OsakaDid you know that there is a driving course where you can see the two night views of Nara and Nara at the same time? The driving course is “Shiki Ikoma Skyline”. The Shigi Ikoma Skyline has several viewing spots along the course, and if you visit at night, you can enjoy the best night view in Kansai. So, what kind of drive course is the Shiki Ikoma Skyline? This time, we will give you an easy-to-understand introduction to the spots where you can enjoy the night view of Osaka and Nara on the Shiki Ikoma Skyline.
What kind of road is Shigi Ikoma Skyline?
The Shigi-Ikoma Skyline is a tourist toll road that runs north-south across the prefectural border between Osaka and Nara prefectures. Shigi Ikoma Skyline is pronounced as “Shigiikoma Skyline”.
The location starts from Misato Town, Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture in the south, and ends at the Hanna Road intersection in Shijonawate City, Osaka Prefecture in the north. The total length is approximately 20.9km. The speed within the Shiki Ikoma Skyline is 40km/h, and it takes about 30 minutes to get from the starting point to the ending point. The toll for a regular car is 1,360 yen for one-way trip from Shigiyama Toll Gate to Seitenguchi Toll Gate.
Basic information of Shigi Ikoma Skyline
Here we will introduce basic information about Shgii Ikoma Skyline.
❶History
The Shigi-Ikoma Skyline was originally the site of the abandoned Kintetsu Shigisan Express Railway, which was turned into a tourist toll road. Therefore, even now, the owner of the Shiki-Ikoma Skyline is Kinki Nippon Railway.
❷Tollgate
There are three toll booths on the Shiki Ikoma Skyline. The southern tollgate begins at the Shigiyama tollgate, passes through the Ikomasanjo tollgate in the center, and exits from the Seitenguchi tollgate in the north. The Shiki-Ikoma Skyline continues from the Seitenguchi Toll Gate to the Hanna Road intersection.
❸Characteristics of roads
The roads are characterized by various types of roads, such as continuous hairpin curves and long straights. This road is recommended as a driving course. On the map, it runs vertically from north to south, almost along the prefectural border between Osaka and Nara. Therefore, at night, you can see two spectacular night views of the metropolis of Osaka and the ancient capital of Nara at the same time.
What is the night view spot of Shigi Ikoma Skyline?
Shigi Ikoma Skyline is famous as the best night view spot in Kansai. You can view the night view by parking your car in the parking lot along the road. Here we will introduce some of the most recommended night view spots on the Shiki-Ikoma Skyline, starting from the south.
❶ Bell-ringing observation deck
The observation deck where the bell rings is the most popular night view spot on the Shiki Ikoma Skyline. The location is right in the middle of the shigi Ikoma Skyline. At an altitude of 460m, you can enjoy the night view of Osaka from the 12m high observation deck. There is a bell-shaped memorial plate, so it is recommended that you visit as a couple.
❷Panorama parking lot
The panoramic parking lot is a parking lot that combines a plaza and a parking lot. The name comes from the fact that you can see the cityscapes of both Osaka and Nara at the same time, like a panoramic view. This area is also called “Kongo Ikoma Quasi-National Park.” You can also walk to the dark pass from here. The panoramic parking lot is a unique night view spot where you can compare the night views of Osaka and Nara to the left and right.
❸Hoshi no Hiroba Observation Deck
Hoshi no Hiroba Observation Deck is an observation deck located within Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park. It is an amusement park located on the top of Mt. Ikoma at an altitude of 642 meters, located in the middle of the Shigi Ikoma Skyline.
This amusement park is operated by Kintetsu, and currently requires reservations for admission. From Star Plaza in the northeastern part of the park, you can see the Nara Basin and Osaka Plain below. However, the night view can only be seen on weekends and holidays from July to October. The reason is that in other months, the park closes at 5pm, so you won’t be able to stay in the park until the time when you can see the night view.
*To enter Ikoma Sanjo Amusement Park, you need to exit Shiki Ikoma Skyline once.
❹600m above sea level parking lot
The 600m above sea level parking lot is a viewing spot located at the highest altitude on the Shiki Ikoma Skyline drive course. It was completely renovated on September 16, 2023, with a new observatory and parking lot. The unique feature is that the observation deck juts out towards Osaka, allowing you to see Osaka even closer. This is a recommended night view spot if you want to see the night view of Osaka from a high altitude.
Access information to Shigi Ikoma Skyline
Here you will find detailed information about access to Shiki Ikoma Skyline. The address of Shiki Ikoma Skyline is “Minamihata, Misato-machi, Ikoma-gun, Nara Prefecture – Uedahara, Shijonawate City, Osaka Prefecture”.
❶Route from Osaka city to Shigii Ikoma Skyline by car
| Osaka City ⇒ Hanshin Expressway Higashi-Osaka Line ⇒ R70 ⇒ Shiki Ikoma Skyline |
The total travel distance is approximately 32km, and the travel time is approximately 52 minutes.
Summary
This time, we introduced spots where you can enjoy the night view of Osaka and Nara at Shiki Ikoma Skyline. You can enjoy a daytime drive on the Shiki Ikoma Skyline, but we recommend a night view drive. You can enjoy a special time as you can enjoy the vast night view of Osaka Plain and Nara Basin at the same time. If you are traveling to Osaka or Nara, we recommend that you visit Shiki Ikoma Skyline.
▲Official website
▲Panorama observation deck
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