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I went to Izumisano, a 20-minute train ride from Kansai Airport.
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This article introduces the charms of Izumisano City, which is a 20-minute train ride from Kansai International Airport. Izumisano City is easily accessible, and is a town where you can enjoy historical sightseeing spots and gourmet food in a natural environment. It is an area worth visiting, with m...
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Table of Contents
- Access
- About
- sightseeing
- Gourmet Information
- summary
Access
Izumisano City is located almost halfway between Osaka City and Wakayama City, and it takes about 15 minutes by car from Kansai International Airport, or about 20 minutes by train to reach Rinku Town Station in the center of the city. Rinku Town Station is on the Nankai Electric Railway and JR lines, and provides convenient access to Wakayama and Osaka.
There is also an outlet mall, and shuttle buses are available from Namba Station, Osaka Station, Sannomiya Station in Kobe, and Kyoto Station. For more information, please check the Rinku Premium Outlets website in the related links. Izumisano City is easily accessible from many places, so why not stop by during your trip to the Kansai region?
About
Izumisano City is blessed with a beautiful natural environment, with the Izumi Mountains behind it, and abundant greenery and mountains and rivers. Commerce, industry, agriculture, and fishing have all flourished in a well-balanced manner, but with the increase in population due to the opening of Kansai International Airport, commerce and the service industry have also flourished.
This time, we spoke with Nakamichi Satoshi of Marunaka Co., Ltd., the manufacturer of the popular towel brand "Hiorie," which was founded in Izumisano City 65 years ago. He knows the town well. Since the company's founding, the Osaka Towel Industrial Association has been in the area, and it seems that the area has been a thriving towel production area, as well as fishing and agriculture. Onions and water eggplants are popular in agriculture, and various fish are caught in Osaka Bay. Conger eel dishes are popular from the summer onwards, but in the area, everyone can eat a fish tempura called "Gaccho no Tempura."
*Gaccho is a fish with a body length of about 10 to 20 cm that is often caught in Osaka Bay. Several kinds of fish, such as the mouse gochi and the flathead slime, are collectively called "Gaccho." It is said that the name came from the way they bite the bait in this area.
sightseeing
Kotarina
First, we went to "Kotarina" after hearing that onions, cabbage, and water eggplant are local specialties.
Kotarina is a direct sales store run by JA Osaka Senshu, where local farmers ship their produce, and fresh vegetables and fruits are on display every day.
[Business hours] 9:30-17:00
[Closed] Thursdays and New Year's holidays
The most distinctive feature of Mizunasu is its high water content, with about 90% of its mass being water, so much so that when you squeeze it with your hand, the water drips out. In addition, compared to other eggplants, it has less scum and a thinner skin, so it can be eaten as is without cooking. Its unique texture and juicy flesh are what make Mizunasu a luxury item compared to other eggplants.
Generally, lightly pickled vegetables are popular.
Aozora Market
Next, I went to the Aozora Market that was recommended to me.
The fishing port market is usually bustling as it borders Osaka Bay and is a thriving fishing area, but unfortunately it was closed on the day we visited, which was a Wednesday. Apparently it is very popular and an auction usually takes place from 2pm. Inside the facility you can enjoy fresh fish for sale and meals at the restaurants.
[Business hours] 10:00-17:00
[Closed] Wednesdays and New Year's holidays
The fishing port was closed so there were many boats anchored there.
Rinku Premium Outlets
This outlet mall is located in an area modeled after the historic American port city of Charleston and contains approximately 250 brands. You can enjoy shopping in a beautiful townscape filled with two-story buildings, giving it a resort feel.
[Business hours] 10:00-20:00 * May vary depending on the year-end and New Year holidays and other seasons
[Regular holiday] Once a year (3rd Thursday of February)
Jigen-in Temple
Izumisano City is famous for Hine Shrine, but nearby there is a temple called Jigen-in, whose head temple is Ninna-ji Temple in Kyoto, and I would like to introduce it because it has a nice atmosphere. Jigen-in is the oldest temple in Senshu, built in 673, and on its grounds there are the national treasure pagoda and the important cultural property Kondo.
[Visiting hours] 8:00-17:00
【Closed Days】 None
"Incense for prayers"
Here you can experience lighting your own "prayer incense sticks" with wishes written on them. Wishlists are written on the incense sticks, so why not choose your own wish and pray?
From the left, ancestor worship *1, physical health *2, illness recovery *3, family safety *4, road safety *5, academic improvement and success prayer *6
*1 To offer a memorial service for the souls of ancestors
*2 Pray for your own health and freedom from illness.
*3 Pray for recovery from illnesses suffered by those currently suffering from the disease.
*4 Pray for the health and happiness of your family, and that your home will be free of misfortune and prosper for generations to come.
*5 Pray to avoid accidents
*6 Wishing for success in studies or exams
Prayer Procedure
1. Decide on a wish and light incense
2. Put in the money (100 yen per stick).
3. Light the candle with a lighter and light the incense sticks from the candle.
The drawer contains a lighter for lighting the candles.
Gourmet Information
Amou Udon
In the noodle culture of Western Japan, udon is more popular than soba, but the udon at this restaurant is thicker than regular udon and has a strong texture, making it very satisfying to eat. The homemade noodles are made from domestic wheat and mineral-rich salt, and the tempura, made with locally grown vegetables, is excellent.
[Business hours] 11:00-15:00
【Closed】Monday
Tempura and soft-boiled egg udon (cold)
This bowl of cold udon noodles is topped with local vegetables such as eggplant tempura and shrimp tempura, a soft-boiled egg in the center, and cold broth. Enjoy the contrast between the crispness of the freshly fried tempura and the chewy texture of the udon noodles.
Eggplant tempura and soft-boiled egg topped udon (cold)
This udon is a dish that can only be enjoyed in the summer. The sweetness of the tempura-fried eggplant goes perfectly with the udon broth, making this a must-try for anyone wanting something refreshing.
Exterior of the store
Sushi Restaurant Yoshiya
This restaurant was recommended to me by Nakamichi Satoshi of Marunaka Co., Ltd. When I entered, there was a large aquarium right in front of me and I was surprised to see several conger eels as thick as 500ml plastic bottles swimming in it.
[Business hours] 11:00-14:00, 15:30-21:30
【Closed】Tuesday
Conger eel sashimi
Conger eel dishes are a luxury dish that can only be eaten in the summer and are served in high-class restaurants, but in most cases they are served boiled in water. This was the first time I tried it as sashimi and I was surprised at how delicious it was.
Conger eel has many small bones and is difficult to eat, so the white flesh is cut into small pieces with a knife. The flesh is soft and sweet, and the skin is elastic, so it is seared to make it easier to bite and eat. This dish is unique to Izumisano, as it can be served fresh at this time of year.
The flesh of the conger eel is raw, but only the skin is seared to make it easier to bite.
Lightly pickled water eggplant
The moment you put a bite of Mizunasu, which is in season in the summer, you can enjoy its juicy and elegant sweetness. Mizunasu has a jagged cross section because it is torn by hand, and there are three main reasons for this.
1. It easily absorbs flavors such as soy sauce.
2. Prevents the flavor from deteriorating.
3. When you eat it, the moisture tends to spread in your mouth.
This is a pickle made by lightly salting eggplant and then pickling it in rice bran. It is less sour than pickles, but has the unique flavor of rice bran.
Deep fried sea bass
It takes a lot of effort to remove the head from each fish, open it up and fry it, but the result is an easy-to-eat dish with no unpleasant odor, a great texture and an addictive taste.
It was seasoned with salt and pepper and went well with beer, making it a great dish to drink.
It is a dish of small fish deep-fried in oil.
Exterior of the store
summary
Although Izumisano is not a city, I felt a strong connection with the people there, and it was a wonderful experience.
It is also easily accessible, so if you are out shopping or using the airport, why not stop by Izumisano and experience Japanese food culture and industry?
Finally, we would like to introduce "Hiorie," a towel made by Marunaka Co., Ltd., who cooperated with us this time.
Hiorie is a factory brand that is particular about "Made in Japan" and focuses on Senshu towels woven in our own factory in Senshu, Osaka. We continue to develop and improve our towels based on customer requests and product reviews, and our towels are made with the joy and satisfaction of using them in mind.
The most popular "Hotel Style Towel" with a cumulative total of 10 million units sold is made of thicker combed cotton yarn than usual and woven lightly with long pile, resulting in a towel that is soft to the touch and has excellent absorbency. It also makes a great gift.
We also paid special attention to the size, and the Big Face Towel is halfway between a bath towel and a face towel, and even an adult can use just one after a bath. It is more compact than a bath towel and has been very well received. The colors, such as mocha and light gray, which had never been seen in Japanese products before, were designed to match the living environment in Japan.
You will feel its quality every time you use the towel. Please give it a try. If you would like to actually pick it up and experience its texture, please come to "Towel Factory Hiorie" in Namba Parks.
Hiorie towels are also available for mail order overseas through Luxcras.
We also have sales from time to time, so be sure to check them out.
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Osaka
We introduce famous tourist spots as well as recommended sightseeing spots in Japan. In addition to sightseeing spots, we also introduce Japanese specialty products and traditional crafts.
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