\uff3bContents\uff3d<\/h2>\n\n- Cherished for thousands of years, Yuhigaoka\u2019s sunset <\/a><\/li>\n
- Historic figures in popular culture <\/a><\/li>\n
- Japan’s number one warrior was here!<\/a><\/li>\n
- Osaka\u2019s only natural waterfall <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n
\u25a0 Cherished for thousands of years, Yuhigaoka\u2019s sunset <\/h2>\n
Now when you look out over Osaka, you see a huge sprawling plain stretching towards Osaka Bay. But 2000 years ago, this land was completely covered by the ocean all the way up to Uemachi Plateau, where Osaka Castle is located.<\/p>\n
The change in geography is really apparent when you visit the neighborhood near Osaka Metro\u2019s Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka Station. This is the western edge of the Uemachi Plateau and the steep slope you\u2019ll be standing on, was once a seashore. Imagine standing on this hill and looking out over the ocean. It was a stunning vantage point to watch the sun set over the sea and so the area is named Yuhigaoka (\u5915\u65e5\u30f6\u4e18), in other words—sunset hill.
\nWhen the practice of watching the sun set due west, in the direction of the pure-land, as a Buddhist practice (jis\u014dgan<\/em>) became popular, many people began visiting the Uemachi Plateau to pray. The revered waka poet Fujiwara no Ietaka (115–1237) was so enamored with the site of the sunset over Osaka Bay, he established a sunset retreat \u201cYuhian\u201d on the west side of Shitennoji, where he spent the final years of his life. This is how the area got its name\u2014Yuhigaoka.
\n![\"Fujiwara](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/10\/autumn-yuhigaoka-img01.jpg\")
\u25b2Fujiwara no Ietaka\u2019s grave on the Kuchinawazaka Slope in Yuhgaoka<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n
As the sea has receded far into the distance, it’s no longer possible to watch the sun set over an ocean horizon from the plateau. But the tradition of watching the sunset lives on. Every spring and fall during the equinox, Shitennoji Temple holds a jis\u014dgan<\/em> ceremony.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/10\/autumn-yuhigaoka-img02.jpg\")
\u25b2The sunset through the torii gate of Shitennoji Temple<\/p><\/div>\n
I\u2019ve never been to the ceremony, but I’m sure it is awe-inspiring to join the people gathering here at dusk surrounded by the sound of monks chanting sutras. The sun\u2019s setting rays shine through the stone torii gate and I can\u2019t help but think of my ancestors who would\u2019ve stood on this hill a thousand years ago watching the same sun sink under the horizon.<\/p>\n
\u25a0 Historic figures in popular culture <\/h2>\n
The Yuhigaoka area is known for its many narrow sloping paths that lead up and down the side of the plateau. They\u2019re quite steep and each have a name, ending in –zaka<\/em>, which means slope or hill. The most famous of the the lot are known as the Seven Slopes of Tennoji\u2014Shingonzaka, Genshojizaka, Kuchinawazaka, Aizenzaka, Kiyomizuzaka, Tenjinzaka, and \u014czaka. The area is also full of temples and shrines like Ikutama Jinja Shrine and Aizendo Temple. Plan an afternoon walk and immerse yourself in the tranquil greenery in this ancient part of town. <\/p>\n![\"Seven](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/10\/autumn-yuhigaoka-img04.jpg\")
\u25b2The most well-known of the Seven Slopes, Kuchinawazaka<\/p>\n
The spot appears in Ry\u014dtar\u014d Shiba\u2019s famous novel Moeyo Ken<\/em> aka Burn, O Sword<\/em>. The main character and real-life warrior Hijikata Toshiz\u014d (1835\u20131869) states:<\/p>\nThe sunset should be the most beautiful thing in this world. Even if it is not beautiful, we must say it is so.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\nDuring Toshiz\u014d\u2019s lifetime, Japan underwent a dramatic conflict between the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo and the reformist element who eventually restored power to the imperial family and also opened Japan to external trade. Toshiz\u014d sided with the shogunate and led the Shinsengumi special forces as Vice-Commander. He was so heavy-handed that he was feared by not only his enemies, but also those within his ranks. He became known by the nickname “Demon Vice-Commander” (\u9b3c\u306e\u526f\u9577).
\nThe Moeyo Ken<\/em> novel features a deeply tragic scene\u2014when facing certain defeat before heading into battle, Toshiz\u014d has a final meeting with his lover Oyuki. His words, as they watch over the setting sun, betray the deep sadness that overtakes him as he approaches the end of his life. This scene must be included in the 2021 movie Baragaki: Unbroken Samurai<\/em>, which was based on the novel, however I have to admit I haven\u2019t watched in yet.
\nThere is a stone marker commemorating the Shinsengumi\u2019s Osaka station at Manpukuji Temple just north of Kuchinawazaka. I would assume Hijikata Toshiz\u014d stayed here at some point.
\nAlso located on Kuchinawazaka, there is a memorial site dedicated to Komatsu Tatewaki (1835\u20131870), a samurai of the Satsuma Domain (Kyushu) who went on to become an early politician in the Meiji government.<\/p>\n![\"\u85a9\u6469\u85e9\u58eb\u30fb\u5c0f\u677e\u5e2f\u5200\u306e\u304a\u5893\"](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/10\/autumn-yuhigaoka-img05.jpg\")
\nKomatsu Tatewaki is remembered for his role overseeing \u014ckubo Toshimichi (1830\u20131878) who became an exceedingly powerful statesman in the early Meiji government.
\nTatewaki died in Osaka in 1870, and both \u014ckubo Toshimichi and Godai Tomoatsu paid their respects to him during rites held here in Yuhigaoka.<\/p>\n
\u25a0Japan’s number one warrior was here!<\/h2>\n
\u014czaka, the southernmost of the Seven Slopes gets quite a bit of car traffic, so in itself it may not be very charming. But there is a very famous spot, halfway up the slope called Yasui Jinja Shrine.
\nLet’s jump back even further into history, a few generations before the Meiji Restoration to another very tumultuous time\u2014the early seventeenth century, when the Toyotomi family, based in Osaka Castle, lost control of the country to the Tokugawa Shogunate.
\nYasui Jinja Shrine grounds are a revered spot, where the very loyal samurai Sanada Yukimura (1567\u20131615), aka Sanada Yoshihige, escaped to during the Seige of Osaka (1614\u20131615).<\/p>\n
![\"Sanada](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/10\/autumn-yuhigaoka-img06.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
During the Winter Siege on Osaka Castle, Yukimura defended the Toyotomi stronghold from the grounds of a makeshift fortress he had built named Sanada Maru. Outnumbered, he managed to fight off the Tokugawa forces who were tens of thousands strong. Afterwards the Tokugawa side tried to entice Yukimura to join them in exchange for control over the Shinano Province (present-day Nagano), however Yukimura remained loyal. Despite the imminent loss he was facing in the following Summer Seige of Osaka, Yukimura remained unwavering and fought to the bitter end with the spirit of a true warrior. He remains a very popular historic figure to this day. He is often called the \u201cNumber one warrior in Japan.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Yasui](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/10\/autumn-yuhigaoka-img07.jpg\")
\nYasui Jinja Shrine is also affiliated with the Shinto deity of learning, Sugawara no Michizane. What an impressive shrine history!
\nPlus there’s a well on shrine grounds, which had water that was believed to be able to calm the temper of small children. Unfortunately, for any parents of small children, the well has since dried and is no longer in use. <\/p>\n
\u25a0 Osaka\u2019s only natural waterfall <\/h2>\n
To the north of Yasui Jinja Shrine, there’s a place located on the Kiyomizuzaka path that you absolutely must visit\u2014Osaka\u2019s very own Kiyomizudera Temple!
\nYou\u2019ve probably heard of the famous Kiyomizudera in Kyoto, but few know that Osaka has its very own. It\u2019s modeled after the original and is sometimes called Shin-Kiyomizudera, meaning \u201cnew\u201d Kiyomizudera. Just like the Kiyomizudera in Kyoto, it has a large platform \u201cstage\u201d and venerates the Eleven-headed Thousand-armed Kannon Bodhisattva. It\u2019s not just a simple imitation, but has its very own style and charm.
\nTake a look at the scenery from the stage platform.
\n![\"Osaka's](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/10\/autumn-yuhigaoka-img08.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
There you can see Tsutenkaku on the left!
\nThe scenery here is truly amazing!<\/p>\n
![\"\u7389\u51fa\u306e\u6edd\"](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/10\/autumn-yuhigaoka-img09.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
And here is the pure water that gives the temple its name \u201ckiyomizu\u201d.
\nIn fact, this is the only naturally occurring waterfall in Osaka’s city limits. Similar to Otowa Waterfall at Kyoto’s Kiyomizudera, Osaka\u2019s Tamade Waterfall pours out from three places. According to legend, the Tamade\u2019s pure water flows underground from an underground pond at Shitennoji Temple. <\/p>\n
Legend has it that when Prince Shotoku founded Shitennoji Temple, he captured a blue dragon and, as dragons are symbolic of water, the dragon turned into a small pond, which he named Shiraishi Tamade-mizu.
\nThat’s the same water that flows here. What a story!
\n It is considered a very spiritual place and is known as a \u201cpower spot\u201d in Japan.
\n(Please keep in mind when you visit, it is not for drinking.)<\/p>\n
There really are so many things to see in this neighborhood.
\nIf you visit in summer, don\u2019t miss the summer festivals. Two of Osaka\u2019s big 3 summer festivals are held in this neighborhood\u2014Aizen Matsuri (June 30\u2013July 2) and Ikutama Matsuri (July 11\u201312).
\n![\"Ganshoji](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/10\/autumn-yuhigaoka-img10-1.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
An excellent place for a stroll immersed in history, Yuhigaoka and the Seven Slopes of Tennoji are incredibly picturesque. You’ll definitely want to bring a camera. It’s easy to see why people have been coming here for thousands of years!<\/p>\n
\u25bcIf you liked this article, read more
\n![](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2021\/05\/love-matchmaking-spots.jpg\")
Maybe all you need is a little luck! 6 spots to improve your love life\u2661<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
\u25a0 Cherished for thousands of years, Yuhigaoka\u2019s sunset <\/h2>\n
Now when you look out over Osaka, you see a huge sprawling plain stretching towards Osaka Bay. But 2000 years ago, this land was completely covered by the ocean all the way up to Uemachi Plateau, where Osaka Castle is located.<\/p>\n
The change in geography is really apparent when you visit the neighborhood near Osaka Metro\u2019s Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka Station. This is the western edge of the Uemachi Plateau and the steep slope you\u2019ll be standing on, was once a seashore. Imagine standing on this hill and looking out over the ocean. It was a stunning vantage point to watch the sun set over the sea and so the area is named Yuhigaoka (\u5915\u65e5\u30f6\u4e18), in other words—sunset hill. \u25b2Fujiwara no Ietaka\u2019s grave on the Kuchinawazaka Slope in Yuhgaoka<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n As the sea has receded far into the distance, it’s no longer possible to watch the sun set over an ocean horizon from the plateau. But the tradition of watching the sunset lives on. Every spring and fall during the equinox, Shitennoji Temple holds a jis\u014dgan<\/em> ceremony.<\/p>\n \u25b2The sunset through the torii gate of Shitennoji Temple<\/p><\/div>\n I\u2019ve never been to the ceremony, but I’m sure it is awe-inspiring to join the people gathering here at dusk surrounded by the sound of monks chanting sutras. The sun\u2019s setting rays shine through the stone torii gate and I can\u2019t help but think of my ancestors who would\u2019ve stood on this hill a thousand years ago watching the same sun sink under the horizon.<\/p>\n The Yuhigaoka area is known for its many narrow sloping paths that lead up and down the side of the plateau. They\u2019re quite steep and each have a name, ending in –zaka<\/em>, which means slope or hill. The most famous of the the lot are known as the Seven Slopes of Tennoji\u2014Shingonzaka, Genshojizaka, Kuchinawazaka, Aizenzaka, Kiyomizuzaka, Tenjinzaka, and \u014czaka. The area is also full of temples and shrines like Ikutama Jinja Shrine and Aizendo Temple. Plan an afternoon walk and immerse yourself in the tranquil greenery in this ancient part of town. <\/p>\n The spot appears in Ry\u014dtar\u014d Shiba\u2019s famous novel Moeyo Ken<\/em> aka Burn, O Sword<\/em>. The main character and real-life warrior Hijikata Toshiz\u014d (1835\u20131869) states:<\/p>\n The sunset should be the most beautiful thing in this world. Even if it is not beautiful, we must say it is so.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n During Toshiz\u014d\u2019s lifetime, Japan underwent a dramatic conflict between the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo and the reformist element who eventually restored power to the imperial family and also opened Japan to external trade. Toshiz\u014d sided with the shogunate and led the Shinsengumi special forces as Vice-Commander. He was so heavy-handed that he was feared by not only his enemies, but also those within his ranks. He became known by the nickname “Demon Vice-Commander” (\u9b3c\u306e\u526f\u9577). \u014czaka, the southernmost of the Seven Slopes gets quite a bit of car traffic, so in itself it may not be very charming. But there is a very famous spot, halfway up the slope called Yasui Jinja Shrine. During the Winter Siege on Osaka Castle, Yukimura defended the Toyotomi stronghold from the grounds of a makeshift fortress he had built named Sanada Maru. Outnumbered, he managed to fight off the Tokugawa forces who were tens of thousands strong. Afterwards the Tokugawa side tried to entice Yukimura to join them in exchange for control over the Shinano Province (present-day Nagano), however Yukimura remained loyal. Despite the imminent loss he was facing in the following Summer Seige of Osaka, Yukimura remained unwavering and fought to the bitter end with the spirit of a true warrior. He remains a very popular historic figure to this day. He is often called the \u201cNumber one warrior in Japan.\u201d<\/p>\n To the north of Yasui Jinja Shrine, there’s a place located on the Kiyomizuzaka path that you absolutely must visit\u2014Osaka\u2019s very own Kiyomizudera Temple! There you can see Tsutenkaku on the left! And here is the pure water that gives the temple its name \u201ckiyomizu\u201d. Legend has it that when Prince Shotoku founded Shitennoji Temple, he captured a blue dragon and, as dragons are symbolic of water, the dragon turned into a small pond, which he named Shiraishi Tamade-mizu. There really are so many things to see in this neighborhood. An excellent place for a stroll immersed in history, Yuhigaoka and the Seven Slopes of Tennoji are incredibly picturesque. You’ll definitely want to bring a camera. It’s easy to see why people have been coming here for thousands of years!<\/p>\n \u25bcIf you liked this article, read more
\nWhen the practice of watching the sun set due west, in the direction of the pure-land, as a Buddhist practice (jis\u014dgan<\/em>) became popular, many people began visiting the Uemachi Plateau to pray. The revered waka poet Fujiwara no Ietaka (115–1237) was so enamored with the site of the sunset over Osaka Bay, he established a sunset retreat \u201cYuhian\u201d on the west side of Shitennoji, where he spent the final years of his life. This is how the area got its name\u2014Yuhigaoka.
\n\u25a0 Historic figures in popular culture <\/h2>\n
\u25b2The most well-known of the Seven Slopes, Kuchinawazaka<\/p>\n
\nThe Moeyo Ken<\/em> novel features a deeply tragic scene\u2014when facing certain defeat before heading into battle, Toshiz\u014d has a final meeting with his lover Oyuki. His words, as they watch over the setting sun, betray the deep sadness that overtakes him as he approaches the end of his life. This scene must be included in the 2021 movie Baragaki: Unbroken Samurai<\/em>, which was based on the novel, however I have to admit I haven\u2019t watched in yet.
\nThere is a stone marker commemorating the Shinsengumi\u2019s Osaka station at Manpukuji Temple just north of Kuchinawazaka. I would assume Hijikata Toshiz\u014d stayed here at some point.
\nAlso located on Kuchinawazaka, there is a memorial site dedicated to Komatsu Tatewaki (1835\u20131870), a samurai of the Satsuma Domain (Kyushu) who went on to become an early politician in the Meiji government.<\/p>\n
\nKomatsu Tatewaki is remembered for his role overseeing \u014ckubo Toshimichi (1830\u20131878) who became an exceedingly powerful statesman in the early Meiji government.
\nTatewaki died in Osaka in 1870, and both \u014ckubo Toshimichi and Godai Tomoatsu paid their respects to him during rites held here in Yuhigaoka.<\/p>\n\u25a0Japan’s number one warrior was here!<\/h2>\n
\nLet’s jump back even further into history, a few generations before the Meiji Restoration to another very tumultuous time\u2014the early seventeenth century, when the Toyotomi family, based in Osaka Castle, lost control of the country to the Tokugawa Shogunate.
\nYasui Jinja Shrine grounds are a revered spot, where the very loyal samurai Sanada Yukimura (1567\u20131615), aka Sanada Yoshihige, escaped to during the Seige of Osaka (1614\u20131615).<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nYasui Jinja Shrine is also affiliated with the Shinto deity of learning, Sugawara no Michizane. What an impressive shrine history!
\nPlus there’s a well on shrine grounds, which had water that was believed to be able to calm the temper of small children. Unfortunately, for any parents of small children, the well has since dried and is no longer in use. <\/p>\n\u25a0 Osaka\u2019s only natural waterfall <\/h2>\n
\nYou\u2019ve probably heard of the famous Kiyomizudera in Kyoto, but few know that Osaka has its very own. It\u2019s modeled after the original and is sometimes called Shin-Kiyomizudera, meaning \u201cnew\u201d Kiyomizudera. Just like the Kiyomizudera in Kyoto, it has a large platform \u201cstage\u201d and venerates the Eleven-headed Thousand-armed Kannon Bodhisattva. It\u2019s not just a simple imitation, but has its very own style and charm.
\nTake a look at the scenery from the stage platform.
\n<\/p>\n
\nThe scenery here is truly amazing!<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nIn fact, this is the only naturally occurring waterfall in Osaka’s city limits. Similar to Otowa Waterfall at Kyoto’s Kiyomizudera, Osaka\u2019s Tamade Waterfall pours out from three places. According to legend, the Tamade\u2019s pure water flows underground from an underground pond at Shitennoji Temple. <\/p>\n
\nThat’s the same water that flows here. What a story!
\n It is considered a very spiritual place and is known as a \u201cpower spot\u201d in Japan.
\n(Please keep in mind when you visit, it is not for drinking.)<\/p>\n
\nIf you visit in summer, don\u2019t miss the summer festivals. Two of Osaka\u2019s big 3 summer festivals are held in this neighborhood\u2014Aizen Matsuri (June 30\u2013July 2) and Ikutama Matsuri (July 11\u201312).
\n<\/p>\n
\nMaybe all you need is a little luck! 6 spots to improve your love life\u2661<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/maido-storage.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com\/maido\/uploads\/2020\/08\/shrines-and-temples-main.jpg\")