Yao, Industrial city in Osaka Prefecture, Japan
Yao lies east of central Osaka and spreads between residential districts, shopping streets, and the wooded slopes of Mount Takayasu. The city connects densely built areas with quieter zones at the edge of town.
The municipality formed in 1948 when villages and fields in Nakakawachi district grew into a city. Factories and housing later replaced farmland and shaped the current urban layout.
The Museum for Kawachi-ondo introduces visitors to a special form of storytelling sung during the Bon festival and rooted in this area. Performances combine rhythmic speech with drumming and belong to the living traditions of the region.
Kintetsu railways link Yao Station to central Osaka and bring travelers there in about 30 minutes. The visitor center offers bicycles for rent for trips around the local area.
Kenshoji Temple stands in an old jinaichou, a self-governing Buddhist settlement that kept its own rules and structures. Such communities once managed many affairs independently, separate from surrounding areas.
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