Guided by a resident of Tondabayashi Jinaimachi! Let’s travel back in time to the Edo period in a town full of traditional Japanese atmosphere!

Tondabayashi City, located in the southeastern part of Osaka Prefecture, is a town blessed with nature and history. It has attractions like Tondabayashi Savor Farm, a vast agricultural park five times the size of Hanshin Koshien Stadium where you can enjoy nature in all four seasons. There’s also the famous Takidani Fudo Myooji Temple, which is one of the three great Fudo temples in Japan. Tondabayashi is well-known for the largest fireworks display in Japan, PL Art of Fireworks. The city is also home to the Great Peace Prayer Tower (commonly known as PL Peace Tower), a 180-meter-tall white pagoda built by the Church of Perfect Liberty. In addition to being the largest tower of its kind in Japan, it’s one of Tondabayashi City’s representative landmarks.

After a 30-minute train ride from Osaka Abenobashi Station on the Kintetsu Minami-Osaka Line and Nagano Line, walk past the roundabout at Tondabayashi Station and cross at the traffic light. You will see a gate marked “Jinaimachi Honmachi Dori” and a facility for tourists called Kirameki Factory. Beyond this gate is Jinaimachi, an area that retains the atmosphere of the Edo period and is lined with unique stores.

Jinaimachi is a religious autonomous city with a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist temple at its center, defended by a moat and earthen mounds. It developed alongside the Kosho-ji Temple Betsuin about 450 years ago. The area, which stretches approximately 470 meters from east to west and 400 meters from north to south, is the only area in Osaka Prefecture designated as a preservation district for important traditional buildings. As a result, it is home to a series of temples and merchant houses dating back to the Edo period.

We asked Michiyo Kamei, a paper-engraving artist, to share her recommendations for stores in Jinaimachi and trivia to liven up a walk around town. She’s run her store in Jinaimachi for about 10 years, and her love for the town shines through in her tour!

Renovated mirin warehouse! Paper sculpture studio Konjyaku no Tamatebako and coffee roaster Heizo

Walking along Jounomon-suji, the main street of Jinaimachi, you will see on the east side a mirin (rice wine for cooking) and umeshu (plum wine) warehouse, built as the Sato family residence at the end of the Edo period. One corner of the building is now used as a store, housing Kamei’s studio Konjyaku no Tamatebako and local coffee roaster Heizo.

The walls of Konjyaku no Tamatebako are full of Kamei’s works! You can spend hours admiring the delicacy and artistry of the displayed carved paper (kirigami). The designs are often exhibited at overseas art exhibitions, and many utilize traditional patterns to evoke a sense of Japanese aesthetics.

Ms. Kamei came to Osaka from her hometown of Ehime for university. She found out about Jinaimachi about 20 years ago and began visiting the area frequently on her days off. One day, an acquaintance asked her if she’d like to have a studio in Jinaimachi for a month. From there, she dedicated herself to her craft and has spent the last ten years working locally. In 2022, she moved to Jinaimachi.

Her studio is filled with works ranging widely in size and scale. Ms. Kamei often participates in overseas art exhibitions. “I want to share delicate and beautiful traditional Japanese culture with the world.” There are places in Jinaimachi where her works are displayed; looking for them while out and about is one of the pleasures of strolling around the area.

Next to Konjyaku no Tamatebako is Heizo, a coffee roaster with the aroma of coffee beans filling the air. The shop sells about 15 kinds of coffee beans carefully selected from farms around the world. The coffee beans are freshly roasted right in front of you once you order! There is a large curved beam in the store that’s said to be very rare, and accordingly, it was carefully left untouched during the renovation.

Enjoy the Edo period townscape and visit the Kosho-ji Betsuin at the center of Jinaimachi

Jinaimachi is lined with about 50 stores, mainly restaurants. One of the charms of the area is the elegant townscape you’ll see on your way to your restaurant of choice. Jounomon-suji, the main street and one of the 100 best streets in Japan, has no telephone poles or power lines, making you feel as if you have traveled back in time to the Edo period. It might be fun to put your smartphone away and walk down the street just like a merchant of the time.

Ms. Kamei, who has always loved history and old designs, is very knowledgeable about Jinaimachi. As she guided us around the town, she often stopped to tell us more about the town’s history and architecture.

The Tower of Perfect Liberty can be seen from most places in Jinaimachi. The view of both an Edo-era townscape and the huge white tower in one place is unique to Tondabayashi City. On the right is Jokoku-ji Temple, located on the west side of Jinaimachi and said to have a history of more than 700 years.

Located almost in the center of Jinaimachi is the Kosho-ji Temple Betsuin, designated as an Important Cultural Property. The current main hall was rebuilt in 1638 and remains the oldest Jodo Shinshu main hall in Osaka Prefecture.

"23banchi" is a general store that stocks high-quality items made with the utmost care by artisans

Tondabayashi Jinanimachi is also home to many natural bakeries and general goods stores. One such store is "Handicrafts and General Goods 23," located in the southeastern part of town. The store's products, which are based on the concept of "small, nice things that add color to your everyday life," are all handmade and have a human touch. The store is stocked with "good things" from various artists, which the owner, Mr. Fujiwara, personally visits to source.

Relaxing lunch in spacious restaurant Sakura Shokudo

After a long walk, we were pretty hungry. We decided to have lunch at Sakura Shokudo, located a little west of Teshigoto to Zakka 23-Banchi.

Sakura Shokudo is a renovated kimono shop. The owner, Mr. Matsubara, says, “I just did a little makeover on the original building.” But in fact, it’s a wonderfully relaxing space where you can while away the hours. The cherry-colored chairs are also very cute!

Starting with the popular beef and egg over rice, everything on the menu is made with the finest Saga beef. The aroma of delicious soy sauce and broth will whet your appetite.

Ms. Kamei was very satisfied with the tenderness of the meat and the slightly sweetened egg paired with it! Sakura Shokudo is the only restaurant in Jinaimachi open for breakfast, so we recommend starting your stroll here.
(Breakfast is available only on Sundays.)

Going a step further—return to the the Meiji era at the former Tanaka family residence

Once our stomachs were full, we continued our stroll through Jinaimachi. It had rained. “Sure, it’s nice to walk under a bright blue sky. But I also love the atmosphere of these streets when the rain has darkened and intensified the color of the wood grain,” says Ms. Kamei. The townscape, which changes with the weather and the seasons, is another one of Jinaimachi’s many charms.

In Jinaimachi, there are old houses and information centers to visit, most of which remain unchanged since their construction. This is the former Sugiyama family residence, which was used for the filming of the NHK television series Come Come Everybody..

Another old house that can be visited is the former Tanaka family residence. Built in 1892, this old house has been renovated and is open to the public. Many visitors are attracted by the tasteful design; it’s even used for pre-wedding photo shoots.

Tomari-ya, a women-only guesthouse where you can feel at home

Check into today’s inn to rest your feet after much walking. Let’s relax a little before dinner.

The only inn in Jinaimachi, Gofujin no Yado Tomari-ya is a women-only inn (18 years or older). The building has been carefully maintained to preserve the atmosphere of a 100-year-old Japanese house. The guesthouse aims to provide a temporary home for travelers and a relaxing space for guests.

It is available only for women and hosts up to 5 people per day, making it an ideal inn for women making their “solo travel” debut. The owner, Ms. Tomarino, has experience abroad and speaks general English, so she is able to communicate with travelers from overseas. During your stay, meals can also be prepared for an additional charge. Starting with the main dish, okonomiyaki, you can enjoy homemade meal, using an abundance of local ingredients from Minamikawachi.

A toast to everyone at the end of the trip! Beer Hall Banri no Haru

After a day of walking and enjoying Jinaimachi to the fullest, we will end our trip at Banri no Haru Beer Hall. Why not make a toast with Tondabayashi craft beer born right here in Jinaimachi?

The restaurant, which is a former sake brewery, has the high ceilings spaciousness of a Western beer hall, despite being a Japanese-style house.

Up to 10 kinds of Tondabayashi craft beers are on the menu. “If you are not sure which one to drink, feel free to ask the staff,” says CEO Mr. Ishida. They will explain and select beers according to customers’ tastes, so even if you are not accustomed to drinking craft beer you can feel at ease. The food also uses plenty of Minamikawachi ingredients. In particular, and the trout from Chihayaakasaka Village is a must-try.

The beer served today was Fumoto Pale Ale made with hops grown in Chihayaakasaka Village. Ms. Kamei gulped it down, praising the ale as very fruity and easy to drink.

The beer hall also has a brewery. According to Mr. Minami, the brewery manager, “Everyone visits the brewery. It’s not uncommon to find them staring at the glass as if they were stuck to it. When you visit the store, we recommend taking a brewery tour, too.”

A must-see for history and architecture lovers! Don’t miss these unusual roof tiles and buildings!

Jinaimachi has much more to offer! In addition to the unique stores, take a look at the buildings around town. There may be something valuable that you can only see here, unique to this designated Important Traditional Architectures Preservation District!

Tondabayashi City’s Jinaimachi area is a town where traditional homes and merchant houses still remain. Scenery from hundreds of years ago mingles with everyday life here, creating a charming, refined atmosphere distinct from that of Kyoto or Nara. We hope you will visit the area to enjoy the rich, evocative landscape that remains in Osaka.

*This article was migrated from “Shittonka Osaka.” The information provided is current as of March 2024 and may differ from current conditions. Please check the official websites of each store or facility for the latest operating hours and details.