For Japan Explorers

【Town & Gourmet】　 Searching for turtles in "Shitennouji Temple" (Osaka pref.)

My quest to find Japanese pond turtles has finally reached Osaka! I braved the scorching heat to search for them at Shitennoji Temple, famous for its "turtle pond."

So, what's the situation like with turtles in Osaka?. 　(Nihedon @ KesaranPasaran Lab)

★ Shitennoji Temple: Founded by Prince Shotoku, it is one of the oldest temples in Japan .★

★ "They" were living in swarms. ★

See what's floating there? It's not trash!

Believe it or not, these are all turtles!

This is a slope where turtles bask in the sun.

All of the turtles were red-eared sliders!

Even so, with so many turtles around, it's quite surprising that I couldn't find a single Japanese pond turtle, or even a Chinese pond turtle (Except for the "soft-shelled turtle" in the photo below.)

Something has to be done about this. Well, I don't know "how" to do it, though...

My "search for Japanese pond turtles" will continue (probably).

It's a softshell turtle!!

It's about two sizes larger than other red-eared sliders.

According to Wikipedia, the softshell turtle's habitat is "China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, North Korea, southeastern Russia, and Southeast Asia."

So, it seems to have "some elements of Japanese turtles" compared to the red-eared slider, which is native to North America.

ACCESS :

●12-minute walk north from Tennoji Station

●5-minute walk south from Shitennoji-mae Yuhigaoka Station

●14-minute walk north from Abenobashi Station

Official site