Continuing in my quest to explore new areas, learn more about my students at Smiths School of English in Fuse スミス英会話布施校 and find interesting things to do at local stations along the Kintetsu Osaka Line 近鉄大阪線 and Kintetsu Nara Line近鉄奈良線 my most recent trip took me to Kawachi Yamamoto Station 河内山本駅which is located in Yao City 八尾市on the Kintetsu Osaka Line 近鉄大阪線about 15 minutes east from Kintetsu Namba Station.近鉄難波駅
A couple of students from Smiths School of English in Fuse スミス英会話布施校had told me about a nice area called Yamamoto Cho 山本町which is… a local town in Yao City八尾市 where one can take a pleasant walk along the Tamakushi River. 玉串川
This area is especially famous for its beautiful cherry blossom trees which run continuously for about 4 to 5 km along the Tamakushi River leading out from Yamamoto Station. 玉串川の桜並木
I had been informed that this cherry blossom viewing spot in Yao City八尾市の花見 is the most famous and most beautiful in Higashi Osaka 東大阪の花見so I couldn’t resist going to check it out! I think its best to check it out before the season and then make plans to go back at the beginning of April. So, armed with my camera, off I went in search of Tamakushi River cherry blossom trees 玉串川の桜並木and whatever else I could find to do around Yamamoto Station in Yao City. 八尾市の河内山本駅
Kintetsu Kawachi Yamamoto Station 近鉄河内山本駅is located one stop past the Kintetsu Yao Station 近鉄八尾駅on the Kintetsu Osaka Line 近鉄大阪線. Upon arriving I made my way out of the South exit and walked for about 5 minutes until I came across the sign which you see pictured here; Tamakushi River 玉串川.
I did not have time to walk the entire distance of the promenade but I did walk for about 30 minutes and found it to be very enjoyable. The cherry blossom trees were of course not blooming yet but having seen some pictures online on the Yao City homepage 八尾市I could imagine how beautiful they must look in early April, so I will definitely make another trip back next month.
I was also informed by the locals that the area is teeming with admirers at that time as well as numerous sidewalk food vendors lined up all along the river. Sounds fun! I love those kinds of festivals in Japan. The atmosphere is always exciting and everyone is having a nice time.
On the way back to Yamamoto Station I came across a nice surprise! I saw signs pointing to the Yamamoto Shopping Area Morning Market 山本商店街so I decided to check it out. You can usually find some tasty little snacks prepared by the local vendors as well as good prices on fresh produce sometimes, especially if it’s brought in by the local farmers. However, on that day there was a special event being held.
The title translated into English would read, “Making mochi together with sumo wrestlers”.
It was a little cold that morning and these poor sumo wrestlers were only dressed in the traditional sumo garb but the long line of children waiting to join in the pounding and shaping of the fresh mochi rice cake were not at all concerned about the cold and the sumo wrestlers were so patient with each little child coming up and taking his or her turn at pounding the rice cakes a little then making their way over to a table where they could take home their freshly made rice cakes.
I stood and watched for about 15 minutes. I really wanted to join myself but shied away as I felt it would be unfair for this big foreigner to suddenly jump in line, so I just stood and took pictures and eavesdropped on the parents grateful comments to the sumo wrestlers for having taken the time to come out and make their children happy on this chilly winter day.
After this I spent a little more time walking around the area, checking out more shops, then walking around a shrine located at the north end of Yamamoto Station 河内山本駅. Before leaving I couldn’t resist the wonderful smell of freshly baked goods coming from a bakery located across the street from the station, so I stopped and picked up lunch and some freshly baked baguettes for dinner. I think the name was “pan no ie” which means “the bread house”. 八尾市 河内山本 パンの家 It was excellent!
All in all a very fun way to spend a Sunday morning and I learned a little more about where my students at Smiths School of English in Fuse come from. スミス英会話布施校
In class the following week I found that of my students at Smiths School of English in Fuse スミス英会話布施校 who live near Kawachi Yamamoto Station 河内山本駅, all agree that the bakery “パンの家” located across from Yamamoto Station is a great choice for freshly baked baguettes!
I plan to go back again next month when the cherry blossom trees are in full bloom and I’ll write an update again with some new pictures.
Where should I go next…
Alessandro “Alex” Stanciu
アレッサンドロ”アレックス”スタンシュー
Smith’s School of English Fuse
月謝制 の スミス 英会話 布施 校
Alex,
Thanks for the information. It is really good that you can share this with us and all the readers. Your students are certainly great to tell you about such places too. I a looking forward to your next adventure.
Al, SSE Okamoto