Top 5 Must-to-see Events in Osaka/Hyogo: May 2018 (w/Photos)
You will find delicious cuisines and amusements at night in Osaka as well as a fashionable port city Kobe and popular “Kinosaki Onsen” (a hot spring) in Hyogo Prefecture. Since both are situated close to Kyoto and Nara, you can visit various touristic spots and events as well. In this issue we introduce some events held in May in Osaka and Hyogo Prefecture.
Events to Enjoy the Nature
1. “Suma Rikyu Koen” Garden in Hyogo: The Spring Event – 22nd April – 5th May, 2018
source:mintclub.kobe-np
“Suma Rikyu Koen” Garden is a city park situated in Suma-ku, Kobe-city in Hyogo Prefecture. It extends over a vast area of 82 hectares on a hill. It is composed of a western style main garden and a botanic garden. In each season you can see various plants. In the spring there are flowers of cherry, camellia, azalea and rose, one after another. In late April there is an event to view 200 peonies in 40 different kinds. Thereafter there will be many events till the end of the Golden Week (from 29th April through 5th May). The events are “Flower Concert”, “Try the Mini Train” and “Promenade in Seasonal Plants and Flowers”. The Park is equipped with a jumbo slide, athletic facilities, a restaurant and a rest house. This greenery park commands a nice view of the Osaka Bay.
Schedule
Dates & Hours
22nd April – 5th May, 2018
Hours: 09:00 – 17:00 (last admission at 16:30)
Closed: Every Thursday except 3rd May
Events (Cancelation due to rain may depends on the events.)
Viewing Party of Peonies (end of April)
Flower Concert: 22nd April
Let’s Try the Mini Train (28th & 29th April)
Promenade in Seasonal Plants & Flowers: 5th May
Access & Address
・Venue : Kobe-city Suma Rikyu Koen Garden
・Direction from the nearest station
In the proximity of “Rikyu Koen-mae” Bus Stop
・Travel time from main terminals
Approx. 30 minutes by Train & bus from “Kobe” Station
・Address: 1-1 Higashi Suma, Suma-ku, Kobe-city, Hyogo
・Map
Admission fee & reservation
Admission fee:
15years old or above except junior high school students: Yen400
Students of elementary and junior high school: Yen200
(Note; on 1st May, admission free for all, and on 5th May <the Children’s Day>, admission free for all students of elementary and junior high school)
Reservation not required
Official site URL
http://www.kobe-park.or.jp/rikyu/event/
2. Awaji Flower Festival: 17th March – 27th May, 2018
source: awajihanamatsuri
“Awaji Flower Festival, Spring in 2018” is a festival to of “Awaji-shima” Island to admire flowers and to enjoy the spring seaon. At “Awajishima Kokuei Akashi Kaikyo Koen” Park, which is one of the festival venues, there are a contest for making a flower bed, a cross-country race solving quizzes, a photo contest and a lecture for taking photos.
During the period of the event you can enjoy flowers in blossom such as tulips, rapes, cherries, roses, etc. Nearby there are touristic spots, for example a hot spring called “Matsuho-no-sato” in “Iwaya Onsen” just after crossing “Akashi Kaikyo Ohashi” Bridge. This hot spring facility is only for bathing and not for overnight stay, and it commands a fantastic view of the “Setonaikai” Sea and the “Akashi Kaikyo Ohashi” Bridge. Another scenic site is “Awaji Yume-butai” (a dream stage) designed by Tadao Ando, a renowned architect. It is the best resort complex in “Awaji-shima” Island composed of “Hyaku-dan-en” (a huge flower bed) with a breathtaking view of the sea, “Kiseki-no-hoshi” Botanic Garden, an outdoor theater and a restaurant. It is a must-see spot on the island.
Schedule
・Dates & hours
17th March – 27th May, 2018
Hours depend on each facility.
Access & address
・Venue
Awaji-shima Kokuei Akashi Kaikyo Koen Park and other places on the island
・Direction from the nearest station
In the proximity of “Awaji Yume Butai-mae” Bus Stop
・Travel time from terminal stations
Approx. 50 minutes by bus from “Kobe” Station
・Address: 8-10 Yume Butai, Awaji-city, Hyogo
・Map
Admission fee & reservation
Admission fees vary depending on the facility
Reservation not required
Official site URL
http://www.awajihanamatsuri.com/
3. Viewing Azaleas in “Soraku-en” Garden in Hyogo Prefecture: 21st April – 6th May, 2018
source:city.kobe
“Sorakuen” Garden is one of the best Japanese gardens in Kobe-city. It is designed by “Chisen Kaiyu-shiki” which means the garden features a path around a pond. Towards the end of April and the beginning of May every year, 4000 azaleas bloom and there are events called “Tsutsuji-yusan” (admiring the azaleas). You can enjoy different kinds of azaleas such as enkianthus perulatus which blooms white pot-shaped flowers hanging from branches, Kirishima azalea which blooms deep red flowers, and so on. Exceptionally for the event “Kanshin-tei” Pavilion which is usually not open for public, is open for tea ceremonies and concerts during this period. Further you can see a historic pavilion “Funakata-ya” from outside. Why not spend a relaxing day in this garden watching the azaleas and tasting a creative Japanese pastry?
Schedule
・Dates & hours
21st April – 6th May, 2018
09:00 - 17:00 (last admission at 16:30)
Open every day during the period
Access & address
・Venue: Kobe City Soraku-en Garden
・Direction from the nearest station
10 minutes walk from “Motomachi” Station
・Travel time from main terminals
12 minutes by train and walk from “Kobe” Station
・Address: 5-3-1 Naka Yamate-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe-city, Hyogo
・Map
Admission fee & reservation
Admission fee:
Adults (15 years old or above) Yen300
Children (Students of elementary and junior high school): Yen150
Reservation not required
Official site URL
4. Cherry Blossom at “Katsuo-ji” Temple: Mid April – Early May, 2018
source: 4travel
“Katsuo-ji” Temple was at first named as “勝王寺” (with the same pronunciation) in Japanese but later changed to a different Kanji character “勝尾寺” (also with the same pronunciation). The first name means “Conquer a king” because it was said that even the emperor could not overcome the Buddha’s power. As time passed, many “Shoguns” and warriors prayed here for their victory. Therefore people consider that this temple brings victory. Even today many people from all over Japan visit here to make a wish for their success. Daruma dolls for prosperity of this temple are popular as a good luck charm. In addition to the “Daruma” dolls the temple is well known for its cherry trees and blossoms namely weeping cherries, double cherry blossoms, wild cherries and so on. Since the temple is located in the middle of mountains, the peak of cherry blossoms is a little later than the seasonal cherry blossoms. Here you can view rare yellow cherry flowers. Isn’t it fun?
Schedule
・Dates & hours
Middle of April – Early May
Access & address
・Venue: Katsuo-ji Temple
・Direction from the nearest station
1 minute walk from “Katsuo-ji” Bus Stop
・Travel time from main terminal stations
Approx. 1hour and 15 minutes by train & bus from “Osaka” Station
・Address: Katsuo-ji, Minoo-city, Osaka
・Map
Admission fee & reservation
Admission: Yen700
Reservation not required
Official site not available
Modern Art Events
5. The 40th Anniversary of the National Museum of Art Osaka: “Travelers – Stepping into the Unknown”: 21st January – 6th May, 2018
source: museum
The National Museum of Art, Osaka founded in 1977 is located in Naka-no-shima, Kita-ku, Osaka. Its collections are mainly domestic and international modern arts after the 2nd World War. However, it displays other arts at special exhibitions. This special exhibition is to commemorate 40th anniversary of the museum. Through the works of more than 40 Japanese and foreign artists, the exhibition spots the light on various arts such as paintings, sculptures and photographs. This is done by examining what has been imbued in our society for the last 40 years from various points of views: time, history and memory. It will also explore future potentials of the museum.
.
Schedule
・Dates & hours
21st January – 6th May, 2018
10:00 - 17:00 (last admission at 16:30),
Fri & Sat 10:00 – 20:00 (last admission at 19:30)
Closed on Mondays, Certain Monday is open if it falls on a national holiday and Tuesday (the following day) is closed instead. Exceptionally open on 1st May 2018.
Access & address
・Venue: National Museum of Art, Osaka
・Direction from the nearest station
5 minutes walk from “Watanabe-bashi” Station
・Travel time from main terminal stations
Approx. 15 minutes by train or bus from “Osaka” Station
・Address: 4-2-55 Naka-no-shima, Kita-ku, Osaka-city, Osaka
・Map
Admission fee & reservation
Admission fee:
Adults: Yen1,200, University students: Yen800
Admissions free under 18 years old or mentally or physically disabled people with one attendant (ID required).
Reservation not required
Official site URL
6. Special Exhibition “Caricature in Edo: From Toba-e Painting to Hokusai/Kuniyoshi/Kyosai” at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts
17th April – 10th June, 2018
source: osaka-info
The Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts is located in “Ten-no-ji Koen” Park. The special exhibition titled “Caricature in Edo: From Toba-e Painting to Hokusai/Kuniyoshi/Kyosai” focuses on “Toba-e” as the key-word among many “Giga” which means caricatures and cartoons. “Toba-e” is a caricature form which became very popular around Osaka in the 18th century with its light and easy strokes. It gave great influence on many “Ukiyo-e” painters namely “Jicho-sai” in Osaka, “Hokusai”, “Kuniyoshi” and “Kyosai” in “Edo” (present day Tokyo). Its popularity continued until the modern period with changes through the time and regions. You can see around 280 works by popular painters. One of the highlights is all 9 pieces of the series of “Kingyo Zukushi” (goldfish series) by “Utagawa Kuniyoshi” which are exhibited for the first time in the world (only the first period). You will see the world of diverse types of laugh in Osaka, which is a culture of Osaka.
Schedule
・Dates & hours
17th April – 10th June, 2018
1st Period: 17 April (Tue) - 13 May (Sun)
2nd Period: 15 May (Tue) – 10 June (Sun)
09:30 - 17:00 (last admission at 16:30)
*Closed on Mondays (Open on April 30, May1)
Access & Address
・Venue: Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts
・Direction from the nearest station:
10 minutes walk from “Osaka Abeno-hashi” Station
10 minutes walk from “Ten-noji” Station
・Travel time from main terminal stations
Approx 40 minutes by train & walk from “Osaka” Station
・Address: 1-82 Chausu-yama-cho, Ten-noji-ku, Osaka-city, Osaka (in “Ten-noji Koen” Park)
・Map
Admission fee & reservation
Admission
Adults: Yen1,400, Students of university and senior high school: Yen1,000
Reservation not required
Official site URL
http://www.osaka-art-museum.jp/sp_evt/edonogiga
7. Exhibition:“Journey to the Next World” by Tadanori Yokoo: 24th February – 6th May, 2018
The Yokoo Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art has the collections of Tadanori Yokoo who was born in Nishiwaki-city, Hyogo. All the works were donated or entrusted by him. It was opened in November 2012 in the renovated west wing of the Oji Branch of the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art (formerly, the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Modern Art designed by Togo Murano), in order to make the works more accessible for public. The theme of the exhibition is the view of “The Next World after Death” expressed by Tadanori Yokoo. He published in “Heibon Punch” magazine 19 series of nude women in a variety of different settings. In the “Red Series” he depicts mental landscapes from his boyhood where the night sky was stained by bright red in air raids. A layer of red covers the pictures linking this world and the next, and ordinary life and non-ordinary one. He has been working on “Death”. His latest works are series of portraits of women where he pursues and expresses his images of “After Death”. Why not enjoy the art world of Yokoo?
Schedule
・Dates & hours
24th February – 6th May, 2018
10:00 - 18:00 (last admission at 17:30)
Fri & Sat: 10:00 - 20:00 (last admission at 19:30)
Closed on Mondays (note: open on 30th April and closed on 1st May)
Access & address
・Venue:
The Yokoo Tadanori Museum of Contemporary Art (the Oji Branch of the Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art)
・Direction from the nearest station
10 minute walk from “Nada” Station
・Travel time from main terminal stations
Approx. 15 minutes by train from “Kobe” Station via “Tokaido-Sanyo Honsen” Line, and walk
・Address: 3-8-30 Harada-dori, Nada-ku, Kobe-city, Hyogo
・Map
Admission fee & reservation
Admission:
Adults: Yen700, University students: Yen550, Senior citizens 70 years or above: Yen350, High school students or under: free
Reservation not required
Official site URL
http://www.ytmoca.jp/exhibitions/2018/02/nextworld.html
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