Taking side trips Vol. 01|Editor's Picks!

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Editor's Picks
Taking side trips Vol. 01|Editor's Picks!
To the participants and supporters of the World Masters Games 2021 Kansai, we would like to show some good places near the sports venues.
Please take side trips between the games!

This article has been made by reediting the serialized column of WMG2021, “Aiming to make Kansai great with sports”, which is on the magazine called “Keizaijin” issued by Kansai Economic Federation.

SPOT 01. 【Tug of war: Nara Prefecture】Famous for ancient tombs and a flower field

<font size='2' color='blue'>Left:Nara Prefectural Umamikyuryo Koen park</br>Right:Nagareyama Tumulus</font>
Left:Nara Prefectural Umamikyuryo Koen park
Right:Nagareyama Tumulus

Tug of War games will be held in Kashiba City. This “Nara Prefectural Umamikyuryo Koen” park is located across the neighbouring towns called Koryocho and Kawaicho.
The park is one of the most famous places in Japan for ancient tombs, and there are facilities where you can learn about tombs with fun using scale models and movies.
Also, you can enjoy the view of the seasonal flowers in the park, with flower, food and music fairs held in blooming season. Roses, Japanese iris flowers, etc. are in full bloom every May (the month WMG2021 is going to be held.).
Official website
Location: 2202 Kawaicho samita, Kita katsuragi gun, Nara-Ken
TEL: 0745-56-3851
To get there: 2-minute walk from “Kintetsu Tawaramoto” Line’s “Ikebe” station to the greenway
Take a bus from “Kintetsu Osaka” Line’s “Goido” station, and then get off at “Umamikyuryo Koen” stop. The park is just a walk away from the bus stop.

SPOT 02. 【Futsal: Osaka Prefecture】1 of the top 3 tombs and a Japanese garden

<font size='2' color='blue'>Left:Daisen Koen park</br>Right:Sakai City Museum</font>
Left:Daisen Koen park
Right:Sakai City Museum

“Daisen Koen” park is located about 9 km southeast of the Futsal venue, “J-GREEN SAKAI”. The park has open space surrounded by greenery, Sakai City Museum with a theatre where you can see how big the Mozu tombs group (recognised as Cultural Heritage last year) is, Japanese garden, etc. Also, there are many tombs here and there. 1 of the top 3 tombs in the world, the tomb of Emperor Nintoku, is located in the north of the park, and it is such a pleasant place to stroll around in early summer.
Official website
Location: 2-2204 Mozusekiun cho, Sakai-Ku
TEL: 072-241-0291
To get there: Approx. 4-minute walk from “JR Hanwa” Line’s “Mozu” station

SPOT 03. 【Hockey: Shiga Prefecture】Going to see beautiful nature by a local bus

<font size='2' color='blue'>Left:“Mishima ike” pond</br>Right:Tennis court with a view of Mt. Ibuki</font>
Left:“Mishima ike” pond
Right:Tennis court with a view of Mt. Ibuki

“Green Park Santo” is located 2.6 km southwest of the Hockey’s main venue, OSP Hockey Stadium. The site is next to “Mishima ike” pond surrounded by beautiful nature, and it has a campsite, cottages, adventure playground, tennis court, restaurant, museum, etc. This is a place where you can refresh your body and spirit admiring the view of Mt. Ibuki.
Official website
Location: 80-1 Ikeshita, Maibara-Shi, Shiga-Ken
TEL: 0749-55-3751
To get there: At “JR Tokaido honsen” Line’s “Ominagaoka” station, take “Kokoku” bus (approx. 15 minutes), and then get off at “Green Park Santo” stop.

SPOT 04. 【Lifesaving: Fukui Prefecture】View from the summit - lakes in 5 different colours

<font size='2' color='blue'>Left:Take the lift or cable car to Rainbow Line Sancho Koen</br>center:“Mikata Five Lakes (Mitakagoko)</br>Right:Popular hammock square</font>
Left:Take the lift or cable car to Rainbow Line Sancho Koen
center:“Mikata Five Lakes (Mitakagoko)
Right:Popular hammock square

Starting from the Lifesaving venue, “Wakasa Wada Beach”, if you take JR Obama Line, you will see this view on your left hand side after about 60 minutes; “Mikata Five Lakes (Mitakagoko)” in “Wakasa Wan Quasi-National Park” along the coast. They consist of five lakes called Mitaka, Suigetsu, Suga, Kugishi and Hiruga. In 2005, the lakes were designated as a Ramsar site (Wetlands of International Importance). In 2019, they were designated as Japanese Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (Area with important/traditional agriculture, forestry and fisheries, designated by Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries).
Since the water qualities are different from each other, it looks like the five lakes have five different shades of blue. You can enjoy strolling along pathways, cruising, and also admire the view of the Five Lakes from “Rainbow Line Sancho Koen” park (Sancho = summit).
Official website
Location: Umiyama, Wakasa cho, Mikataminami gun, Fukui-Ken
TEL: 0770-32-0222 (Wakasa Mihama tourism association)
To get there: (To Lake Mikata) Approx. 15-minute walk from JR Obama Line’s “Mikata” station

SPOT 05. 【Canoe (Polo): Hyogo Prefecture】Relaxing time by the waterfalls in the forest

<font size='2' color='blue'>Left:”Harafudodaki” waterfall</br>center:“Mimuronotaki”waterfall, </br>Right:“Hakuryunotaki'waterfall</font>
Left:”Harafudodaki” waterfall
center:“Mimuronotaki”waterfall,
Right:“Hakuryunotaki'waterfall

About 90% of the land of Shiso City, Canoe Polo’s host city, is forests, and there are many waterfalls and valleys that are popular as place of comfort. “Harafudodaki” waterfall is one of them, which is about 8 km from the venue, Onzuiko. The waterfall which has been chosen for “One Hundred Waterfalls of Japan” is also called “Waterfall of Happiness”, since two waterfalls flow to the same basin. The fall of the greater one is 88 m.
We recommend refreshing in the forest admiring different views of waterfalls, other waterfalls are “Mimuro”, “Hakuryu (White dragon)” and “Myoujin (God)”.
Official website
Location: Hagachohara, Shiso-Shi, Hyogo-Ken (Harafudodaki waterfall)
TEL: 0790-64-0077 (Shiso Tourism Association)
To get there: (To Harafudodaki waterfall) At JR Kobe Line’s “Himeji” station, take the “Himeji Bus” bound to “Yamasaki” and get off at “Yamasaki” stop (approx. 60 minutes). Change to the bus bound to “Hara” and get off at “Hara” stop (approx. 45 minutes). The waterfall is about 20-minute walk from the bus stop.

The sports and disciplines
of the World Masters
Games 2021 Kansai
held in the neighbourhood.

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