The Hankyu Takarazuka Line for Minoo, Ikeda and Takarazuka

The Hankyu Takarazuka Line runs between Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station in Osaka and Takarazuka Station in Hyogo Prefecture.

It is run by the private Hankyu Railway company and so it is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass. The main destination of interest on this line is the hot spring town of Takarazuka, but there are some other tourist sites of note on the way, including Juso, Hotarugaike, Minoh, Ikeda and Nakayamadera Temple.

Access to Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station

The Hankyu Takarazuka Main Line does not connect directly to JR Osaka Station, but to the nearby Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station. Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station is situated northeast of Osaka Station and is connected to Osaka Station City by station-area walkways and underground passages. At Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station, Takarazuka Line trains depart from Platforms 4 and 5.

Key Destinations

Juso Station

Juso Station is the last stop where you can transfer between the Takarazuka, Kobe and Kyoto lines.

Hotarugaike Station

Transfer here to the Osaka Monorail Main Line for Osaka Itami Airport.

Ishibashi handai-mae Station

Transfer here to the Hankyu Minoh Line for the city of Minoh, also often romanized as Minoo. Minoh is famous for Katsuo-ji Temple, which was founded in 727, and for the magnificent 33-meter Minoh Waterfall in Meiji-no-Mori Minoh Quasi-National Park.

Ikeda Station

Exit here for the Itsuo Art Museum. The museum houses the extensive Japanese art collection of Ichizo Kobayashi (1873-1957), the founder of the Hankyu Railway. Its collection includes about 5,500 works, including 16 nationally designated Important Cultural Properties and 19 Important Art Objects.

Nakayama-kannon Station

Exit here for Nakayamadera Temple. This popular temple is dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist bodhisattva of compassion, and visitors pray here for safe birth and pregnancy. Behind the temple is Nakayama Kannon Park, with about 1,000 plum trees that usually come into bloom around early March. Beyond that rises Mount Nakayama, which is popular with hikers for its views over Osaka Prefecture’s urban conurbation.

Takarazuka Station

Takarazuka is most famous as the home of the Takarazuka Revue, an all-female musical theater group whose main theater is about 10 minutes on foot from Takarazuka Station. The town’s other attractions include its hot springs, the Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum, and the Tessai Museum, which holds about 1,200 artworks by the renowned literati painter Tomioka Tessai.

Discount Tickets

As Hankyu Railway is a private company, the Hankyu Takarazuka Line is not covered by the Japan Rail Pass. However, a Hankyu One-Day Pass is available for unlimited one-day travel on Hankyu Railway lines, except the Kobe Kosoku Line. This can be useful if you are planning to use Hankyu Railways between Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe on the same day.

Travelers who also plan to use Hanshin Railway can consider the Hankyu-Hanshin One-Day Pass, which covers Hankyu Railway, Hanshin Railway and Kobe Kosoku lines. For wider private-rail travel in Kansai, the KANSAI RAILWAY PASS LITE covers many metro and private railway routes, but it does not cover JR lines, Kyoto City Subway, the Keihan Otsu Line, Randen, or buses. Check the official coverage before buying, because the best pass depends on your full route.

Local residents can also use PiTaPa, an IC fare and payment system used by many private railways, buses and subway systems in the Kansai region. It is mainly relevant to residents rather than short-term visitors.

Hankyu Trains, Maps and Timetables

The Hankyu Railway is served by a variety of train types. On the Takarazuka Line, these can include Local, Semi-Express, Commuter Express, Express, Commuter Limited Express and Limited Express services, depending on the day and time. Local trains stop at every station, while faster services skip some stops. You should be careful to get on the right train for your stop, or know where to make an appropriate transfer.

Use the official Hankyu Route Search to check train times, fares and transfers. You can also use the Hankyu Lines and Stations page for route maps and station information, or the Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station page for station maps and Takarazuka Line timetables. On Hankyu route maps, the Takarazuka Main Line and its branch lines are colored yellow.

English-language online route finders such as Jorudan and Navitime are also useful for comparing trains quickly.

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Article and original photos by Michael Lambe. All rights reserved. Last updated 04-Aug-2026.