Hattori Ryokuchi Park

In short

An Osaka prefectural park spanning Toyonaka City and Suita City, opened in August 1950 (Showa 25). With an opening area of 126.3 hectares, it is approximately 33 times the size of Koshien Stadium. It has been chosen as one of "Japan's Top 100 Historical Parks" and "Japan's Top 100 City Parks," and inside the park are cultural facilities such as the Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farm Houses, the Hattori Ryokuchi Urban Greening Botanical Garden, and an open-air concert hall, as well as numerous sports facilities, including an athletic stadium.

• ​Circular Flower Bed​​: Developed in 1959 (Showa 34) as a project commemorating the marriage of the then Crown Prince and Crown Princess (the current Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita), this flower bed measures approximately 150 meters in diameter and serves as the symbol of Hattori Ryokuchi Park
• ​Ponds and Watersides​​: There are more than 10 ponds, including Yamagaike, Uzuwaike, Shinguike, and Komogaike, where people can be seen fishing. Wild birds and insects can also be observed in the groves and around the ponds
• ​Seasonal Strolls and Running​​: The park bustles with visitors enjoying cherry blossom viewing in spring and autumn foliage in fall. With its many lawn and dirt paths, many runners can be seen there

History and Highlights

​Hattori Ryokuchi Park​ is an Osaka prefectural park spanning both Toyonaka City and Suita City. After being incorporated into Osaka's comprehensive urban plan in 1928, plans were finalized in 1941 to develop it as one of Osaka Prefecture's four major green spaces, alongside Tsurumi Ryokuchi, Kyuhoji Ryokuchi, and Oizumi Ryokuchi, and it was arranged as a disaster-prevention green space. Improvements to turn it into a recreational area for prefectural residents began in 1949, and it opened in August 1950.

With an opening area of 126.3 hectares, it is approximately 33 times the size of Koshien Stadium. Surrounded by the Takagawa and Tenjiku rivers, it spreads across hilly terrain featuring pine groves, bamboo forests, and ponds, with almost the entire park designated as a scenic zone. The rows of pine trees along the Takagawa and Tenjiku rivers are selected among the "Toyonaka Top 100 Views," and the bamboo forest in the northern area is selected as the "Bamboo Groves of Senri Hills" in the "100 Landscapes of Japan to be Preserved in the 21st Century." The park itself has also been chosen as one of "Japan's Top 100 Historical Parks" and "Japan's Top 100 City Parks."

Inside the park are cultural facilities such as the Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farm Houses, the Hattori Ryokuchi Urban Greening Botanical Garden, and an open-air concert hall, as well as numerous sports facilities, including an athletic stadium completed in 1958 through the renovation of a velodrome.

Points of Interest and Experience

• ​Circular Flower Bed​​: Developed in 1959 as a project commemorating the marriage of the then Crown Prince and Crown Princess (the current Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita), this flower bed measures approximately 150 meters in diameter and serves as the symbol of Hattori Ryokuchi Park. Visitors can enjoy seasonal blooms, including a rose garden and fountain flower beds.
• ​Ponds and Watersides​​: There are more than 10 ponds within the park, including Yamagaike, Uzuwaike, Shinguike, and Komogaike, where people can often be seen fishing. Wild birds and insects can also be observed in the groves and around the ponds.
• ​Seasonal Strolls and Running​​: The park bustles with visitors enjoying cherry blossom viewing in spring and autumn foliage in fall. The running course, which runs through the grounds from Ryokuchi-koen Station, is about 4 kilometers long; because it features many lawn and dirt paths, many runners can be seen there.

Tips for Visitors

The park is located right next to Ryokuchi-koen Station on the Kita-Osaka Kyuko Line, and it is about a 5-minute walk to the East Central Plaza. From Sone Station on the Hankyu Takarazuka Line, it is about a 20-minute walk to the West Central Plaza. For information about the traditional farmhouses relocated from various regions, please see the guide for the Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farm Houses; for information about the botanical garden, please see the guide for the Hattori Ryokuchi Urban Greening Botanical Garden.