In addition to Osaka Castle, is there also a "Kosaka Castle" in Osaka? A giant Meiji chocolate wall?

Are frequent Travelers to Japan tired of visiting the popular attractions on the list? This time, "Happy Shopping! Japan" has compiled 8 strange buildings in Kansai for everyone, including the "Meiji Original Factory Osaka" where the entire wall is made of chocolate, "Tanuki Bunfuku" where you can eat in the stomach of a raccoon cat, "Kosaka Castle" that does not exist in history textbooks, etc. Let's take a look at them together.



Introduction to Kansai Region

Located in the central and western part of Honshu, Japan, the Kansai region consists of Osaka, Kyoto, Hyogo, Shiga, Nara, Wakayama and Mie prefectures. It is the second largest economic region in Japan after the Tokyo metropolitan area. The region has a total area of ​​approximately 27,350 square kilometers, a population of over 20 million, and is rich in natural landscapes and cultural heritage. Kansai is bordered by the Sea of ​​Japan to the north, the Seto Inland Sea to the west, and the Pacific Ocean to the south. It has a diverse terrain, including Lake Biwa, Japan's largest lake, the steep and continuous Kii Peninsula mountains, and the vast Osaka Plain. The Kansai region is also rich in cultural heritage, blending the classical and the modern. Kyoto and Nara, the two ancient capitals, were once the political and cultural hubs of Japan, with many historical sites and world heritage sites. Osaka is famous for its bustling entertainment district and the symbolic Osaka Castle; Hyogo has the magnificent Himeji Castle and the modern Kobe landscape; Wakayama's Koyasan is a famous religious pilgrimage site.

8 Selections of Weird Buildings in Kansai

[Osaka] Ogimachi Park Hachiemon Duck Wall




When you exit Osaka Metro's Ogimachi Station, you'll immediately notice this hilarious duck on the wall. This duck is actually the mascot of Kansai TV, Hachiemon. Its cute little eyes and big red mouth will make you want to take photos of it. If you go around the main entrance of Kansai TV, you'll see a big 3D Hachiemon right above the entrance! Finally, I'll tell you a little secret. This round white part is actually the whole body of Hachiemon. There's room for the lower half. I was really shocked when I first learned about it!

Ogimachi Park
・Address: 1-1 Ogimachi, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
・Opening hours: 24 hours
・Access: Osaka Metro Ogimachi Station 2-A or 2-B Exit
・Official website

【Osaka】Meiji Chocolate Wall Factory



Maybe some people have seen this huge chocolate wall while riding the train in Osaka. The realistic and huge chocolate looks super unreal, but this is actually the most famous outer wall of Osaka's "Meiji Naruho Factory". It is about the size of 380,000 chocolate bars put together. "Meiji Naruho Factory Osaka" mainly produces popular products such as mushroom mountain (きのこの山), bamboo shoots (たけのこの里), macadamia chocolate (マカダミアチョコレート), and it is really free to visit. However, it should be noted that the factory Tour is completely reserved, and you need to register online in advance, and only Japanese guides are provided.

Meiji Naruho Factory Osaka (明治なるほどファクトリー大坂)
・Address: 1-10 Asahi-cho, Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture
・Business hours: Monday to Friday 9:00-16:00 (※ Reservation required, two guided tours per day)
・Access: About 15 minutes walk from JR "Ozu Tomita" station.
・Official website

【Osaka】MBS Chayamachi Square Liyonchan



We just finished looking at the mascots of Kansai TV. Now we are going to introduce the mascot of MBS Mainichi Broadcasting, Liyonchan. Liyonchan is a lion that can sing and dance. The name comes from the combination of Lion, yon (Mainichi Broadcasting is on Channel 4, so the Japanese pronunciation of 4 is used as a homophone) and channel (channel, chan is also a Japanese nickname). You can see the big Liyonchan at MBS Chayamachi Plaza in the center of Osaka! And the clothes will change color and design with different seasons. Travelers with time can also go to the open space on the first floor to look for more Liyonchan!

MBS Chayamachi Plaza (MBS ちゃやまちプラザ).
・Address: 17-1 Chayamachi, Kita-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Prefecture
・Business hours: 10:00-18:00 (closed on Sundays)
・Access: JR "Osaka" Station, about 13 minutes walk; Hankyu Railway "Osaka Umeda" Station, about 10 minutes walk; Osaka Metro "Nakatsu" Station, about 9 minutes walk
・Official website

【Osaka】Kosaka Castle



Did you know that in addition to the famous Osaka Castle, Osaka also has a "Kosaka Castle"? Walking in a residential area, you suddenly see a castle tower that should not exist on the map? ! Located near "Kawachi Kosaka" Station, "Kosaka Castle" was built on the roof by the owner himself using discarded materials such as iron sheets. Even the interior is magnificent and looks very real. It is impossible to imagine that this was actually a beauty salon. The highly topical concept often attracts Japanese TV stations to interview. Interestingly, Kosaka Castle was partially blown away by a typhoon in 2018, and it was not rebuilt until the following year in 2019. If travelers happen to pass by nearby, why not stop by and take a photo!

Kosaka Castle
・Address: 12-29 Shimokosaka, Higashiosaka City, Osaka Prefecture
・Business hours: 24 hours open (exterior view)
・Access: 3 minutes walk from Kinki Railway "Kawachi-Kosaka" Station

【Shiga】Tanukiya Bunfuku



Has anyone ever eaten inside a raccoon cat? There is a raccoon-shaped restaurant called Tanuki Bunfuku in Koga City, Shiga Prefecture. Not only does it look like a raccoon cat lying on its side, but many of the tableware and utensils in the store are also raccoon-shaped, which really makes people curious about how much the store owner likes raccoons. In addition, in addition to being a restaurant, it also sells local specialty "Shigaraki-yaki" pottery, and there is a paid foot bath to experience. It is very suitable for dining here, buying souvenirs, and taking a rest!

Tanuki House
・Address: 459 Shigaraki-cho Nishi, Koga City, Shiga Prefecture
・Business hours: 11:00-16:00 (closed on Thursdays)
・Access: About a 20-minute walk from Shigaraki Station on the Shigaraki Kogen Railway
・Official website

【Wakayama】Frog Bridge




The red Frog Bridge in Innan Town, Wakayama was built in 2006. At that time, Innan Town was experiencing a large outflow of young people and was not well-known despite its rich resources. Therefore, it decided to cooperate with the government's "hometown creation project" to develop this construction. The Frog Bridge not only looks cute and eye-catching, but also contains the meanings of "thinking", "return of people", "return to hometown", "return to hometown", and "prosperity". When you come to Wakayama for a Trip, you can stop by here to see this meaningful bridge, take photos here and learn more about this beautiful town.

Frog Bridge (かえる橋)
・Address: Inami-cho, Hidaka-gun, Wakayama Prefecture
・Opening hours: Open 24 hours a day
・Access: About a 10-minute walk from JR Inami Station
・Official website

【Kyoto】Human Face House



It would be a surprise to suddenly see a big face on the street! There is such a "human face house" in Kyoto, with eye-shaped windows, a decorative nose and a large door shaped like teeth. You may think that this building is too avant-garde when you see it for the first time, but the human face house has been standing here for about 50 years. Although it often attracts tourists to check in, local residents have long been accustomed to it. The human face house is also a grocery store that sells all kinds of small items. If you are interested, you can stop by and take a look. In addition, travelers are reminded to pay attention to oncoming cars and other pedestrians when taking pictures of buildings, so as not to cause trouble to others!

Face House
・Address: 740-1, Nijo-kamiruwa-daionji-cho, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto City, Kyoto Prefecture
・Business hours: 10:30-17:30 (closed on Sundays to Tuesdays)
・Access: About a 5-minute walk from Kyoto City Subway Marutamachi Station.
・Official website

[Hyogo] Giant onion sculpture on Awaji Island



Many people may know that Awaji Island's onions are famous, but they would never have thought that the locals actually built an entire onion theme park to promote its popularity, and even put up a huge onion sculpture! This 2.5-meter-tall, 2.8-meter-diameter, and 200-kilogram onion is located in the "Uzumaki-no-Oka Ohnaromon Bridge Memorial Hall" and is a very popular photo spot. In addition to the onion sculpture, you can also see a variety of onion souvenirs, souvenirs, decorations, etc. in the park. It can be said to be an "onion paradise", which is very suitable for self-driving travelers to stop by and rest.

Giant onion sculpture (giant たまねぎオブジェ "おっ玉葱")
・Address: Uzunogaoka, 936-3 Fukura, Minamiawaji City, Hyogo Prefecture, inside the Ohnaromon Bridge Memorial Hall
・Business hours: 9:00-17:00 (closed on Tuesdays)
・Access: Take a bus from Tokushima Airport to "Awaji Island South IC" and walk for about 25 minutes; drive from Tokushima Airport for about 30 minutes
・Official website

After reading the above introduction, do you think the Japanese are really creative? In addition to the super funny TV station mascot, there are also interesting and imaginative buildings such as chocolate walls, raccoon cat restaurants, and self-built castles. Travelers who like this style should not forget to put these attractions in their itinerary when they come to Kansai for a free trip next time!