Obaku is home to the famous Manpukuji Temple, but just around the corner from there is a scenic community campus known as Obaku Park.
Obaku Park is a short walk from Manpukuji Temple and is easily accessible via Obaku station on the Keihan Line. As a city of Kyoto’s Uji district, it’s no wonder Obaku is a naturally beautiful area surrounded by thick forests, colorful autumn leaves, and spectacular sunsets beyond the looming mountain ranges.
Naturalistic Walking Paths
Obaku Park is a large sports and community center home to facilities such as gymnasiums, swimming pools, and sports fields. The surrounding pathways are quite beautiful with golden autumn trees that give the feeling of walking in the wilderness. Given the situated lamp posts along the trail, it seems these walking paths can also be enjoyed during the night.
Baseball, Tennis, and more!
Some of the sporting fields at Obaku Park are absolutely remarkable. Huge baseball and rugby fields lay stretched out to accommodate sporting teams during practice and competition. There is even a field for archery in the vicinity – talk about your ideal Olympic preparation headquarters!
Tea Time & Chill
Obaku Park is truly an autumn paradise at this time of year. Particularly as we enter the winter season, it’s common to see the grassy fields covered in beautiful red and gold leaves.
Next to the tennis courts is a sitting area where I enjoyed a nice bottle of green tea under the colorful autumn trees.
Feeling like an old grandpa, I simply enjoyed the sound of the trees rustling against the wind and the joy of families running around with their hyperactive pet dogs.
Seats with a view!
A little further up from the tennis courts is a lovely seating area that overlooks the city of Obaku. Here, you can enjoy stunning views of this peculiar part of Uji while admiring the colorful autumn trees that seem to last right through the first month of winter and into the new year.
Stunning Sunsets
Going further beyond the incline, you eventually reach a cemetery site at the peak of the ascent. Here, you can see the distant mountains of Kyoto as the sunlight shines down on the cities below. For some reason, cemeteries with extraordinary views are a commonality in Japan, particularly the Adachi Cemetery in Kitakyushu.
As I began my descent down toward Obaku station, this building’s silhouette caught my eye.
The sunlight beaming through the gaps between its pillars, there was something captivating about this structure.
I soon realized it was a school of sorts, the sign at the front loosely translating to “Youth Cultural Training Dojo,” perhaps a martial arts school of sorts.
A Perfect Rainbow!
You may not be so fortunate to see a perfect rainbow when you visit Obaku Park, but I simply had to include a section about it. This brilliant rainbow appeared just over the cemetery at the top of the hill and was a fantastic way to wrap up an amazing day of exploration in the city of Obaku!
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