to follow, while an unpaved mountain route with steps and steeper slopes offers a more immersive experience in the wild.

Rest at the Historic Umeyashiki Teahouse

Hikers can freely enter and rest at the “Umeyashiki” building, one of the remaining teahouses of the many that once lined the trail. It is a wooden thatched roof one-story house constructed in 1921 in the sukiya-zukuri architectural style. While you can’t eat here, it’s okay to have a quick drink.

Umeyashiki
・Hours: 10 AM–5 PM
・Closed: Dec 29–Jan 3 (government holiday)
・Minoh Park Management Office: 072-732-3014

Minohsan Ryuan-ji: Explore a Historic Temple

On the way to Minoh Falls lies Minohsan Ryuan-ji, said to have been founded by Enno Gyoja in 650 CE. The temple enshrines Japan’s oldest image of Benzaiten and has long ties to the imperial court, having received its name after answering the prayers of Emperor Go-Daigo.

Its 400-year-old ritual “Minoh no Tomi,” held every October 10, is considered the origin of Japan’s lottery, with three winners each receiving a special charm.

The temple’s goshuin stamps, which are believed to protect against plague, feature “Hakuryu Daimyojin,” the guardian deity of rivers (500 yen). From Minohsan Ryuan-ji, Minoh Falls is a 20 minute walk away.

Arrive at Minoh Falls

Walking 40 minutes from the station, or 20 minutes from Minohsan Ryuan-ji, you’ll finally arrive at Minoh Falls.

This 33-meter-high waterfall is the only one of Japan’s “100 Great Waterfalls” in Osaka Prefecture, and it has long been celebrated for its jaw-dropping beauty.

The dense maple trees and water flowing into the basin weave together a scene like a painting. You can get right up close to the waterfall basin, allowing its spray to invigorate the body.

In spring, the vivid green maple leaves shine brightly against the waterfall, while in summer, the spot is frequented by locals and visitors alike seeking refuge from the heat.

Autumn is famed for the fiery array of fall foliage, while winter endows the scene with a pattering of snow. Nearby is a souvenir shop, along with benches to sit and tuck into a bento box while absorbing the scene.

Minoh Falls in the autumn foliage season.

After Your Hike: Enjoy Dining in Minoh

Kawadoko Isoyoshi: A Charming Riverside Restaurant

Kawadoko Isoyoshi, a 20-minute walk from Minoh Station, is a picturesque restaurant perched on the side of the Minoh River.

It was popular during the Meiji Period until the beginning of the Showa Period, and was restored to its former glory about a decade ago, with two establishments currently running.

Kawadoko Isoyoshi is open between April and November, allowing patrons to dine whilst relishing the cool afternoon breeze from the river. At night, the romantic glow of lanterns forms an enchanting, otherworldly atmosphere, totally different from the daytime.

The menu features kaiseki-style makunouchi dishes, including sashimi, tempura, pickles, salt-roasted ayu sweetfish, rice, and various other morsels cooked in a range of styles (from 5,300 yen, telephone reservation required at least one day in advance).

During the period when the riverside restaurants are closed, you can enjoy delicacies like pufferfish, hotpot, and more at the main restaurant near Minoh Station.

YUZUYA Bettei: Sushi With Minoh Yuzu

The smoked coconut salmon.

YUZUYA Bettei specializes in sushi infused with seed-grown yuzu citrus, cultivated only in Minoh’s Todoromi area. Served in a round wooden wappa container, the sushi features seasonal vegetables, pickles, fresh seafood in house-made marinades, and vinegared rice accented with yuzu juice, giving each bite a refreshing fragrance.

Other highlights include the Asian-inspired “Smoked Coconut Salmon” (1,200 yen, excl. tax) and Hawaiian poke-style “Tuna Soy Sauce,” made with Yuasa soy sauce from Wakayama and sesame oil (1,500 yen, excl. tax).

The adjoining French restaurant offers fermentation-focused, ethical cuisine, available for both dine-in and take-out. (*Consumption tax: 10% eat-in, 8% take-out.)

Near YUZUYA Bettei, close to Ichinohashi Bridge, stands YUZUYA Hashimoto-tei. Originally built as a ryokan in 1930, it was destroyed by a landslide in 2016 but carefully restored and reopened in 2020 as Franc et élégant YUZUYA. In August 2022, the second-floor French restaurant YUZUYA A TABLE UKITA also opened, adding a refined dining option to the area.

HOKUSETSU SPICE Lab: For Those That Like Their Food Hot!

The 3-flavor Aigake Plate: Full Topping Set (1,700 yen)

HOKUSETSU SPICE Lab is a super popular restaurant opened by a passionate chef with self-proclaimed “spice mania.”

Lunchtime diners can choose between two or three curries in one “aigake” set, including a curry of local vegetables from the Hokusetsu area, a keema curry of Japanese Black wagyu, and the special curry of the day.

There are also five different toppings, such as spicy stewed beef tendon and spicy boiled egg. The portion of rice can also be changed, and the burn can be intensified with a special spice paste for 50 yen.

Craft Cola (2,000 yen, for dilution)

In the evening, the menu shifts to à la carte dishes infused with spices like cumin, coriander, cardamom, and cloves, offering a completely different experience from lunch. Pair your meal with locally brewed Minoh craft beer or try the trendy craft cola, made with 10 spices and a hint of Minoh yuzu. Bottled undiluted cola is also available to take home—just mix with soda water to recreate the taste.

Minoh Onsen Spa Garden: Soak in Hot Springs While Admiring the Views

The Oedo-Onsen Akafuji Open-Air Bath

To help wash away fatigue and freshen up after your walk to Minoh Falls, we recommend a dip in one of the onsen hot springs around Minoh Station.

These hydrogen carbonate springs are said to help alleviate nerve pain and arthritis, and will leave your skin moisturized and radiant.

The inside baths are fitted with tatami straw mat flooring, which feels soft and pleasant on the feet. There are also open-air springs, lie-down baths, saunas, and five bedrock baths (for an additional fee).

From the entrance, a glass-walled elevator whisks you up to reception with sweeping views of Osaka’s skyline—especially stunning at night. Inside, you’ll find not only baths but also dining, a taishu engeki theater, kayo song shows, and festival-style leisure areas. Guests staying at the adjacent Minoh Kanko Hotel enjoy free entry to the Spa Garden, plus exclusive access to the hotel’s rooftop open-air bath.

MINOH BEER: Relish Fresh Local Craft Beer!

MINOH BEER is a 12-minute walk from Makiochi Station, one stop over from Minoh Station via a 2-minute train ride. It’s easy to pop by on your way back to Osaka, and it is instantly recognizable from the adorable monkey mascot.

The “WAREHOUSE” bottle shop and pub, which adjoins the brewery, serves their own craft beers on tap. They have won numerous international awards, and are made with 100% malt unfiltered and unpasteurized.

Fresh brews include the standard pilsner, weizen, pale ale, and stout, alongside limited beers only available here.

The food menu includes sausage sets, cheese and ham, and other classic beer nibbles, along with some heftier meals like sandwiches and margherita pizza.

Venture From Minoh to Katsuo-ji Temple

Image: PIXTA

If you have extra time, we recommend venturing from Minoh Park to Katsuo-ji Temple, which is also famous for its autumn leaves. You can get there in 10 minutes via taxi from Hankyu Minoh Station.

This exquisite temple boasts a history stretching back around 1,300 years, and those seeking success in business, exams, sports, games, and more, often visit and dedicate a “kachi daruma” doll to receive its blessings and luck in winning.

It is also a flower hotspot, with a profusion of rhododendron, hydrangea, and more throughout the vast grounds.

A Scenic & Accessible Escape Just Outside Osaka

While Minoh Falls is only accessible on foot, the paved trail is largely flat and easy to walk on, making it a doable hike for visitors of all ages and fitness levels.

There are also plenty of spots to rest, grab something to eat, and sightsee along the way, so take your time to thoroughly enjoy the bounties of this remarkable hidden gem.

As you approach the waterfall, the sounds of rushing water will fill your ears, and once it comes into view, you’ll feel your body heal as its refreshing, stimulating presence cleans the soul.

Written by:

Kiko Matsuda, Keiko Kimura, Risa Tsushi, and a team of female writers familiar with Kansai. We love eating, drinking and traveling! We share fun information based on our experiences.