Nature & Heritage: Katsuoji Temple and Minoh Scenic Day Tour

Thirty minutes outside Osaka, Katsuo-ji sits deep in the mountains. Shoguns and warlords used to climb up here before battle, praying for victory, which is how it earned its nickname: the Winner's Temple. Now the grounds are covered in thousands of small red daruma dolls, stacked on shelves and tucked along the paths, left by everyone since who wanted a little luck of their own. A hiking brings you to the trailhead for Minoh Falls. The path follows a river through a valley thick with trees, and after about an hour of walking, the forest opens up to a 33-meter waterfall. It's been a spot for quiet reflection since Japan's early monks used it for training, and it's still one of the prettiest short hikes near Osaka. The last stop is a village that shouldn't still exist, but does. The Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farmhouses relocated real houses here from across rural Japan, some more than 300 years old, thatched roofs and all.