Primarily for FedEx guys staying at the Swiss hotel at Namba Station KIX, but good gouge for anyone laying over longer than 24 hrs in KIX.

Japan has a really beautiful countryside, but one of the hardest things to do is find a way out of the urban jungle to explore it. We don't speak the language, we don't have transportation, we don't have maps etc.

I finally cracked the code for a spectacular hike while on a layover in Osaka. After being awake starting at 1AM I decided to actually get out and do it. Here is a link for the a great trail map. http://eng.shukubo.net/upfile/stupa-route.pdf Ive also attached it directly. The top of the map includes directions for the train and the stop to take. The concierge at the hotel has a optional brochure on the temple sites which break down what your looking at when you finally reach the destination. Just ask for Mt -Koya budist temple information.

Here are the cliff notes
Destination is Mt Koya which has a World Heritage Site (Temples) at the top.
Terrain is Misty Bamboo and Cedar Forest. Mountainous but low steady incline while on the path.
Trail is aprox 3 feet wide and well marked with stupas (200 year old carvings). Trail can be shortened based on your health or time contrainsts from 24km. to 16km or 11km
Time- I left Namba at 0630AM and was back at Namba at 1430pm doing the shortest route. Next time I'll add more distance because I'm comfortable with the train now
Transportation is by a single train line right out of Namba Station. The Nankai Koya Line - took 1 hour there. 1.5 hours back added bonus is the cable car ride on the ride back which brings you off the immediate temple area back to the valley for the train
Elevation gain... around 2000 ft..

Standby for future excursions/ trip gouge from our OCONUS locations....