Start from the holy land of cycling! The cycling course around the Matsubara Six Shrines
2024.10.30
Approximately 25 minutes by train and on foot from Tennoji Station
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Matsubara City is easily accessible from Osaka City and has over 15 bicycle-share ports. We'll introduce you to the "1-Day Local Tour," which will take you through hidden Osaka areas known only to those in the know, a cycling course that takes you around six shrines in Matsubara City and Higashisumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City, and restaurants serving Kawachi duck, a Matsubara specialty!
Matsubara City is located almost in the center of Osaka Prefecture. It is about a 10-minute Kintetsu train ride from Osaka Abenobashi Station, adjacent to Tennoji Station, and has good access to Osaka city, making it a thriving city with many people living there.
Matsubara City is home to many historic shrines.
The "Kaiun Matsubara Rokusha Pilgrimage*," which involves visiting six shrines every year from New Year's Day to January 15th, is becoming more and more popular every year, with many people attending.
*Good Luck Matsubara Six Shrine Pilgrimage: An event in which participants visit Nunose Shrine, Gadou Hachimangu Shrine, Miyake Shrine, ao Shrine, and Shibagaki Shrine in Matsubara City, as well as Amamikoso Shrine in Higashisumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City. At the first shrine visited, participants pay an offering and receive a votive tablet. After collecting the worship seals of the five shrines on the tablet, they return to the first shrine and are given a papier-mâché figure of the zodiac animal.
This time, we'll start at Nunose Shrine, famous as a "bicycle mecca," and cycle around shrines where you can feel the history and power spots. We'll introduce a model itinerary that you can enjoy in half a day, stopping off at a cafe converted from an old house and a restaurant where you can try rare Kawachi duck!
＼Today’s Guide／
Tanukiyama Mihotan
Originally from Iga City, Mie Prefecture, she currently resides in Kyoto. Her hobbies are reading manga and drinking until she passes out. She is the leader of the questionable idol group "Otafuku Girls" and the representative drunkard. She loves traveling, or rather, moving around, and enjoys pilgrimages to the holy sites of manga works and the local food. She often writes about her experiences, such as ninjutsu training, having her butt bitten by a pig, and counting the number of sesame seeds in sesame dumplings. Her dream for the future is to become popular.
01. Nunose Shrine
Get a bicycle charm to pray for safe travels
Hello everyone! My name is Miho Tanukiyama. I'm an underground idol group based in Osaka. Our unit name is "Otafuku Girls," which sounds a bit auspicious. This time, we'll be visiting six shrines to pray for blessings that are worthy of our name.
The course starts at Nunose Shrine, a five-minute walk from Kintetsu Nunoshi Station. This shrine is dedicated to the gods of healing, protection from misfortune, business prosperity, and road safety, and is also famous for its "love fortune" which has become a hot topic on social media.
First, pray and visit the shrine office. What we want to draw your attention to here is "Chari Mamoru"!
The Kotohira Shrine, also known as the god of traffic safety, is enshrined at the branch shrine of Nunose Shrine. For this reason, Nunose Shrine is also famous as a local "bicycle mecca." The "bicycle charm" that prays for bicycle traffic safety is very cute, with the "nu" in Nunoshi shaped like a bicycle.
This area is also where Koyakaido and Nagao Kaido roads intersect. There is a bicycle signpost at the south gate of the shrine. It's truly a mecca for bicycles!
And, as I was curious, I also tried love fortune.
Unexpectedly, "I want to get married." x 6! According to the chief priest, "marriage" and "love" are not just between men and women. Everyone has their own interpretation of love fortune. It's profound.
Once you've finished praying, rent a bicycle at the bicycle sharing station on the temple grounds.
The bicycle sharing service we used this time, "HELLO CYCLING," has over 15 stations in Matsubara City. You can reserve a vehicle by downloading the dedicated app and selecting an available bicycle from the stations displayed on the map. Payment can be made by credit card or carrier payment.
The electric assist bicycle I used this time cost 130 yen for up to 30 minutes of use, and then 100 yen for every 15 minutes thereafter, for a maximum of 1,800 yen for up to 12 hours.
HELLO CYCLING rates vary depending on the area and vehicle type. Please check the app. Nunose Shrine station is open from 6:00 to 17:30. HELLO CYCLING
Now, let's set off to visit the Matsubara Six Shrines!
Nunose Shrine
2-4-11 Kitashinmachi, Matsubara City, Osaka Prefecture
Opening hours: 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM Visiting hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM The gift shop is closed on Mondays Phone number: 072-334-7634 Official website
02. Gadou Hachiman Shrine
Imagine the lives of people in the past at the strength contest stone
After about a 10 minute bike ride, we arrived at Gadou Hachiman Shrine.
It is famous as a shrine for warding off evil spirits, so be sure to pay your respects.
Within the grounds of this shrine, there remains a stone where young people gathered to compete in strength contests from the Edo period to the early Showa period.
The sign explains that "young men would gather from far away villages to compete in a strength contest for fun." I imagined that scene and contemplated what life was like back then. The fact that it continued for such a long time and the stones still remain suggests that it must have been a very lively event.
Business hours: 9:00-17:00 Phone number: 072-335-3334
03.ten_cafe
Take a break with a big fluffy dog
After visiting the two shrines, we went to "ten_cafe," a cafe renovated from an old Japanese house. It's located just a short distance from Gadō Hachimangu Shrine.
When we went inside, we were greeted by Ten, a very large Great Pyrenees.
Nicknamed "tencho"
What I received was a small French bread.
With olive oil and jam
There's even Ten on the coaster! So cute!
Watching Ten lying flat on the dirt floor naturally makes me feel relaxed.
Apparently, many customers bring their dogs here, and the tatami room is filled with dog goods and items with dog illustrations.
There were lots of cute products that would make anyone, even those who don't have pets, want to pick them up.
The building was originally the owner's grandmother's home, and they have kept the original atmosphere without making many changes, creating a very relaxing space.
Business hours: 10:00-17:00 Closed: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Official website
04. Amamikoso Shrine
Recharge your energy from a large camphor tree
After cycling for another 10 minutes, we arrived at Amami Koso Shrine.
It is a historic shrine that was founded in the early Heian period. The spacious grounds are filled with cool air and the sound of rustling leaves is soothing.
The large camphor tree, 25 meters tall, is over 500 years old! There are three such trees on the grounds, and you can feel the energy of the trees.
This camphor tree is also designated as a preserved forest in Osaka City. Hmm? Osaka City? Actually, Amami Koso Shrine is in Higashisumiyoshi Ward, Osaka City. Looking at a map, it's an area that juts out from Osaka City across the Yamato River. It seems that it became like this after construction to divert the Yamato River during the Edo period. You can feel the history here too.
Amamikyoso Shrine
7-6-18 Yada, Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
Business hours: 8:00-18:00 Phone number: 072-331-0123
05. Tonokura Shrine
A shrine with many attractions and connections to Sugawara no Michizane
The next place we visited was Tonokura Shrine, about a 15-minute bike ride from Amami Koso Shrine. Founded in 942, the shrine enshrines Sugawara no Michizane, who is famous as the god of learning.
There are many traditional items related to Michizane remaining here, including the "Shingaishi" (divine stone) where Michizane is said to have sat down and prayed before going to Dazaifu, and a statue of Sugawara no Michizane enshrined in the main hall.
There are many plum trees planted within the grounds, and a plum festival is held every year in early March. I imagine it is even more beautiful during the plum season.
Outside the torii gate, Discover！
This building is the "Miyake Ryuo-ko Gyoja Hall," and this appears to be a statue of a demon who served En no Gyoja.
Tonokura Shrine
4-1-8 Miyake-naka, Matsubara City, Osaka Prefecture
Business hours: 8:00-18:00 Phone number: 072-331-0123
06. ao Shrine
A shrine packed with cuteness
This is also a shrine dedicated to Sugawara no Michizane. You can draw a "flower fortune" or a "learning fortune," and the "fortune-telling box" shaped like a plum blossom is filled with many fortunes tied up, adding color to the temple grounds.
The Komainu statues here are coloured in a pop of colour and are very cute.
Behind the main shrine is a large camphor tree, which is said to be a power spot that was planted by Prince ao.
Enjoy Matsubara-related Japanese sweets as a snack
Another 5-minute bike ride later, we stopped at a Japanese confectionery shop called "Okashiya Yoshinoya Matsubara."
What I was looking for was "Anmakkii," a dorayaki pancake branded with the image of "Macky," Matsubara City's mascot character!
Eat-in corner available
The fluffy dough, made with fresh eggs from Tondabayashi, Osaka, is perfectly matched with the lightly cooked bean paste. The small size makes it the perfect snack.
The shop owner, Shinji Nakanishi, also supervised the Japanese sweets for the NHK morning drama "Kumkum Everybody." His motto is "Ichi-ka-ichi-warai" (One sweet, one smile), and he himself has a lovely, beaming smile.
Another noteworthy product is the "Matsubara Mairi."
The rice crackers feature illustrations of the six shrines that make up the lucky six shrine pilgrimage route. Some customers buy them after their visit, and they have a soft, fluffy egg flavor and a gentle texture.
There is a constant stream of regular customers, making this a restaurant that is truly loved by locals.
Business hours: 9:00-18:00 Closed: Wednesdays Phone number: 072-335-0046 Official website
08. Shibagaki Shrine
A rare "tooth" shrine
After recharging our energy with some sweet snacks, we cycled for about five minutes and arrived at Shibagaki Shrine, the last of our six shrine visits.
This is a very unusual shrine dedicated to teeth! Every year on August 8th at 8:08pm, the Ha Shrine Festival is held in the shrine grounds with candles lit.
Of course, the votive plaque is also "teeth"!
This is the only "tooth brushing mask" in Japan. By touching the teeth on this mask, you pray for healthy and beautiful teeth. I tend to skip going to the dentist, so I scrubbed the areas that bothered me, promising myself I'd get treatment.
It takes about 5 minutes by bicycle from Shibagaki Shrine to Kawachi Matsubara Station.
We were able to visit all six shrines without any problems! Please return the bicycle at the shared bicycle port at Kawachi Matsubara Station. Thank you for joining us for the day!
For dinner, we went to Nagomi, which is just a short walk from the station.
The signature dish here is Kawachi duck.
The history of Kawachi duck dates back to Toyotomi Hideyoshi's encouragement of its breeding. This locally produced brand of duck meat has a rich flavor and a good balance of sweetness and umami. Nagomi purchases Kawachi ducks slaughtered that morning from Tsumura Honten, the producer.
First, let's have a beer to celebrate the hard work! It really sinks in after I've been working out on my bike.
We ordered "seared loin" and "small duck shabu-shabu hot pot."
The glossy duck loin is so beautiful! The Kawachi duck served at Wa-mi is so fresh that it can be eaten raw, and the loin tataki is packed with the umami of the meat itself. Delicious!!!
For duck shabu-shabu, simply dip the meat in the pot for 5 to 10 seconds.
The fatty parts are also sweet, and the delicious flavor spreads throughout your mouth with each bite.
They are particular about using locally produced ingredients, and apparently even the vegetables are sourced from trusted local farmers. It was truly a delicious hot pot without any side dishes.
Business hours: 17:00-23:00 Closed: Sundays Phone number: 072-333-7530 Official website
It's the perfect way to refresh yourself! If it brings you good fortune, that's even better!
Get some exercise on a bike ride and refresh yourself by visiting shrines that are known as power spots! Matsubara has a laid back, local atmosphere, and I was able to experience the warmth of the local people. It's just the right distance away, so it's great that you can pop in whenever you feel like it.
It feels very refreshing somehow. If this is beneficial to you, that would be even better!
\Recommended guided tours/ [DeepExperience] Matsubara City Cultural Experience Cycling Tour
- Guided cycling around the city using shared bicycles ・Japanese sweets making experience with a local Japanese sweets craftsman ・Traditional Ranma Carving Workshop ・Visit a shrine that is nationally famous for love fortune ・Special lunch featuring rare local Kawachi duck
*The information listed is current as of October 2024. Please check the website of each store or facility for the latest opening hours.
\Please stop by while you're there!/
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