Suddenly,
I felt like watching the sunset.
There are numerous spots in Osaka City where you can enjoy the sunset.
There are several in Taisho, my hometown, hiikun.
For example, through the article, “【Recommended by locals】 Three recommended gourmet shops and restaurants in Taisho Ward｜Sweets “, which I posted two years ago,
I introduced “Showaszan Mountain” .
But this time, I felt like seeing a sunset somewhere other than my hometown of Taisho.
That’s when a certain place came to mind.
What is that place?
This is Yagura Ryokuchi Park.
“Yagura Ryokuchi Space? Where the heck is that?”
I’m sure many readers must have thought that.
I had never been there, but,
I knew the name and the location.
I don’t know why this place came to mind.
It’s just a park near the mouth of the Yodo River.
Thinking that there was nothing to block the view and that I would be able to fully enjoy the beautiful sunset,
I decided to visit it on short notice.
This time, I’ll share some photos from my impromptu visit to Yagura Ryokuchi Park.
Also, I’d like to share with you, dear readers, the beautiful sunset I saw there.
This article is intended for the following people.
・People who look for sunset spots outside of the usual tourist attractions
・People who want to combat a lack of exercise through walking
By reading this article,
I’m sure you’ll come to realize that
there is a place where you can enjoy the sunset in a quiet setting,
even without visiting famous tourist spots.
Also, since you’ll be walking quite a distance,
I think it’s just the thing to help you get more exercise.
Please read to the end.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Yagura Ryokuchi Park: Overview
Let me give you a brief overview of Yagura Ryokuchi Park.
Yagura Ryokuchi Park is located in Nishijima, Nishiyodogawa Ward, Osaka City,
This is a nature park situated between the mouths of the Yodo and Kanzaki Rivers.
Its history is surprisingly short.
The park opened in September 2000 (Heisei 12).
Yagura Ryokuchi Park is formed by a natural rocky shoreline using natural stones.
From an environmental perspective, concrete is not used in the revetment.
Within the park, there are natural tide pools and bird-watching spots.
There is a hill covered with many trees.
Also, since you will be able to enjoy fishing,
there were still a dozen or so anglers there when I visited.
However, there are no shops, restaurants, or playground equipment within the park.
It is a nature park in the truest sense.
Therefore, unless your purpose is to enjoy the scenery, go fishing, or go for a walk,
you might find it boring.
However, I, hiikun, had a clear goal: “to see a beautiful sunset.”
It was a really long walk from the nearest station.
However, it is definitely worth a visit.
I had a wonderful time watching the sunset.
From the next section,
let’s walk from the nearest station to Yagura Ryokuchi Park.
Directions to Yagura Ryokuchi Park
Date of Visit: Wednesday, July 8
The nearest station to Yagura Ryokuchi Park.
This is Fuku Station on the Hanshin Namba Line.
From here on,
I walk steadily westward.
A residential neighborhood has developed around the station.
Work is currently underway to elevate the station and to rebuild the Yodo River Bridge, which this line crosses.
I’d like to mention one thing to keep in mind when heading to Yagura Ryokuchi Park.
There are no shops—let alone vending machines—in or around the park.
Be sure to buy any drinks or food you’ll need before your visit.
I, hiikun, bought a drink at FamilyMart
which is located near the station.
Also, on the other side of the station,
there is a shopping center that houses supermarkets, restaurants, 100-yen shops, and other businesses.
It might be a good idea to stop by there and pick up whatever you need.
If you head west immediately after leaving the station,
you’ll see the National Route 43.
Along with National Route 2,
it is a major highway connecting Osaka and Kobe.
It is located closer to the ocean than National Route 2.
Turn left at this intersection.
Head south toward the Yodo River.
Turn right at the corner near the first traffic light.
If you keep going straight down the winding road…
you will arrive at the Yodo River floodplain.
From here on, just keep going straight.
It might be small and hard to see.
You can see a bridge where the red arrow points.
Yagura Ryokuchi Park is located in that area.
A residential neighborhood has developed along the levee.
Scenes like this will continue for a while yet.
I left the Fuku Station at 5:30 p.m.
Since it was dusk,
the sun wasn’t all that strong.
Also, the breeze felt nice.
After passing through the residential neighborhood,
I entered the industrial area.
I could see some kind of large structure ahead.
This is the Nishijima Sluice Gate.
I thought I’d arrive at the park right after passing through this gate, but…
There was still a long way to go.
If anything, it felt like the part after this was the longest.
However,
since the view was so nice,
it was not that tiring, and
I never got bored.
As I mentioned earlier,
since it was dusk, the sunlight wasn’t too strong.
Thanks to the pleasant breeze, it felt cool.
After passing the Nishijima Lock,
as I walked along the road leading up to it for a while,
a winding road like this appears.
“Am I still being made to walk?”
With that thought in mind, I kept walking…
I arrived.
This is Yagura Ryokuchi Park.
I stopped at a store along the way to buy some drinks.
I was walking while taking photos.
So it took about 40 minutes to get there.
Nevertheless,
I didn’t feel very tired.
My excitement outweighed my fatigue.
Let’s take a stroll through the park right away.
Here is a map of Yagura Ryokuchi Park.
To the south, the Yodo River,
To the north is the Kanzaki River,
And to the west, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Osaka Bay.
At the foot of a small, wooded hill,
there are three tide pools.
There are also bird-watching stations and tidal flats.
Also, in the park’s tide pools and mudflats,
it seems you can observe creatures like these as well.
This is the tide pool I mentioned earlier.
It’s really rare to find a park with a tidal pool like this in Osaka City.
It was a weekday evening.
There were quite a few people in the park.
Most of them are anglers.
Looking back,
even though it is located quite far away,
you can clearly see the skyscrapers in Umeda.
I came to the end of the road.
This is truly the best spot to watch the sunset.
There was nothing around to block the view, and
Since it was not crowded at all,
I could take my time and fully enjoy the scenery.
You can see
the large bridge ahead, whichi is a section of the Hanshin Expressway Wangan Line.
This might be a little hard to understand, but,
from here, you can also see the cluster of hotels near Universal Studios Japan.
You can also see the giant Ferris wheel at Tempozan.
I’ve posted several articles about Tempozan in the past.
If you’d like, please be sure to check out these articles as well.
Reference: 【Free Boarding】Osaka Ferry Tour｜Invitation to a one-day tour of all eight locations!
Reference: A must for sightseeing in Tempozan｜Let’s take a cruise around Osaka Port on the sightseeing boat Santa Maria!
Reference: 【A must-see for tourists] Let’s go to USJ from Tempozan taking the Captain Line!
Reference: 【A must-see for tourists】I will tell you how to get from USJ to Tempozan for free!
You can also see the artificial island of Maishima beyond the bridge.
In a post I wrote earlier,
you can see my visit to Maishima.
If you’re interested, please be sure to check out the link below.
Reference: 【The Osaka-Kansai Expo Venue】What are Yumeshima and the surrounding area like? Part 1
Let’s go a little further in.
If you walk up the hill a little…
you can see a spot where you can watch wild birds on your left.
There is a small square hole in the fence.
What you can see through that hole is…
This is the tidal flat.
Unfortunately, there were no birds around at the time of my visit.
I was unable to observe it.
As I continued further in and reached the summit…
There is a public restroom.
You can enjoy the view even from the top of the hill.
It’s so far from the ocean that I find myself wondering if it’s really near the ocean at all.
There are lots of trees all around.
Ocean views and forest views.
I think one of the charms of Yagura Ryokuchi Park is that you can enjoy both.
There is also a rest area like this one.
In the end, I spent over an hour at Yagura Ryokuchi Park.
After finishing your stroll through the park,
I was just staring blankly at the sunset, lost in thought.
Just watching the sunset,
I can forget all the unpleasant things in my daily life.
My heart felt purified.
It left me feeling very refreshed.
It’s getting quite dark.
It’s time to go home.
The Skyscrapers of Umeda
The hotels near Universal Studios Japan,
The giant Ferris wheel at Tempozan,
These night views are truly beautiful!!
While being captivated by the beautiful night view,
I spent about 30 minutes getting back to Fuku Station.
I was a little tired.
However, thanks to taking the time to enjoy the scenery as I walked,
the level of fatigue wasn’t that high.
I’m glad I was able to have such a wonderful holiday.
So, next, regarding our visit to Yagura Ryokuchi Park,
I’d like to point out a few things to keep in mind.
Points to Note When Visiting Yagura Ryokuchi Park
In this section,
Here are a few things that you should keep in mind when visiting Yagura Ryokuchi Park.
This park comes highly recommended for its beautiful sunsets.
On the other hand, if you know what I’m about to say,
you can avoid unnecessary trouble.
You’re sure to have a wonderful time there.
Well then, let’s take a look.
1. It takes about 40 minutes to walk from the nearest station.
As I mentioned earlier,
it takes about 40 minutes on foot from the nearest station, “Fuku Station” on the Hanshin Namba Line.
To avoid waiting at traffic lights,
no matter how fast I walk,
I think it will take about 30 minutes.
If you live in Nishiyodogawa Ward or the surrounding area,
you could probably go by bicycle.
And even for those who aren’t…
another option would be to rent a bicycle and head there.
Near the entrance to the park,
there is also a place where you can park your bicycle.
However, if you can’t get there by bicycle,
there’s no other way to get there except on foot.
2. Visits by car are not permitted.
Some of you may be planning to visit by car.
However, you can’t get there by car.
You manage to get partway through.
However, you can’t make it to the park.
Even when walking along the riverbank,
I couldn’t find any place that looked like a parking lot at all.
This is the Nishijima Sluice Gate I mentioned earlier.
As you can see, the road is just wide enough for a single kei car (light automobile) to barely fit through.
Even if you pass this by,
there are absolutely no places to park.
For that reason,
you should look for a paid parking lot near the station.
I suggest that you park the car there and walk the rest of the way.
3. Wear comfortable clothing for your visit
As I said several times,
it takes about 40 minutes to walk from the nearest station.
You need to take the same route on your way back.
In other words, it will take you about 80 minutes to walk there and back.
For that reason,
Be sure to wear comfortable clothing when you visit.
To all the women out there,
you should probably avoid wearing skirts.
Please make sure to wear pants.
Shoes are also important.
You should wear the shoes you usually wear.
Or, be sure to wear walking shoes that can withstand long walks.
This is a good example.
This is a bad example.
You should probably avoid wearing sandals or zori.
I think walking 80 minutes round-trip in sandals would be tough.
If you’re coming by bicycle,
it might be okay to wear sandals.
Even so, I personally don’t recommend visiting while wearing sandals.
As you can see, the ground is covered with rocks.
Plus, they are pretty sharp.
I think it would be really hard to walk on these rocks in sandals.
Wearing sandals is practically the same as going barefoot.
Therefore, there is a risk of injuring your foot.
Just to add,
I also recommend wearing a hat, using a parasol, and wearing sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun.
It’s also a good idea to bring a folding umbrella or raincoat just in case the weather suddenly turns bad.
4. There are a lot of bugs
Anyway, there are a lot of bugs.
It must be because it’s near the ocean.
I saw a lot of wharf roaches (ligia exotica).
As soon as I entered the park,
countless wharf roaches were scurrying about on the ground.
For readers who aren’t fond of bugs,
please be careful when visiting.
I, hiikun, am afraid of bugs too.
Because of that, at first I didn’t have the chance to enjoy the scenery.
I was too busy trying to avoid them.
However, as time went on, I got used to it.
And then I realized something.
Since the wharf roaches walk quickly to avoid us humans,
you don’t have to worry about stepping on them.
By the way, when I looked into wharf roaches,
actually, they are not insects.
Apparently, they are arthropods that belong to the same class as shrimp and crabs.
I found out about this from an article I stumbled upon.
Please feel free to take a look.
Reference: フナムシ（船虫）|磯の掃除屋さん【かぎけんWEB】
5. There’s a lot of trash
I was a little disappointed that
there was quite a lot of trash scattered around.
It might be hard to tell from the photo.
Trash such as empty cans, bottles, and paper bags was scattered among the crevices in the rocks.
There were also signs of a campfire.
Because of the trash left behind by some inconsiderate and irresponsible visitors,
I was outraged to see that the park’s environment, ecosystem, and scenery were being damaged.
As far as I can tell,
I couldn’t find any trash cans in the park.
Dear Readers,
Please make sure to take your trash home with you.
Summary
This time, I’ve shared my experience
visiting Yagura Ryokuchi Park to watch the sunset.
How was it?
I conclude that
I was glad I visited this park.
It’s hard to believe this is in Osaka City.
I was able to watch a beautiful sunset in a very quiet setting.
Fortunately, the weather was on my side.
Since I walked a distance that takes about 80 minutes round trip,
that was a good workout.
In Osaka City,
there are many scenic spots—including tourist attractions—where you can enjoy stunning sunsets.
However,
most of the visitors are locals and anglers.
Tourists probably wouldn’t visit there in the first place.
It’s also recommended for tourists who want to enjoy the sunset in a slightly off-the-beaten-path spot.
Since it’s located quite far away—about a 40-minute walk from the nearest station—
tt might be a little difficult to just drop by.
Even so, it’s definitely worth a visit.
Dear Readers,
If you have the time and energy,
please visit them if you like.
Thank you very much for reading this article all the way through.
See you in the next article.
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