At the border between Ikeda City (池田市) and Minoo City (箕面市) is the Satsukiyama or Mt. Satsuki (五月山). The 315-meter-tall mountain is the symbol of Ikeda City. Known for its great viewpoint overlooking the Osaka Plain, many tourists would come to the summit of Satsukiyama for the night view as the lights down in the city all sparkle like a diamond!
Hiking at Satsukiyama
If you don’t feel like driving and want to be a little more active, there are several hiking courses for you to choose from, each with its own uniqueness. The courses are labeled in different colors on the map HERE (Japanese only). Please refer to the below for more details about each course.
Red Course (ファミリーコース): if you want to enjoy a bit of hiking, this is the course you are after!
- The required time is 100 minutes
- The total travel distance is 3,600m
- Starting from the back of Midori-no-Sentā (緑のセンター) → head straight to the junction with the Hyōtanshima Course (たん島コース) → Citizen’s Forest (市民の森) → Satsukihira Pleaqua (五月平) → Suspension Bridge → Hyōtanshima Observation Deck (ひょうたん島展望台) → Satsukidai View Point (五月台) → Bokaitei ruins (望海亭跡) Satsukiyama Children’s culture center (五月山児童文化センター)
- Green Course (大文字コース): a course suitable for anyone, from little kids to the elderly!
- The required time is 30 minutes.The total travel distance is 700m
- Starting from the building in front of Satsukiyama Driveway Toolhouse (五月山ドライブウェイ料金所), there is a small bridge on its left. That is the entrance to this course. Passing through where the Gangara Fire Festival’s (がんがら火祭り) venue in Satsukiyama and Shubōdai Observation Deck (秀望台), the staircases leading to Satsukidai View Point (五月台) are well-maintained.
- The course provides great visibility of the Ina River (猪名川) and the city of Kawanishi (川西市) below.
- Pink Course (ひょうたん島コース): a course to get to Hyōtanshima that has a panoramic view of Osaka Plain.
- The required time is 30 minutes.The total travel distance is 800m
- Starting from the back of Midori-no-Sentā (緑のセンター), head left on the junction that is around 100 meters from the starting point. The promenade will lead you to Hyōtanshima Observation Deck (ひょうたん島展望台), which has an altitude of 200 meters.
- There are benches and tables around the deck, which is perfect for a picnic!
- Water Colour Course (五月平高原コース): another way to get to Satsukihira Plateau and lead to Hi-no-Maru Observation Deck (日の丸展望台).
- The required time is 40 minutes.
- The total travel distance is 1,100m.
- Starting from the staircases between Midori-no-Sentā (緑のセンター) and Yama-no-Ie (山の家), the well-maintained promenade (albeit steps of stairs are quite large) continues through to Satsukidai View Point (五月台). From there, as you go through the Citizen’s Forest (市民の森), you will reach Hi-no-Maru Observation Deck at an altitude of 315 m in no time!
- Yellow Green Course (炭焼き小屋コース): it might be worthwhile to explore in the winter if you want to watch a hut that has charcoal burning on the inside.
- The required time is 20 minutes.
- The total travel distance is 500m.
- Starting from Sugatani Square (すがたに広場), pass by the hut along the promenade and join the Water Colour Course above.
Shubōdai Observation Deck (秀望台)
The view from Shubōdai Observation Deck is the best among all the Satsukiyama’s viewing decks. As it provides you with a complete view of the Ina River (猪名川), it is one of the best spots out there for the annual Inagawa Fireworks (猪名川花火) that takes place in mid-August. It is the perfect spot to take a break and rest if you are hiking through the mountain.
Satsukidai (五月台)
If you want a view of the mountain west, Satsukidai is the observation deck you want to aim for. Overlooking Kawanishi City (川西市), it is another spot in Mt. Satsuki for a spectacular night view (=ﾟωﾟ)ﾉ.
Satsukiyama Park (五月山公園)
If you have kids with you during your trip, bring them to Satsukiyama Park! Just by looking at how long the slides are, even we adults would be tempted to go for a round or two (´▽｀*).
And the park isn’t just about the slides! Plenty of other fun, family facilities (i.e., zoo) will keep your kids occupied and busy for the rest of the afternoon!
- The zoo’s opening hours are from 9 am to 5 pm daily except for Tuesdays.
- It will close on the next business day if Tuesday is a public holiday.
Festivals and Best Time to Visit Satsukiyama
- Cherry Blossom Festival (さくらまつり): early April
- With more than 35,000 cherry blossom trees, Satsukiyama is one of the most popular spots in Ikeda during the cherry blossom season.
- Night-time light-up events also take place during the festival period.
- Azalea: May
- Whilst no festivals are held, the mountain is dyed in pink with Azalea flowers!
- Inagawa Fireworks (猪名川花火): from 7:20 – 8:20 pm on a Saturday in mid-August
- The firework can be seen clearly from the observation decks of Mt. Satsuki overlooking Ina River (猪名川).
- Remember to arrive as early as possible for a good viewing spot (recommending at least 3 hours in advance).
- Gangara Fire Festival (がんがら火祭り): the 24th of August
- It is a festival with a lit-up torch weighing around 100 kg. The scene is so rare that tourists from all over the country would gather and witness it on this day!
- Fall Foliage: from late November to early December
- The autumn color can be seen starting from late November, with the peaking period being the end of the month until the first couple of days in December.
How to Get to Satsukiyama
- By train: a 15-minute walk from Hankyū Ikeda Station (阪急池田駅).
- By Hankyu Bus: a 3-minute walk from Daikōji (大広寺) bus stop
Discover Other Attractions in Ikeda City
Satsukiyama isn’t the only great attraction in Ikeda City. If you have extra time to spend, stop by other amazing places close to Satsukiyama, such as a cup noodle museum or a temple on the Kansai Flower Temple Route!
For more information, please refer to our article on Ikeda City!
