Osaka’s city lights, from the top of the stairs An April night on the Shigi-Ikoma Skyline

One April night, I entered the Shigi-Ikoma Skyline from the Hanna side. I kept my eyes on the road and my hands on the wheel as I climbed into the hills; the sounds of the city I’d just left faded behind me. Tonight I was heading for the Kane no Naru Lookout. When I pulled into the car park and switched off the engine, I felt the night breeze much more clearly than I had from inside the car.

There’s a bell partway up the stairs to the upper lookout. I took a moment to look at its shape, then walked a little farther up. Under my jacket I had a soft cardigan on; I was wearing jeans and sneakers. As I climbed, the trees opened up and the city lights began to appear.

The moment I reached the railing, I instinctively clasped both hands over my chest. The lights stretched much farther across the Osaka Plain than I’d expected. The nearby mountains stayed dark, and beyond them, thin lines of light ran across the night. I wanted to stand there in silence for a while.

Down on the road, all I saw were traffic lights and corners; up here, they formed the shape of the city. I traced one bright road with my eyes, then let my gaze follow the lights beyond it. I might not have been able to tell exactly where I’d driven earlier in the day, but knowing I’d been somewhere out there made the city I knew feel a little bigger.

I sent my friend a single photo before heading home. Next time, I’d love to make the drive up here with her and talk about the roads while we take in the same view. I’d like to pick up some Takayama kakimochi rice crackers in Ikoma as a souvenir, too. Back in the car, I put on a song for the drive back and started looking forward to descending toward the city I’d just seen from above.