Hamadera Park, One of Osaka’s Best Parks!

One of the largest and most popular parks in Osaka is Hamadera Park in south Sakai City. Hamadera Park is famous not only for its size, but for all the pine trees that cover the park. This park is true local favorite and even sports two swimming pools, tennis courts, baseball fields, and rose garden with 300 different kinds of roses!

The History of Hamadera Park

Hamadera Park is located on what was once Takashi no Hama, or Takashi Beach. Takashi no Hama was traditionally famous for its gorgeous white sand and pine trees. There is even a poem about Takashi Hama in the famous poem anthology, Manyoshu.

Unfortunately, today the beach is gone.

In the 13^th century, Hamadera, literally meaning “beach temple” was built near Takashi no Hama, and is where the “hamadera” of Hamadera Park comes from.

Because of its long history, Hamadera Park is full of stories. For example, during the Meiji Period, the government considered cutting down the pine trees in order to create more farm land. But when the first Secretary of the Interior, Okubo Toshimichi, went to visit the park, he was so touched by how beautiful it was he ordered not cut down the trees.

In addition, Hamadera Park is one of the very first public parks in Japan.

Pine trees

Also during the Meiji Period, they city added a large beach to Hamadera Park. The beach became very popular with residence, but during the Russo-Japanese War, it became a wartime prison for captured Russian soldiers. Then after WWII, the American military seized the park for their own use.

Statue for the Russian war prisoners

Today, the beach is gone, due to the large factories on the man-made island, just across from the park.

Factories on nearby man-made island.

Despite the factories being there, Hamadera Park is still a very popular park. Perhaps somewhat reminiscent of the swimming that use to take place here are two large pools. In addition, to the pools are large flower gardens and plenty of space where you can grill outdoors for free. In many ways, the park is a much need mini vacation for everyone in the area.

Getting to Hamadera Park

Hamadera Park is only 20 minutes south of Nankai Namba Station via the Nankai Main Line. Also, the Hanakai Line tram at Tenno-ji Station goes right in front of the park entrance, but it takes 40 minutes. Though the tram is slower, it is much cheaper than the Nankai, as it is only 200 yen from Tenno-ji to the park.

Hankai Tram

Hamadera Park

Nearby Hamadera Koen Station is also really impressive.

Hamadera Koen Station

The designer of Hamadera Koen Station is none other than Tatsuno Kingo — the same man who designed Tokyo Station, Osaka City Central Hall and other many famous buildings throughout Japan. Built in 1907, this station is the oldest wooden private train station in the country.

Park entrance

Once you get in Hamadera Park, you will quickly notice all the pine trees. There are roughly 5,500 pine trees throughout the park.

Due to the sea breeze, many of the pine trees grow kinda funny.

There are also tons of cherry blossom trees in Hamadera that make the park particularly lovely in the spring.  

The park keeps a couple of old train cars, so kids can see what the trains that once ran through this area look like. 

They also have a kiddie train ride! You have to pay for it, but it is very popular with younger children. 

Right next to the pool is the Hamadera Swimming School, built in 1906. This school is the origin of synchronized swimming in Japan.

Japan’s first synchronized swimming school, sponsored by the Mainichi Newspaper

Though the beach is gone now, there are competitive rowing events held at the park.

Seating for rowing, and other major events.

The park has a large rose garden with 300 kinds of roses. The garden has two sections: a Japanese and a European rose gardens and it very pretty during May when the gardens are in full bloom.

In the park is perhaps something you would never pay attention to. This small plant, is a Hamadera-so. Native to North America, it somehow made its way to Japan and now only exists in two places in the entire country. 

Hamadera-so

Food

Near the station is Fukuei-do.

Fukuei-do. The store is so old, the sign for their best seller is even written backwards from modern day Japanese.

This store opened at the same time as Hamadera Koen Station and is Japan’s oldest Japanese confectionery store.

They sell a traditional and popular local snack, shoro dango.

shoro dango

The treat gets its name from the fact that it is shaped like shoro, a kind of mushrooms that grows near the roots of a pine tree. The mochi is covered in a smooth layer of sweet bean paste and is very tasty.

Hamadera Park

Coming next time,
The Daigaku Festival at Ikune Shrine!
The adventure continues…

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