Visiting Ikeda City in Osaka Prefecture may not be the first thing that comes to your mind when exploring Osaka, yet this quiet city has interesting places to visit.
Located north of Osaka, Ikeda (池田市 in Japanese) is a fun place to visit for a day and has attractions for all ages. Whether you want to visit the original Cup Noodles Museum, see views of the city, or check out historical sites, there is something for everyone!
Sounds interesting? Continue reading this Ikeda travel guide where we’ll share how to get there, how to get around, and places to check out on your Ikeda City day trip.
Read More: Osaka 1 Day Itinerary
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How to Get to Ikeda City, Osaka
The best way to travel to Ikeda is by taking the train and getting off at Ikeda Station.
Hankyu Railway is the train company running the line. Therefore, you cannot use the JR pass for this route. However, you can use an ICOCA card or pay cash for the ticket.
From Kansai International Airport to Ikeda Station, it’ll take 1 hour 40 minutes to 2+ hours.
There are a few train options to take from Kansai International Airport to Osaka. The most popular one is to take the JR Haruka Line to Tennoji Station and then take the Osaka Loop to Osaka Station.
At the Osaka Station, you’ll need to walk to the Osaka-Umeda Station to the Hankyu lines. Then, you’ll take the Takarazuka Main Line and get off at Ikeda Station.
From Osaka Station to Ikeda Station, it’ll take around 20-30 minutes. Then you’ll follow the same instructions as above from Osaka Station.
Walk to the Osaka-Umeda Station to the Hankyu lines. Then, take the Takarazuka Main Line to Ikeda Station.
How to Travel Around Ikeda
The easiest way to travel around Ikeda is by walking. Many of the attractions are within a 20-minute walk from the Ikeda Station. We opted to walk around to get some fresh air and exercise.
For the sites further away, there are Hankyu bus lines. There are bus stops outside of the Ikeda Station and nearby attractions.
Map of Places to Visit in Ikeda
Click on the map to see a larger view of places to visit in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture. Credit: Map data: Google
Top Ikeda Attractions to Visit
1. Ikeda Visitor Center
Whenever we go somewhere new, we like to visit the visitor center to get information on what to do in the city and get a city map. Luckily, Ikeda’s Visitor Center is in the Hankyu Ikeda Station so it’s convenient to visit.
Staff can provide information in English and Japanese on the best places to visit, where to eat, and more.
Don’t forget to pick up your visitor guide while you’re here which has a map.
Address: Ikeda Station (1 Sakaemachi, Ikeda, Osaka 563-0056)
Opening Hours: 9:30am to 5:00pm
2. Cup Noodles Museum Osaka
Who likes to eat Nissin instant ramen and cup noodles? Momofuku Ando is the creator of the famous chicken instant noodle and its beloved Nissin products.
While you may have heard about Cup Noodles Museum in Yokohoma, the Ikeda Cup Noodles Museum is the original branch. Therefore, this museum is much smaller than the Yokohama branch and doesn’t have as much English-translated signage.
The Ikeda museum still has the wall of Nissin Cup Noodles, the story of instant noodles, theater, and a wooden shed for the birth of chicken ramen.
The good part about this museum is that you can customize a cup noodle at the My Cup Noodles Factory! It’s one of the best experiences to visit here for everyone, including children.
When entering the museum, the customer service person will ask if you want to make a personalized cup noodle and then will give you a ticket with a time slot.
After paying 500 yen for a blank cup and sterilizing your hand, you get 20 minutes to design your cup with markers and go through the process of creating your cup noodle filling. You get to choose your soup base and four toppings, and then see the cup get sealed and shrink-wrapped with plastic. Then you can put your cup in an inflatable protective bag.
In front of the museum, there is a statue of Momofuku Ando and an adorable manhole cover of the chicken from the chicken ramen.
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Address: 8-25 Masumicho, Ikeda, Osaka 563-0041
Opening Hours: 9:30am to 4:30pm (Last admission at 3:30pm). Closed on Tuesdays.
Admission: Free to visit, but an extra fee to make a cup noodle or chicken ramen factory
3. Satsukiyama Zoo
You may have noticed wombats as the mascot of the city.
Since Ikeda is the sister city of Launceston, Tasmania, there are many Australian animals at Satsukiyama Zoo such as wallabies and wombats. Other animals here include alpacas, owls, ponies, sheep, guinea pigs, and more.
There are four wombats here and they are adorable! Two of them slept while the other two walked around and ate food. Wain, one of the wombats, is the Guinness World Record holder as the oldest wombat in captivity at 32 years and 86 days as of January 2022.
This is a small zoo so it doesn’t take long to go through. Children will love coming here to see the animals.
When we visited during the fall season, the ginkgo leaves are beautiful here!
If you want a snack, the gift shop sells ice cream.
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Address: In Satsukiyama Park, 2 Chome-5 Ayaha, Ikeda, Osaka 563-0051
Opening Hours: 10:00am to 4:00pm (Mondays to Fridays); 10:00am to 5:00pm (Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays)
Admission: Free
4. Shubodai Observation Point
Located in the Satsukiyama Park and nearby the Satsukiyama Zoo, there is a short hiking path to see the Shubodai Observation Point (秀望台).
The hike takes less than 10 minutes and it isn’t technical. The path is made out of rocks, but it can get slippery when going down.
Once you reach the top, you’re rewarded with a nice city and river view of the Nakabashi Bridge (that looks like a giant harp).
We heard that many people visit at sunset. Since the view is clear, it would be a nice spot to see the sunset.
If you’re ambitious or have more time, there is another viewpoint up along the road called Satsukidai (五月台). There is also a shrine, Atago Shrine, that you can visit.
Here is a lovely view of the Ikeda City from the Shubodai Observatory Point.
Address: Ayaha, Ikeda, Osaka 563-0051. Click here to see the pin on Google Maps.
Opening Hours: 24 hours
Admission: Free
5. Ikeda Castle Park
Ikeda Castle Park (also referred to as Ikeda Shiroato and Ikeda Castle Ruins) is a former castle area of the Ikeda family. The family governed this area through two time periods – Muromachi (the year 1336 to 1573) and Sengoku (1467 to 1615).
Currently, this is a public park with a beautiful garden area and a restored castle to see a higher view of the park and the city view. During our visit, we saw gorgeous momiji (maple) leaves with hues of red, orange, and yellow.
Ikeda Castle Park is a gorgeous place to visit on your Ikeda day trip.
Ikeda Castle Park’s garden area is a pretty spot to see maple (momiji) leaves during the fall season.
Note: To get to the castle area, you will need to climb up a set of steep stairs as this place is on top of a small hill.
Address: 3-19 Shiroyamacho, Ikeda, Osaka 563-0052
Opening Hours: 9:00am to 7:00pm (closes at 5:00pm from November to March). Closed on Tuesdays.
Admission: Free
6. Other Attractions in Ikeda
Since we couldn’t see everything in Ikeda during our visit, here are other places to visit in Ikeda.
- Satsukiyama Botanical Gardens – This garden is free to visit and can be combined with your visit to Satsukiyama Zoo.
- Kureha Shrine – This Shinto shrine is close to the Ikeda Station. It hosts a popular festival in January “Ebisu Matsuri Festival” to celebrate the Ebisu god.
- Ikeda City Museum of History and Folklore – If you’re interested in learning more about the city and its history, check out this museum. This place is farther out than the other attractions so you may want to take a bus to get here.
7. Minoh Park & Minoh Waterfall
If you have extra time on your Ikeda day trip, consider visiting Minoh (Mino-o) Park and walking 2.8 kilometers one-way / 5.6 kilometers round-trip (1.7 miles one-way/ 3.4 miles round-trip) to the Minoh Waterfall.
Read our Minoh Park day trip travel guide here.
Minoh Park is highly recommended to visit during the fall season as the momiji leaves are jaw-dropping.
It’s a popular weekend spot as the walk to the waterfall isn’t difficult. The path is paved so it’s suitable for everyone.
Along the way to the waterfall, embrace nature, try momiji tempura and other snacks, and appreciate the tranquil setting.
You could combine a visit to Ikeda City and Minoh Waterfall on the same day
Address: 1-18 Minookoen, Minoh, Osaka 562-0002 (Nearest station: Mino-o Station)
Note: This place is not in the same area as Ikeda so it’s best to take the train via Hankyu Railway. Or, you can visit this place on a separate day so the visit isn’t as rushed.
Opening Hours: 24 hours
Admission: Free
Final Thoughts
We hope you can visit Ikeda, Osaka on your next trip! While the Cup Noodles Museum is a top highlight, there are also other places to check out and spend the day in Ikeda.
We suggest that you visit this city if you have more than 2 days in Osaka as this place is in the outer areas of Osaka.
If you need ideas on other places to visit in the Kansai region of Japan, check out our posts:
