【何があるのか？】大阪府と奈良県の間にある「謎の隙間」に行ってみた

The Ikoma Mountains stand as a barrier on the border between Osaka and Nara prefectures. When Kintetsu Railway tunneled through these mountains, a major city suddenly appeared on the mountainside—that's Ikoma. It's a 20-minute ride on the rapid express train from Namba, or a 28-minute subway ride from Honmachi. In front of the station are "Entre Ikoma," a commercial complex featuring Loft, Muji, and Kaldi, and the stylish "Bel Terrace Ikoma," which could easily be mistaken for Grand Front Osaka in Umeda. It's an overly developed station area, unlike anything you'd expect at the foot of a mountain. On the other hand, if you take the first and only double-track cable car in Japan, "Bull" and "Mike," up the mountain, you'll arrive at Ikoma Shinchi, the temple town of Hozanji Temple. Once known as a "city that never sleeps," this entertainment district, bustling with dance halls (which were banned in Osaka and Nara), escaped wartime destruction by becoming a children's evacuation site, and still retains its retro charm as a district of inns. A futuristic station area and a temple approach steeped in Showa-era history. See the astonishing duality of this town nestled between two mountain ranges. ▼This Route Kintetsu Ikoma Station → Entre Ikoma/Bel Terrace Ikoma → Ikoma Cable Car (Torii-mae → Hozanji) → Hozanji Temple/Ikoma Shinchi → Descend by Cable Car → Ikoma City Center