TID Travel Journal "Itami City: Dream and Fascination"   By TID, Spring 2010 update

In this issue I would like to introduce Itami City. Itami City is located in the southeastern part of Hyogo Prefecture and borders on Osaka Prefecture to the east. It has an area of 25.09 km² and population of 195,905. It is well known as an important airport city. As the trunk airport in the Kansai area, passengers can fly to Hokkaido in the northern part of Japan and to Okinawa in the south within 2 hours.

Itami City has sister and friendly relations with Hasselt City in Belgium and Foshan City in Guandong Province, China.

Main industries are sake brewing, horticulture, high-tech industries and agriculture. The Shirayuki Brewers was established in 1550 and has been brewing sake for 460 years.

One cloudy day in early March I visited Itami City and stopped by some tourist spots using the bus. First, I took a bus from Hankyu Itami Station and got off at Koyasato and visited Koyadera Temple.

Koyadera Temple

The forerunner of this temple was constructed in 731 by the distinguished priest Gyoki. The vermilion main gates of this Buddhist temple and Kannondo in the precincts were designated as cultural assets by Hyogo Prefecture in 1969 and Hirometen and Tamonten statues were also designated as such in 1998. While I was on the grounds, it was very quiet and some believers came to pray.

Access:	18 minutes from Hankyu Itami Station by Itami City Bus
Address:	169, Teramoto 2-chome, Itami
Tel:	072-784-8090
URL:	http://www.city.itami.lg.jp/SHISETSU/_8276/0003877.html

Then I took the bus again to Aramaki Bara-koen stop and visited Aramaki Rose Park.

Aramaki Rose Park

Aramaki Rose Park is located about 4km north of downtown Itami and one km east of the Takarazuka interchange on the Chugoku Expressway. It commands a fine view of the Rokko mountain range far away from this park, borders on the Tenjin River to the west and is near the Nagao mountain range to the north. 10,000 roses from 250 types have been planted in the park.
When I visited, there were almost no flowers in bloom. The best seasons for seeing roses are May to June and October to November.
I met an old man in a wheelchair being pushed by his wife in the park. Perhaps they saw the garden and took in the fresh air. I also saw a mother holding hands with her child as they walked around.

Open:	9:00-17:00 (September 1-May 14) 9:00-18:00 (May 15-31 except Tuesdays closes at 17:00, August 15-31) 9:00-19:00 (June 1-August 14, except Tuesdays in June closes at 17:00)
Closed:	Tuesdays from December to April and from July to September, December 29- June 3
Access:	30 minutes by bus from Hankyu Itami Station or JR Itami Station
Address:	6-5-50, Aramaki, Itami
Tel:	072-772-7696
URL:	http://www.itami.or.jp/kankou/natural/rosepark.html

Promenade of Water and Greenery

After visited Aramaki Rose Park, I walked 2.8 km to Koyaike Pond along Tenjin River.  The promenade is named “Promenade of Water and Greenery.”  Some people were walking their dogs and mothers took their babies in a stroller.  The river flows slowly and birds swam against the current at some places.  I arrived at Koyaike Pond and entered the Itami City Museum of Insects.

Itami City Museum of Insects

In the museum live insects and specimens are on display. The most interesting display in the first exhibition room was butterflies and beetles from tropical Asia. The most fascinating and interesting place was a greenhouse for butterflies. 1,000 butterflies of 14 different species fly around freely and perch on a beautiful flowers or plants. Half of the butterflies are from Okinawa and the others are from Itami. Butterflies like flowers such as hibiscus, lantana and Taiwan hibiscus schizopetalus.
There was a special exhibition on cockroaches in the second exhibition room. More than 50 types of specimens and 15 different species of live cockroaches were on display. There was useful information about how to get cockroaches out of your house.

Open:	9:30-16:30 (Last entry 16:00, Greenhouse for butterflies open at 10:00)
Closed:	Tuesdays (When Tuesday falls on a national holiday, the museum will be closed on Wednesday)
Access:	15 minutes from JR/Hankyu Itami Station by bus
Address:	Koyaike Park, 1 Koyaike 3-chome, Itami
Tel:	072-785-3582
URL:	http://www.itakon.com/

Koyaike Park

I left the insect museum and walked around Koyaike Park. Koyaike was constructed by Priest Gyoki in the Nara Era. (710-794). Now 1200 years later this place is an oasis among the streets, various species of wild bird fly around and citizens can rest there. There is a 600m narrow path called Furusato Komichi where visitors can see wild birds, insects, trees and plants in all seasons.
There is an insect museum, a wild bird watching bridge, a wide lawn plaza (suitable place for eating lunch on a nice day), Swan Hall with a restaurant, Koyaike Center (observatory room and resting room), a multi storied parking garage and a Kiosk. Kindergarteners, old couples, young couples and their children enjoyed the park.

Open:	9:00-17:00 (Hurusato Komichi, multi-storied parking garage) 9:00-16:30 (Koyaike Center, Kiosk)
Address:	Koyaike 3-chome, Itami
Tel:	072-779-0525
URL:	http://www.city.itami.lg.jp/SHISETSU/_8275/0003863.html

I went back to Hankyu Itami Station by bus to catch another bus for Itami Sky Park.

Itami Sky Park

When I arrived at Itami Sky Park Kamisuko, I heard airplane noise. Itami Sky Park is located in the southwestern part of Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport). It was constructed as a buffer zone to reduce airplane noise and to improve the living environment of the surrounding areas. The park consists of nine parts, the North Entrance with the center building and exhibition room, Oozora-no-Oka (sky hill), Boken-no-Oka (adventure hill), Tsutsuji-no-Oka (Azaleas Hill), the Central Entrance, the Star Lit Hill, Kyusoku-no-Oka (rest hill), Tsubasa-no-Oka (wing hill) and the South Entrance.
Many elementary school students and kindergarteners were there and they screamed when an airplane took off or landed at the airport. Some airplane-maniacs stood with their tripods and cameras and took pictures when an airplane takes off or comes in for a landing.

Open:	9:00-21:00
Admission:	Free
Access:	20 minutes from Hankyu Itami Station by bus for Osaka International Airport via Kamitsu or Iwaya
Address:	1-1 Morimoto 7-chome, Itami
TEL:	072-772-3447
URL:	http://www.city.itami.lg.jp/_8014/sky.html

Finally I went back to the downtown area by bus and visited sake brewery facilities. Since Arioka Castle fell to the enemy in 1579, Itamigo developed as the town of sake brewing. Almost all sake was sent to Edo (now Tokyo) and Itami was the place where Edo sake came from since the beginning.

Shirayuki Brewery Village

I visited the Shirayuki Brewery Village Chojugura that is operated by Konishi Brewery Co., Ltd. The 2nd proprietor, Sotaku Konishi, carried sake to Edo by land and went to a place he could see Mt. Fuji and was impressed with the scene of the noble mountain. At that time he named his brewed sake Shirayuki (white snow). There are tools are on display and visitors can see the magical scene about sake using image techniques in the museum. There is also a library of books on sake, a brewery restaurant and a brewery shop.

Open:	11:30-19:00
Closed:	2nd Tuesdays of the month, December 31 and January 1
Address:	3-4-15 Chuo, Itami
Tel:	072-775-0524
URL:	http://shirayuki.co.jp/opening.html http://www.konishi.co.jp/html/e/index.html

Miyanomae Bunka-no-Sato

Next door is Miyanomae Bunka-no-Sato. First I visited Kyu Okada’s Sake Brewery. When I entered the house I heard Hinamatsuri (doll festival) music and found the tiered stands carpeted in red displaying beautiful dolls in three consecutive rooms, which produced a homey atmosphere. Some visitors took pictures of them and said they were beautiful dolls. There is also the Itamigo Town Hall, Kyu-Ishibashi’s House and Kakimori Bunko (collections of books, hanging pictures, strips of fancy paper for writing tanka or haiku).

Open:	10:00-18:00 (last entry 17:30)
Closed:	Mondays (When Monday is a national holiday the facility will be closed Tuesday), December 29-January 3
Address:	5 minute walk east from Hankyu Itami Station or 5minute walk west from JR Itami Station
Tel:	072-772-5959
URL:	http://hccweb1.bai.ne.jp/itamihall/zaidan/gotyou.html

Finally I returned to Hankyu Itami Station and rode a train for Sannomiya (Kobe) via Tsukaguchi. It was a very informative and pleasant day. Please visit some of the tourism spots in Itami.