Visiting Osaka Castle? Make sure you spare some time for the surrounding park. There are often street performers and free concerts on the park grounds, and it’s a fun, lively place for cherry blossom viewing parties in late March and early April. Join in the fun!
Osaka Castle Park - image © Florentyna Leow
Osaka’s most famous tourist attraction is also home to its largest park. Osaka Castle itself is not necessarily worth the admission fee into the building, but the park itself is superb and well worth the visit. You’ll often see street performers and free concerts on the grounds of the park. It’s also one of the city’s most popular places for hanami viewing parties.
Osaka Castle Park - image © Florentyna Leow
That being said, lawn areas with fresh grass are few and far between - it’s more like sections of gorgeous trees and neatly pruned gardens, which are lovely to wander around anyway. The best lawn area is Nishinomaru Garden on the western side of the park, but hours are limited and the area is only accessible by paying a JPY200 admission fee. To find a nice lawn space without a fee, head over to the southwestern edge of the park entrance just across from the Osaka Museum of History.
Osaka Castle Park - image © Florentyna Leow
To get there, take the Tanimachi Subway Line from Higashi Umeda Station and get off at Tanimachi-yonchome Station. Head to exit 2 and follow Hommachi-Dori Street uphill until reaching the museum on your right. Cross the large intersection diagonally and enter Osaka Castle Park. The lawn area stretches out to the north to the main entrance gate of Osaka Castle. Space is limited and the area can be packed on weekends, but it does make for a lovely place for a picnic if you can grab one of the shaded spots under the trees.
Osaka Castle Park is pretty big, and it’ll take some time to fully cover on foot. Put on your most comfortable pair of shoes and spend some time enjoying a slice of nature in the city.
English name:
Osaka Castle Park
Japanese name:
大阪城公園
English address:
Osakajo, Chuo-ku, Osaka-shi, 540-0002
Japanese address:
〒540-0002 大阪市中央区大阪城
Opening hours:
24h
Admission:
free
Nearest Transport:
Train: Directly connected to Osakajokoen Station on the JR Osaka Loop Line.
Subway and Train: Directly connected to exit 1, 3-A and 3-B of Morinomiya Station on the Osaka Metro Chuo and Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Lines and JR Osaka Loop Line.
Nearest Hotels:
:: Check availability and pricing for hotels near Osaka Castle Park on Booking.com or Agoda.com.
Telephone:
+81-6-6755-4146
Website:
Official Website (English)
Near To Here:
Osaka Castle Park is located in Osaka Castle area. See our complete list of things to do in the Osaka Castle area, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.
Where Are These Places Located?
See these places on the Inside Osaka Google map:- Open the Osaka map
- You will see the list of places on the left hand side. (Click the 3-line icon in the top left corner if not). Scroll down or use the map search (the magnifying glass icon) to find the place you want.
- Click the name of the place in the list. Its location pin will be highlighted on the map.
- Map pins are color coded - BLUE: Hotels / Ryokan / Guesthouses | VIOLET: Ryokan | PINK: Places to Eat | GREEN: Shops | YELLOW: Things to See and Do
- If you're using the map on your phone, open the map and then search for the name of the place. The map will then zoom in on its location.
Osaka Vacation Checklist
- For all the essentials in a brief overview, see my First Time In Osaka guide
- Check Osaka accommodation availability and pricing on Booking.com and Agoda.com - often you can book with no upfront payment and free cancellation
- Need tips on where to stay? See my one page guide Where To Stay In Osaka
- You can buy shinkansen (bullet train) tickets online from Klook - popular routes include Tokyo to Osaka, Osaka to Kyoto and Osaka to Tokyo
- You can buy an eSim to activate in Japan or buy a data-only SIM card online for collection when you arrive at Tokyo's Narita or Haneda Airports or Kansai International Airport. You can also rent an unlimited data pocket wifi router
- View my comprehensive Packing List For Japan
- Compare flight prices and timings to find the best Japan flight deals
- If you're visiting more than one city, you might save money with a Japan Rail Pass – see if it's worth it for you
- Get a prepaid Icoca card to make travelling around Osaka easy – here's how
- World Nomads offers simple and flexible travel insurance. Buy at home or while traveling and claim online from anywhere in the world
- Do you want help planning your trip? Chris Rowthorn and his team of Japan experts at Japan Travel Consulting can help