Best things to do in Ikeda

Discover the home of instant noodles at Cup Noodle Museum Osaka Ikeda, a cultural institution dedicated to the ubiquitous fast food meal, accompaniment, and snack. Learn about the inventor of the world's first instant noodles, Monofuku Ando, and the thought processes and tools he used in order to make this foodstuff, now eaten all over the world. The museum introduces visitors young and old to the importance of imagination, science, and willpower, and even gives you the chance to make your own flavor of instant noodles in the onsite factory.

Satsukiyama Zoo (五月山動物園) is located at Satsukiyama Park, at the base of Mount Satsuki in Ikeda, Osaka, Japan, opened in April, 1957. The zoo is the municipal zoo of Ikeda.

The zoo is the second smallest zoo (3000 m2) in all zoos belonging to Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA).

Soak up the natural sights and explore the cultural ones at Expo '70 Commemorative Park, a 260 ha (642 ac) park. Established on the site of the 1970 World's Fair, several of the attractions from the exposition remain, including a traditional Japanese garden and a museum of Japan folk art and crafts. Known for its culture as much as its nature, the park's other institutions include a museum of ethnology and a museum dedicated to children's literature. The sprawling natural areas offer ample lawn space for recreation, as well as an abundance of themed gardens with plant life from all over the world.

Walk through the shallow river surrounded by cherry trees at Shukugawa Park to admire the white and pink blossoms adding a colorful note to the surrounding area. Along the riverside walkway, you can find playgrounds with sand pits, swings, slides, and other facilities for kids. The park offers restrooms on site, but to find snacks and beverages you'll have to go across the street.

Learn about the history of and techniques employed at Suntory Yamazaki Distillery, Japan's first commercial distillery. Built in 1923 outside the country's former capital Kyoto, due to the favorable climate and access to clean water, the company went on to achieve the largest market share for a single malt whiskey in Japan. In the distillery's "whiskey library" displays 7,000 bottles of unblended malt whiskey. You can also take a tour around the distillery to see the processes in action. You'll have the opportunity to try whiskeys of 18, 21, 25, and 30-year vintage, and, of course, you'll also have the opportunity to purchase your favorites in the gift shop.

With a history spanning over a thousand years, Byodoin serves devotees of the Pure Land Buddhism sect. The temple and its garden date back to 998 and feature the famous Phoenix Hall, depicted on the back of Japan's ten-yen coin. Unlike many nearby structures, this hall has never been destroyed, making it one of the only wooden examples of Heian period architecture in existence today.

Providing a memorable backdrop for a few snapshots of the city, The Tower of the Sun sits within a park created for the Expo '70, the first World's Fair ever held in Asia. The statue is around 65 m (213 ft) tall, with both of its arms 25 m (82 ft) long. The sun wears three faces in this sculpture--a golden mask on top, a black one on the back, and a red on the front.

After an easygoing hike along the Mino River, take in the picturesque cascade of Waterfall of Mino. First written about 1,300 years ago, En-No-Gyoja (the founder of ancient Japanese mountain worship) meditated beneath these falls for three years before going on to establish various temples. At their most spectacular after a day of rain, the falls plummet 33 m (108 ft) down the sheer rock into the river below, measuring about 5 m (16 ft) wide. You'll need to walk about 3 km (1.9 mi) along a paved path to reach the falls, so bring along some water and wear comfortable footwear. Look out for the insectarium along the way, which endeavors to display some of the surrounding environment's 3,000 species of insects.

Known as one of the main locations from the world's first novel, "The Tale of Genji," Uji River offers soothing river cruises and traditional cormorant fishing. Along the riverbank, many restaurants and teahouses serve famous local tea and tea-inspired dishes, such as green tea ice cream and tea-flavored noodles. A pedestrian bridge connects the riverbanks and a small island in the center, with a pagoda as the focal point. Stop in the museum dedicated to the epic novel, complete with English displays.