Takarazuka

Takarazuka is a bedroom community city, in which residents typically work in nearby Osaka.

The city is known for its hot springs and for its all-female Takarazuka Revue, both of which are now the main draw for visitors.

Most people who visit Takarazuka are domestic travellers, with the largest group being middle-aged people and the older crowd.

For manga fans, the Tezuka Osamu Manga Museum located here is a must-visit. The manga artist, most well known for creating the character Astro Boy, grew up in the city, watching the Takarazuka Revue as a boy.

Many of Takarazuka's main attractions, hotels and shops are located in the vicinity of the Hankyu Takarazuka Station and the Takarazuka Minamiguchi Station. Most of them are within walking distance.

If you are not staying at a local hotel, take note of the last train times at both stations (usually at or around 01:00), or you might find yourself with no transportation out of the city.

• 🌍 Takarazuka Grand Theater (宝塚大劇場), 1-1-57 Sakaemachi (10 minutes walk east from Takarazuka Station, between the Hankyū Imazu Line and the Muko River, or 10 minutes walk from Takarazuka-Minamiguchi Station on the Imazu Line, over the bridge and left at the Tezuka Museum.), ☏ +81 570-00-5100. 10:00-18:00, closed Wednesdays. The most famous and popular attraction in the city, this theater is home to the all-female Takarazuka Revue. The most famous actresses are the women who play male roles (男役 otoko-yaku), and it is for them that the theater is so popular. They make it quite easy to get lost in the story, forgetting that none of the men on stage are actually men. It is generally easy to get tickets at the door, but joining the queue at about 8am is recommended during weekends as shows are more likely to sell out on these days. From ¥3,500. (updated Jan 2024)
• 🌍 Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum (手塚治虫記念館), 7-65 Mukogawachō (12 minutes walk east from Takarazuka Station, or 6 minutes walk from Takarazuka-Minamiguchi Station, just across the river), ☏ +81 797-81-2970. 09:30-17:00 (last admission 16:30), closed Wednesdays. A museum dedicated to Osamu Tezuka (1928-89), the author of works such as Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion, who became known as 'the god of manga' even within his own lifetime and is often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, whose films were a major influence on him. He was born in nearby Toyonaka but spent much of his life in Takarazuka, often seeing the Takarazuka Revue with his mother in his childhood, and became an honorary citizen. The museum features information about his works, screenings, artwork, and personal life. Most information is in Japanese only. ¥700. (updated Jul 2018)

• Tezuka Osamu Manga Museum the outside
• Tezuka Osamu Manga Museum the inside

• Hike along the old abandoned railway. Catch the train to JR Takedao Station from JR Osaka. (roughly 40 minutes). There is no ticket machine at this station, so a sneaky person might save money and travel there on the minimum ¥120 fare. The walk is about 6 km long and is flat. Difficulty level = 2/5. It takes about 2 hours. Key features: spectacular river views, rapids, gorge, cherry blossoms, red and yellow leaves in Autumn, train tunnels. Great for photography. When you exit the train station turn left and follow the river along and around to some steps up onto a small bridge (not across the main river, but a sidearm when the street turns left). Cross the bridge and you will come to the old train track sleepers. Follow them along the river. You will have to walk through 6 old train tunnels and that is what makes this hike so interesting. Make sure you bring good hiking shoes and a flashlight. You cannot walk through the tunnels without a flashlight. There are also nice places next to the river for a picnic. When you get to the end, walk towards the massive overpass and keep walking about 1km. Eventually you will come upon some T-intersections, turn right up the hill at the second traffic light towards Namaze station. You'll also find Hankyu Bus stops along the main street. Have fun.
• Stroll along the Hana no Michi street when cherry blossoms are in season (usually late March or early April). Just across the road from the Hankyu Takarazuka Station, the popular scenic spot is also near the Hana no Michi Seruka buildings which feature plenty of shops. The entire street is lined on both sides with cherry blossom trees and the low hanging branches envelop visitors in a gentle curtain of pink along the entire 100m walk. Visit on a Wednesday or just after lunch hour, as most visitors who have come to watch performances at the Takarazuka theater just beside would have gone in.

• Sorio Takarazuka (ソリオ宝塚), 2-1-1 Sakaemachi, Takarazuka City (immediately south of Hankyū Takarazuka Station). A nice, small-town mall comprising a Hankyu department store, various speciality shops, cafes and restaurants. Good for getting daily goods or doing a little shopping when in the city. (updated Jul 2018)
• Quatre Rêves, 1-1-57 Sakaemachi (inside the Takarazuka Grand Theater, on the 1st Floor). The Takarazuka Revue's official gift shop. There are many other shops inside the theater complex. Aside from books, multimedia and items related to the Revue's performances, visitors can also find a wide range of special pastries, baked goods and sweets unique to the Revue and the city. (updated Jul 2018)

There are numerous restaurants and cafes in Takarazuka, serving Japanese or Western fare, or a mixture of both. Shops and eateries located in the vicinity of the Takarazuka Revue theater often plan their closing hours and days around the operating hours of the theater. Many close early on Wednesdays, or take a break altogether, as there are no performances at the theater.

• Sandwich LeMans, 2-12-14 Takarazuka Minamiguchi. 09:00-19:00, closed Wednesdays. A popular sandwich cafe among regular visitors, LeMans offers a wide range of homemade western-style sandwiches. Good place for lunch, but might be crowded with people between performances from the Takarazuka Revue theater. The main shop in Minamiguchi does takeaways and home delivery only; for those who want to eat in, there is a second shop on the 2nd floor of Hananomichi Cerca. (updated Jul 2018)

The larger hotels in Takarazuka typically cater to either hot spring visitors or the theater-going crowd. As such, rooms may be booked well in advance and vacancies might be few, so do book early.

• Takarazuka Hotel, 1-1-33 Sakae-cho (between the station and the theater), ☏ +81-797-87-1151. Check-in: 13:00, check-out: 11:00. The oldest hotel to be run by Hankyū Hanshin Hotels, opened in 1926, and the official hotel of the Takarazuka Grand Theater. Moved to the current location in 2020. The hotel has a classical European feel similar to the Revue's many romantic plays. Some staff are able to speak some English and the service is good. Rooms from ¥19,000. (updated Mar 2024)
• Takarazuka Washington Hotel, 2-2-2 Sakaemachi (just south of Hankyū Takarazuka Station, across the road and next to Hōrai Bridge), ☏ +81-797-87-1771. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 11:00 (may be extended up to 16:00 for ¥594 per hour per person). An affordable hotel catering mostly to people who visit the city for its Revue performances. Offers single, double and Japanese-style rooms. Rooms from ¥8640. (updated Jul 2018)
• Hotel Wakamizu, 9-25 Yumoto-cho (5 minutes walk from Takarazuka Station; cross Hōrai Bridge and it will be on your left. Transport may be reserved), ☏ +81 797-86-0151. Check-in: Until 23:00. An onsen hotel that offers hot spring bathing in the Takarazuka Hot Spring, which was discovered some 700 years ago. From ¥12,600. (updated Jul 2018)

• Sasayama
• Nishinomiya
• Kobe
• Amagasaki
• Osaka
• Suita
• Minō
• Akashi
• Fukuchiyama