We live and work in the suburb of Minoh, which is about 15 kilometers north from downtown Osaka. It has a population of around 130,000 people and is famous for the forested park the city is nestled against. We are really enjoying living out here and one of the best things is the ability to ride bikes anywhere. We regularly go out as a family and explore the city on bike.
Last weekend we rode up into the hills and visited a Shinto shrine. We also walked along a small creek and the kids had fun running around and exploring the forest. One bad thing about Japan I am learning is there is almost no untouched wilderness. Even in the park, the hillsides have cement reinforcement walls and all of the rivers have dams so the water can be controlled for irrigating the rice paddies of the city.
After the walk, we rode back down to the city and went for a late lunch at Q’s Mall, located on highway 171, which bisects the Kobe-Osaka-Kyoto metro area.
I am looking forward to my first fall in Japan. The peak colors will be coming up later this month. I can’t wait to see the famous red colors of the Japanese maples. Some of the bushes and trees are already starting to turn.
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