Parks Garden

In short

The rooftop park of Namba Parks, a commercial complex in the Namba district of Naniwa Ward, Osaka City. Extending in terraces from ground level up to the 9th floor and nurturing approximately 100,000 plants across around 500 species, it is among the largest rooftop gardens on a commercial facility in Japan. Namba Parks opened in 2003 on the former site of Osaka Stadium, which was once the home stadium of the Nankai Hawks.

• ​Exploring the Terraced Gardens​​: You can walk up through the gardens, which are connected to the shops, from the lower floors to the upper floors. Between 2023 and 2024, they were renovated under the concept of "Touching Nature"
• ​Wildlife in an Urban Forest​​: Many fruit-bearing trees were planted to attract birds, and the gardens are maintained without pesticides. Surveys have confirmed 25 species of birds and shown that the gardens also serve as a stopover for migratory birds
• ​Observation Plaza on the 7th Floor​​: It features a pavement called "Uchimizu Pave," which draws up water from underground to moisten its surface and cools it with the heat of vaporization

History and Highlights

​Parks Garden​ is a rooftop park atop Namba Parks, a commercial complex located in the Namba district of Naniwa Ward, Osaka City. Namba Parks opened in 2003 on the former site of Osaka Stadium, which was once the home stadium of the Nankai Hawks baseball team. Based on the concept of "a symphony of people, city, and nature," the building was designed by American architect Jon Jerde, who also worked on Roppongi Hills. It is characterized by an exterior reminiscent of a grand canyon on Earth and walls that mimic majestic geological strata.

Parks Garden extends in terraces from ground level up to the 9th floor, nurturing approximately 100,000 plants across around 500 species. It is among the largest rooftop gardens on a commercial facility in Japan, and its flora is tended to by resident dedicated gardeners. The garden has received high acclaim both domestically and internationally, including the Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Award at the Rooftop Greenery Grand Prize in 2005 and the Architectural Institute of Japan Prize in 2016.

Viewing and Experience Highlights

• ​Exploring the Terraced Gardens​​: You can ascend from the lower floors to the upper floors by walking through the gardens, which are directly connected to the shops. Between 2023 and 2024, the space was renovated under the concept of "Touching Nature" to bring people closer to nature and allow them to experience it with all five senses.
• ​Wildlife in an Urban Forest​​: Diverse environments such as wetlands and grasslands were incorporated from the design phase, and many fruit-bearing trees were planted to attract birds, all maintained without pesticides. Surveys have confirmed 25 species of birds, showing that it also serves as a stopover for migratory birds.
• ​Observation Plaza on the 7th Floor​​: The 7th-floor observation plaza features a specialized pavement called "Uchimizu Pave," which draws up water from beneath the ground to moisten its surface, utilizing the cooling effect of vaporization.

Walking Tips

The complex is directly connected to Nankai Railway's Namba Station. It is located about 410 meters south of Namba Grand Kagetsu, about 480 meters east of Namba Yasaka-jinja Shrine, and about 440 meters northwest of Den Den Town, making it a convenient spot to pause and relax amidst greenery while exploring the Minami area.