Doesn’t “sunset hill” sound appealing? I want to tell you about New Sunset Hill in Osaka. It is also known as Yuhigaoka.
Yuhigaoka means sunset hill. This area was named for its stunning sunsets. Imagine standing here thousands of years ago. The ocean stretched all the way to Uemachi Plateau. That is where Osaka Castle is now. This very spot was a seashore.
People gathered here to watch the sun sink into the sea. It was a popular Buddhist practice. People would watch the sun set toward the pure land. Fujiwara no Ietaka loved these sunsets. He built a retreat called Yuhian. He spent his final years here. That’s how Yuhigaoka got its name.
The ocean has receded. We can no longer see the sunset over the water. But the tradition lives on. Shitennoji Temple holds a sunset ceremony every spring and fall. Monks chant sutras during the ceremony. The sun’s rays shine through the stone gate. It is like our ancestors watching the same sunset.
New Sunset Hill has many narrow, sloping paths. Locals call them “-zaka”. This means slope or hill. The most famous are the Seven Slopes of Tennoji. You can find temples and shrines here too. Take a walk and enjoy the greenery.
One of the most well-known slopes is Kuchinawazaka. It appears in Ryotaro Shiba’s novel “Burn, O Sword”. The main character is Hijikata Toshizo. He says the sunset is the most beautiful thing in the world.
Toshizo was a warrior during a time of conflict. He fought for the Tokugawa shogunate. He was known as “Demon Vice-Commander”. The novel has a tragic scene. Toshizo watches the sunset with his lover. He feels sadness as his life ends.
There is a stone marker for the Shinsengumi’s Osaka station. It is at Manpukuji Temple near Kuchinawazaka. Toshizo likely stayed here. There is also a memorial for Komatsu Tatewaki on Kuchinawazaka. He was a samurai and politician.
Ozakaka is another slope with car traffic. Yasui Jinja Shrine is halfway up. Sanada Yukimura escaped here during the Siege of Osaka. He was a loyal samurai. He defended Osaka Castle from Tokugawa forces. People call him the “Number one warrior in Japan”.
Yasui Jinja Shrine is also connected to Sugawara no Michizane. He is the Shinto deity of learning. There used to be a well here. Its water was believed to calm children. But the well has dried up.
North of Yasui Jinja Shrine is Kiyomizudera Temple. It’s Osaka’s version of the famous Kyoto temple. It is also called Shin-Kiyomizudera. It has a large platform and a statue of Kannon Bodhisattva. The scenery from the platform is amazing. You can see Tsutenkaku Tower.
The temple’s name comes from pure water. Tamade Waterfall is Osaka’s only natural waterfall. It flows from three places. Legend says the water comes from a pond at Shitennoji Temple. Prince Shotoku captured a blue dragon. The dragon turned into the pond.
The waterfall is a spiritual place. It is known as a “power spot”. Remember not to drink the water.
New Sunset Hill is full of history and beauty. People have visited here for thousands of years. The Yuhigaoka neighborhood offers romantic charms. Temples dot the area. Stone walkways wind through it. New Sunset Hill is a place to sink deep into time. The sunset views will leave you breathless.