Bento Making Class and Sakura Viewing Cycling Tour in Osaka

Come spring, with the sakura season in full bloom, there is no better time for a hanami picnic! Hanami is the custom of flower viewing, usually done with friends and family, by having a picnic in the park to appreciate the beauty of the flowers. Come join us as we go on a cycling tour and enjoy a hanami picnic in one of Osaka’s most beautiful parks! The Expo ’70 Commemorative Park is a huge national park, which lies in the north of Osaka, a residential area not commonly patronized by tourists. The park spans 260 hectares and is one of Osaka’s most popular sakura viewing spots. Before heading to the Expo ’70 Commemorative Park, we will begin our cycling tour from JR Ibaraki Station. We will be stopping at a cooking studio along the way to make our own bento lunches! This short cooking class will only take an hour, and with the simple recipes and instructions provided, you can recreate these cute bento boxes easily in the future as well. Once we have our bento boxes packed and ready to go, we will then cycle to the park for our hanami session. Enjoy your homemade bento lunch as you revel in the beauty of the cherry blossoms. After lunch, we will take an hour-long stroll around the Expo ’70 Commemorative Park. Within the park lies the famous Tower of the Sun, a massive piece of art designed by the famous artist, Taro Okamoto. The entrance fee to the tower is not included in the tour, and if you wish to enter the tower, it will cost JPY 720. On the way back to the station, we will also make a couple of brief stops, one of which includes a public foot bath. If you’re up for it, you can also have a soak and enjoy a short outdoor public foot spa! We will also stop by a local takoyaki izakaya shop for drinks and takoyaki. Here we will end the tour with a celebratory “kanpai!” -- a toast which literally translates to “cheers!”