Highlights and Facilities
Keyaki Tree Avenue and Literary Monument
The East Garden features a beautiful avenue lined with zelkova trees. The paths are suitable for walking, jogging, and enjoying a leisurely stroll through the greenery.
The park is also home to a literary monument dedicated to Motoyoshi Kajii, a Japanese novelist and short-story writer. The monument, erected in 1981, features a passage from his best-known work, Lemon.
Kusunaga Shrine and Its Sacred Tree
Near the center of the park, along Naniwa-suji, stands Kusunaga Shrine. The shrine is particularly notable for its large camphor tree, which is regarded as a sacred tree.
According to local tradition, the tree was once scheduled to be cut down when an airfield was being constructed on the site. However, a series of injuries and bulldozer breakdowns reportedly occurred. During a purification ceremony, a white snake was also said to have appeared. These events led people to decide that the tree should be preserved as a sacred tree.
Utsubo Tennis Center
The Utsubo Tennis Center has 16 hard courts, including a main center court with seating for approximately 5,000 spectators and a sub-center court accommodating approximately 500 people.
The facility hosts domestic and international competitions, including the World Super Junior Tennis Championships, making it an important tennis venue in Osaka.
The History of Utsubo Park
From a Fish Market to an Airfield and Then a Park
The land now occupied by Utsubo Park was once the site of the Utsubo Salted and Dried Fish Market. The market collected dried fish and other seafood products from across Japan. Some of these products, including dried sardines, were also used as fertilizer.
Following the opening of the Osaka Central Wholesale Market in 1931, the market was closed. The area was later devastated during the Osaka air raids of 1945, leaving much of the district in ruins.
Postwar Occupation and Utsubo Airfield
After World War II, the General Headquarters of the Allied Forces (GHQ) requisitioned the area between Yotsubashi-suji and Amidaji-suji, between the former Kyomachibori River and Kaimebori River. An airfield known as Utsubo Airfield was established there for the occupying forces.
The airfield site was returned to the City of Osaka in 1952. As part of postwar reconstruction and land readjustment projects, Utsubo Park officially opened in 1955.
The East and West Gardens
In 1959, Naniwa-suji was constructed through the area, dividing the park into its present East and West Gardens.
The East Garden was developed with its distinctive zelkova tree avenue, while the Utsubo Tennis Courts had already opened in 1953. The West Garden was home to the former Utsubo Soccer Stadium, where soccer matches and other sporting events were held.
From Tennis Championships to the Rose Garden
Utsubo Tennis Courts and the All Japan Tennis Championships
The Utsubo Tennis Courts served as a venue for the All Japan Tennis Championships from 1954 to 1983.
Around 1994, the former Utsubo Soccer Stadium was demolished, and the Tsurumi Ryokuchi Football Stadium was opened as a replacement facility. In 1995, the Utsubo Tennis Center was newly established in the West Garden, where domestic and international competitions have since been held.
The Rose Garden and Outdoor Events
In preparation for the 14th World Rose Convention Osaka in 2006, the rose garden in the East Garden was renovated. The center court of the former Utsubo Tennis Courts was removed and incorporated into part of the rose garden.
Today, the rose garden is a popular place for relaxing and enjoying seasonal flowers. It has also been used as a venue for outdoor wedding ceremonies.
Annual Events
Utsubo Park Rose Festival
Held in mid-May, the Utsubo Park Rose Festival features outdoor concerts in the center of the rose garden. The event offers visitors an opportunity to enjoy music surrounded by blooming roses.
Flowers and Sculpture Exhibition
Held from mid- to late October, this exhibition displays sculptures along the zelkova-lined avenue, combining contemporary artworks with the park’s natural surroundings.
Plant Market
A plant market is held periodically near the exit on the Yotsubashi-suji side of the park.
Access
By Subway
Osaka Metro Yotsubashi Line: Hommachi Station or Higobashi Station
Osaka Metro Chuo Line and Sennichimae Line: Awaza Station
By Keihan Railway
Keihan Nakanoshima Line: Nakanoshima Station or Watanabebashi Station
A Peaceful Green Space in Central Osaka
Utsubo Park combines nature, history, literature, sports, and seasonal events in the heart of Osaka. Visitors can enjoy the rose garden, tree-lined paths, historic monuments, and tennis facilities while taking a break from the surrounding urban environment.
With its fascinating transformation from a historic market site to a wartime airfield and finally a public park, Utsubo Park also offers an interesting glimpse into Osaka’s modern history. It is a pleasant destination for anyone who wants to experience a quieter side of central Osaka while enjoying nature and the city’s rich past.