For me, hiikun, there is one place that comes to mind when I think of summer.
Here it is…
Suminoe.
This ward is located directly south of Taisho Ward, Osaka City, the hometown of me, hiikun.
It is a place I visited frequently as a child, especially every summer.
When I visited a public swimming pool in Sakai City
by taking a bus with family, relatives, and friends.
When I went to the swimming pool in Suminoe Park with them,
When visiting Nanko for various events and bird watching at the bird park,
And so on…
I visited Suminoe quite often as a child.
As an adult, I rarely visited.
This year, however, I visited Suminoe for several reasons.
One reason for this is a boat trip to Ehime in late May.
*Please read this article for more information about the Ehime trip.
I took a bus to Suminoe Koen.
From there I took the Nanko Port Town Line (New Tram) to the Nanko Ferry Terminal.
That made me want to take a walk around Suminoe Koen Station after a long time.
In this article, I will share with you how it went.
This article is intended for the following people.
・Those who are interested in what’s around Suminoe Koen Station.
・Travelers who are looking for places to visit outside of the main tourist destinations in Osaka City.
Through this article, you will learn about the charms of the Suminoe Koen Station area.
Because there was unexpectedly much to write about,
I will be submitting two separate articles.
This is the first of these.
Please read to the end.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Suminoe Koen Station Overview
Suminoe Koen Station, the starting point of the Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line and Nanko Port Town Line (New Tram) ,
is located in Suminoe Ward, Osaka City.
Suminoe Ward is located in the southwestern part of Osaka City,
It has the largest area of any of Osaka’s 24 wards.
Konohana, Minato, Taisho and Nishinari wards to the north,
Sumiyoshi Ward to the east,
Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture is located to the south.
Suminoe Koen Station, which we visited this time, is located slightly east of Suminoe Ward.
As the name of the station is Suminoe Koen,
there is a large park called Suminoe Park near the station. *Koen means Park in English.
Right next to it is the Osaka Gokoku Shrine.
Across the street is the Suminoe Boat Race Course.
In addition, there are many commercial facilities and restaurants in the surrounding area.
It is very bustling with people.
As mentioned at the beginning of this article, Suminoe Koen Station is the starting station for two Osaka Metro lines.
You can take the Yotsubashi Line to Namba and Umeda without changing trains.
You can also take the Nanko Port Town Line (New Tram) to Nanko.
You can change to the Chuo Line at the last stop, Cosmosquare Station,
and go to Yumeshima and Tempozan.
I was surprised at how close it was.
It’s a great way to sit down and commute to work or school.
*By the way, I stopped by Nanko when Yumeshima Station opened in late January of this year.
Please refer to this article for a description of that time.
Here is a map showing Suminoe Ward and the surrounding area.
It is approximately like this.
*Blue line → Osaka Metro Yotsubashi line
*Light blue line → Osaka Metro Nanko Port Town Line (New Tram)
*Green Line → Osaka Metro Chuo Line
*Brown Line → Nankai Main Line
*Gray line → Hankai Electric Railway Hankai line
*Yumeshima belongs to Konohana Ward.
Here is a map of the area around Suminoe Koen Station.
I have listed the places I visited this time.
*Blue and white line → Yotsubashi line
*Light blue-white line → Nanko Port Town line
This is the Suminoe Koen Bus Terminal.
I, hiikun, came by bus from my hometown.
It would be only some Osaka citizens
that come to Suminoe by bus.
The Yotsubashi Line is convenient to Suminoe Koen.
This line takes you to Suminoe directly from Nishi-Umeda or Namba.
It is also relatively close to Yumeshima, the Osaka-Kansai Expo site.
Please take the Chuo Line and transfer to the Nanko Port Town Line at Cosmosquare Station.
Now let’s take a look at the actual places I visited.
Osaka Gokoku Shrine
First, I visited the Osaka Gokoku Shrine.
Located just outside Suminoe Koen Station.
Since the Meiji Restoration, the Satsuma Rebellion, the Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, and the Greater East Asia War,
it is dedicated to the 105665 heroic souls from Osaka who devoted themselves to the defense of Japan.
The Second Sino-Japanese War that broke out in Showa 12 (1937) helped the people in Osaka
to take an interest in building a facility for the veneration of the spirits of the dead.
As a shrine for protection of the country designated by the Minister of the Interior at that time,
it was founded in Showa 15 (1940).
Despite being born and raised in Osaka,
I had never visited this shrine.
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II.
So I decided to visit the shrine to express my condolences and gratitude to those who died in the line of duty.
It was very hot.
I visited the shrine in formal attire so as not to be disrespectful to the spirits of the dead.
First, took a bow.
I passed through the torii gate and entered.
In contrast to the hustle and bustle of the surrounding area,
the atmosphere was very quiet and solemn inside.
It is also surrounded by many trees.
So it felt cooler.
Many memorials have been established.
Reading what is written on these,
I felt once again
that today’s peace is based on the sacrifices and efforts of those who died in the line of duty.
Then, let’s go to the main shrine for worship.
The hinomaru Japanese national flag can be seen on the right. Also the Rising Sun Flag called kyokujitsuki can be seen on the left.
To all the fallen heroes of our country,
I conveyed my heartfelt condolences, respect and gratitude.
The environment surrounding Japan has become more challenging every year.
We must think seriously what we should do for Japan to remain Japan in the future.
Thinking that way, we must take our actions for the bright future of Japan.
It is more important than ever to take an interest in politics.
【 Through elections, I vote for politicians and political parties that can act with Japan’s national interests as the top priority
and protect Japan’s territory, airspace and territorial waters, and safeguard the lives and property of Japanese people. 】
【 I will devote myself to work and study for the further development of Japan.】
I made these pledges to the spirits of the dead.
You can also see the “Sazare-ishi” (a small stone that is a small rock), which is recited in the national anthem of Japan, “Kimigayo” (meaning “His Imperial Majesty’s Reign” in English” ) .
A modern translation of the Imperial Rescript on Education’s 12 virtues, which I studied in history class, is also posted.
It’s really quite obvious.
Do you, my readers, practice what is written here on a daily basis?
Unfortunately, I don’t think I hiiku myself have been able to put all of this into practice.
I will try to put as many of them into practice as possible.
If as many people as possible practice the virtues described here,
I believe it will lead to a better society.
A statue like this one has also been installed.
” Statue of Thanksgiving to Mother.”
A personal matter,
My mother is approaching her late 70s,
She is still working.
She will probably continue until she is 80 years old.
Somehow I have managed to survive this long thanks to my mother.
Of course, my father, who is now over 80, helped me a lot.
By living apart, I feel the greatness and thankfulness of my parents.
I rarely see my parents.
However, I try to stop by my parents’ house once a month to see how they are doing.
They are both doing well.
They prepare a meal for me every time I go.
I really appreciate it.
I will try to express my gratitude a lot to my parents while they are well.
As an adult,
embarrassment and shyness can cause us to be hesitant to express gratitude to our parents.
*especially sons.
To all of my readers,
why not show your appreciation to your parents and other family members?
After the visit to the shrine,
I got a Goshuin seal (￥500)* and a good-luck charm (￥1,000). *stamp/seal as proof of a visit to a shrine or temple
When I was about to leave the shrine through the back torii gate after visiting the shrine,
I found something.
Here it is…
This is the Monument to the Martyrdom of Constitutional Government, a monument in honor of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
On July 8, Reiwa 4 (2022), he was shot and killed while speaking in support of the House of Councillors election.
To honor the achievements of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and to pass on his spirit and aspirations to future generations,
it was installed on July 6 this year.
Shameful,
I had no idea of the existence of this monument until I visited Gokoku Shrine.
Personally, Mr. Abe is one of my favorite politicians.
I still respect him wholeheartedly today.
On a variety of domestic and international issues, including the economy and diplomatic security,
he had been working very hard.
When I learned that Mr. Abe, who was dedicated to the further development of Japan, was gunned down,
I still vividly remember feeling a strong sense of sadness and resentment.
Never use violence to bring someone to their knees, no matter how much you don’t like it.
We should counter speech with speech.
Three years have passed since Mr. Abe passed away.
In the meantime, I feel that Japan is steadily moving in the wrong direction.
There is only so much I, hiikun, can do.
That doesn’t mean I am going to give up.
More interested in politics than ever before,
I vowed in front of the cenotaph
that I would act while thinking about what I should do for Japan to remain Japan.
*For more information on the “Monument to the Martyrs of Constitutional Government,” a monument in honor of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe,
please refer to this Sankei Shimbun article.
Suminoe Park
Leaving the Osaka Gokoku Shrine,
I headed for the Suminoe Park.
As shown in the above photo
you can see that it is a fairly large park.
The promenade is well maintained.
It would be ideal for jogging, talking a walk, or walking the dog.
It is surrounded by many trees.
Even though it is mid-summer daytime,
So it felt cooler.
In addition to the children’s playground, the park offers a variety of other facilities.
For example, a baseball field, tennis courts, a ball field, and a dog run.
Also on the day of the visit,
a game was being played on the baseball field.
There is also a pond and a botanical garden.
A barbecue area is also available for a fee.
On the day of the visit, it was extremely hot.
Moreover, it was during the daytime on a weekday.
No one was enjoying the barbecue.
It is expected that
many people will enjoy here on weekends and holidays.
And speaking of Suminoe Park, here is the public swimming pool.
I visited it several times as a child.
As you walk along the boardwalk, you can see the inside of the pool through the wire fence.
The second semester had already begun in schools.
It was also a weekday afternoon .
So there were very few swimmers.
I saw a group of three young women
straddling a flotation device like a banana boat and frolicking in the pool.
I didn’t want to be thought of as a pervert.
When I tried to leave the place without pointing my phone at the pool side,
my eyes happened to meet with theirs.
To my surprise, they waved at me.
At first I didn’t know who in the world they were waving to.
But when I look around, there is no one but me.
They were obviously waving at me.
It was so much fun
that they must have been so excited.
I am approaching my mid-40s,
I’ve never been waved at by a group of young women I don’t know.
I thought it would be impolite to ignore them.
I, hiikun, shyly responded with a smile and a wave.
I was a little tired from the heat,
It was a moment that made me feel a little more at ease.
While hoping they enjoy the rest of the summer to the fullest,
I left the place.
For the first time, I took a walk in Suminoe Park.
I found the park to be much larger than I had imagined.
Walking, jogging, playing sports, barbecue, etc.
It is a place for all generations to enjoy, and truly functions as a place of relaxation and exchange for the residents of the ward.
Thanks to a well-maintained boardwalk surrounded by many trees,
I was able to enjoy walking around the park without feeling too hot.
When I am tired of walking, I want to eat something sweet.
Next, we will introduce a certain sweets store near Suminoe Koen Station.
Uncle Rikuro Suminoe Koen Store
Freshly baked cheesecake and Uncle Rikuro’s store in Suminoe Park.
This is the store where Uncle Rikuro’s cheesecake, one of the most famous Osaka souvenirs, is sold.
When you pass by the main store in Namba and other stores in Osaka City,
you can see long lines.
I visited Shin-Osaka the other day for some reasons.
A long line formed in front of the store inside the station.
It remains as popular as ever.
It is also very popular among international travelers.
Take Exit No. 4 at Suminoe Koen Station.
Cross the traffic light and go a little further…
You arrive.
Without a stoplight, it would take less than a minute.
Since we are here, let’s buy something to take home.
Many of my readers probably thought that I, hiikun, had bought a cheesecake.
I hadn’t had Uncle Rikuro’s cheesecake for a while.
I was supposed to buying the cheesecake.
However, I actually bought the following products.
Apple pie.
Why? Some of you may be wondering.
The reason is simple.
I like apple pie.
I had never had Uncle Rikuro’s apple pie before.
I was interested.
It looks insanely delicious.
Let’s eat it right away.
Microwave at 600 kW for about 20 seconds.
Then bake lightly in a toaster oven.
The apple pie will look like it is freshly made.
The taste and quantity are perfect.
The crunchy dough and honey flavored apples are a perfect match.
The cinnamon aroma is very pleasant and appetizing.
And here’s another one…
Pudding.
I have eaten pudding from many different sweet stores.
Let me be clear.
This is the best.
A few days ago, at another of Uncle Rikuro’s stores.
I bought the pudding and tried eating it.
What a delicious pudding!
The sweetness is moderate and very smooth.
The taste of eggs and milk can be felt well.
Very impressed.
Since then, I have been captivated by Uncle Rikuro’s pudding.
This time I bought three.
It is truly an exquisite product.
Proof is better than argument.
I encourage all readers to give it a try.
In addition to cheesecake, apple pie and pudding,
they also offer avariety of products.
・Various cakes such as chocolate cake and fruit tart
・Whole cakes for parties
・Assorted sweets for souvenirs
What’s more, pastries are also sold.
From curry bread, egg sandwiches, and other prepared breads.
I was surprised to see even Shokupan white bread on sale.
And in this store,
you can eat and drink in the restaurant.
When I visited this store on a different day than the day I purchased the apple pie and pudding,
I had donuts and cafe au lait.
The donut is named “Tenshinowa (Angel’s Circle)” .
A simple cake batter doughnut dusted with sugar.
According to the official website,
Ttey contain vanilla liqueur and lemon juice.
I, hiikun, like simple doughnuts like this the best.
The darker flavored doughnuts with chocolate, cream and glaze are not bad, though.
A simple cake doughnut with just dough and sugar works best for me.
Dear travelers,
If you have time to spare,
Why not visit Uncle Rikuro’s store
located in the suburbs like Suminoe Koen Store ?
Although there were a few people there in the restaurant,
compared to stores located downtown,
I got the impression that it was empty.
When I visited it,
there was no line at the cheesecake sales counter,
It was available for immediate purchase.
There are also interesting places that are unique to the area,
also not seen in the downtown area.
While purchasing souvenirs,
It would be a good idea to visit such places.
Summary
This is the first of a series of recommendations for places to visit in the Suminoe Park area,
How was it?
This time,
I have introduced Osaka Gokoku Shrine, Suminoe Park, and Rikuro Ojisan Suminoe Koen Branch.
All are within walking distance from the station. You can visite them without difficulty.
At the Osaka Gokoku Shrine, we were able to express our condolences and gratitude to all the war dead.
At Suminoe Park, I was able to take a pleasant stroll through the park, recalling memories of my childhood.
I was able to get delicious sweets at Uncle Rikuro’s Suminoe Koen branch.
At attractive locations around Suminoe Koen Station
I had a wonderful time.
Next time,
I will introduce the other three recommended spots
that I counldn’t introduce in this article.
We hope you enjoy it!
See you in the next article.
Thank you for reading to the end.
