Discover 11 hidden attractions, cool sights, and unusual things to do in Kongō-Ikoma-Kisen Quasi-National Park (Japan). Don't miss out on these must-see attractions: Mount Yamato Katsuragi, Mount Kongo Ropeway, and Kongō Range. Also, be sure to include Mount Naka Katsuragi in your itinerary.
Below, you can find the list of the most amazing places you should visit in Kongō-Ikoma-Kisen Quasi-National Park (Osaka).
Table of Contents
Mount Yamato Katsuragi
Also known as: 大和葛城山
Mountain in Japan. Mount Yamato Katsuragi or simply Mount Katsuragi is a mountain in the Kongō Range straddling the prefectural border between Chihayaakasaka, Osaka and Gose, Nara in Japan. The peak elevation is 959.2 metres. The mountain is located along the Gose Line of the Kintetsu Railway.
The base of the mountain has many different Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. The mountain is accessible via the Katsuragisan Ropeway on the east side, as well as several different hiking trails on all sides of varying difficulty and length. The summit has a local government-run lodge and campground for those who want to spend the night or rest after ascending Mount Yamato Katsuragi.
Other names for the mountain include Mount Kaina, Mount Kamo, Mount Tenshin, and Shinoga Peak.[1]
Mount Kongo Ropeway
Also known as: 金剛山ロープウェイ
The Mt. Kongō Ropeway is Japanese aerial lift line in Chihayaakasaka, Ōsaka. The line is unique as it is owned by the village government. The line operation is entrusted to Gourmet Kineya, a private company that mainly operates restaurants. Opened in 1966, the line climbs Mount Kongō, the highest point of Ōsaka.
As of November 1, 2019, operation is suspended at Mt. Kongo Ropeway.[2]
Kongō Range
Also known as: 金剛山地
Mountain range. The Kongō Range is a mountain range on the borders of Nara and Osaka Prefectures on the island of Honshū in the southwest of central Japan. The range separates the Osaka Plain and the Nara Basin, and forms a natural place for the boundary between the prefectures. The primary mountain in the range is Mount Kongō, and is contained within the Kongō-Ikoma-Kisen Quasi-National Park.[3]
Mount Naka Katsuragi
Also known as: 中葛城山
Mountain. Mount Naka Katsuragi is a mountain in the Kongō Range to the south of Mount Kongō, rising to an elevation of 937.7 metres. The mountain is situated between Chihayaakasaka, Osaka and Gojō, Nara in Japan. It is known for its trails being generally easy for most hikers, and for its stands of Japanese cedar and large fields of bamboo grass.
Despite being just off the popular Diamond Trail, most hikers bypass the mountain as they go between Mount Kongō to the north and Mount Jinpuku to the southwest. The summit is accessible via multiple routes from all sides of the mountain, and most hikes take about 90 minutes.[4]
Katsuragisan Ropeway
Also known as: 近鉄葛城索道線
The Katsuragisan Ropeway, legally referred to as Katsuragi Ropeway Line, is an aerial tramway line in Gose, Nara, Japan. The line is the only aerial tramway line in Japan that is directly owned and operated by a major private railway company, the Kintetsu Railway. Opened in 1967, the line climbs Mount Yamato Katsuragi. Contactless smart cards PiTaPa or Surutto Kansai are not available on the line.[5]
Mount Minami Katsuragi
Also known as: 南葛城山
Mountain. Mount Minami Katsuragi is the tallest mountain in the Izumi Mountains within the Kongō Range, straddling the border between Osaka and Wakayama Prefectures in Japan. Its peak elevation is 922 metres.[6]
Mount Kongō
Also known as: 金剛山
Mountain in Japan. Mount Kongō is a 1,125-metre-high mountain in the Kawachi region of Osaka Prefecture, Kansai, Japan. It is near Mount Yamato Katsuragi.
The mountain has lent its name to a series of naval ships and ship classes: the Imperial Japanese Navy's 1877 ironclad Kongō; the 1912 battleship Kongō, the name ship of her class; and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's current destroyer Kongō (DDG-173), also the name ship of her class.[7]
Gu min jiagyararira shii
Museum, Art gallery
Enpuku-ji
Also known as: 円福寺
Temple in Ikoma, Japan. Enpuku-ji is a Buddhist temple of the Shingon Risshu school, in Ikoma, Nara, Japan. The main object of worship is Amida Nyorai.[8]
Chikurin-ji
Also known as: 竹林寺
Buddhist temple in Ikoma, Japan. East of central Kochi and situated on Mt. Godai, visit Chikurinji Temple, an important stop on Shikikoku's 88 Temple Pilgrimage, to stroll its spacious and verdant grounds, pay your respects, and admire the surrounding views. The temple is particularly picturesque in spring and fall. One of the few circular-shaped pilgrimages in the world, the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage
route includes 88 “official” temples and numerous other sacred sites where Japan's most famous Buddhist monk, Kobo Daishi, is said to have trained or have spent time during the ninth century. Chikurinji Temple is number 31 on the pilgrimage route. The temple was established during the eighth century. One of the temple's most arresting features is its five-storied burgundy pagoda. See why this temple has a reputation for a being a scholarly institution and view important scrolls and Buddhist statues in the treasure hall. For a small fee, enter the main hall, where you can explore more of the temple's interiors and see its gardens. As Chikurinji Temple is open to the public, visitors are more than welcome to participate in the temple's scheduled events.[9]
Eizanji
Eizanji Temple is a temple of the Toyozan School of Shingon Buddhism located in Gojo, Nara Prefecture. It was founded by Fujiwara Takechimaro. The name of the temple is Gakushozan. The main deity is Yakushi Nyorai. The temple is known for its octagonal hall, built in the Nara period (710-794).