If you plan to travel to Osaka with young children in spring or autumn, Tamateyama Park (柏原市立 玉手山公園) is a good spot for a family trip! The municipal park was completed in 1999 and has a ground area of 68,000 square meters. In spring, the locals head to the park for plum and cherry blossoms. The park, filled with nature, is also a spot for hunting fall foliage!
The plum grove is in the southern part of Tamateyama Park. The flowers of most of the 600 trees usually bloom from mid-February to early March. As there are also early and late blooming plum varieties, the plum blossom season in Tamateyama Park is from late January to mid-March.
The cherry blossoms are scattered throughout the park’s northern and central parts. They usually bloom between late March and early April.
Apart from the usual play equipment found in other parks, Tamateyama Park has an artificial grass slope for children to enjoy. Moreover, folk toys from all 47 prefectures of Japan can be found in the small museum southeast of the playground.
Because Tamateyama Park used to be an amusement park, items related to the closed park can also be found in the museum.
Tip: Children’s helmets and sleds can be rented for free, allowing them to have fun sliding on the grass.
Tamateyama Park’s Hill of History (歴史の丘)
Furthermore, the east end of Tamateyama Park is a corner dedicated to history. This is why the area was named the Hill of History. Because the spot is almost at the top of the hill, it was where Gotō Matabee (後藤又兵衛) based his troops and fought Tokugawa’s forces in the Siege of Osaka’s Summer Campaign in May 1615.
Matabee’s army was annihilated due to the difference in the number of soldiers (2,800 vs. 23,000). Upon being defeated, he committed seppuku.
Because Matabee’s loyalty to the Toyotomi clan was highly praised, a Gotō Matabee Monument (後藤又兵衛基次之碑) was erected there for him. A weeping cherry tree was also planted and named after him in 2000.
In addition, there is a memorial tower for those who died in the Siege of Osaka’s summer campaign.
Besides the monuments, a stone chamber of an ancient tomb can also be found in this part of the park. Apparently, there were many more ancient tombs in Tamateyama Hills (玉手山丘陵). However, many of them were destroyed.
While in Japanese only, HERE is a map for the Tamateyama Park.
Tamateyama Park’s Opening Hours and Access Information
- Tamateyama Park is open from 9 am to 5 pm from Thursday to Tuesday.
- If Wednesday is a public holiday, it will close on the next business day.
- However, the park opens 7-day a week from early February to late April.
- The park closes from the 29th of December to the 3rd of January.
- The park is a 15-minute walk from Kintetsu’s Dōmyōji Station (道明寺駅) or a 20-minute walk from Kintetsu’s Kawachi-Kokubu Station (河内国分駅).
Discover Other Plum Blossom Spots in Osaka
Tamateyama Park isn’t the only plum blossom spot worth visiting in early spring in Osaka Prefecture. Many more plum groves can be found in the prefecture where Universal Studios Japan is located. If you fly into Osaka, there are a few plum blossom spots close to the Kansai Airport!
So, refer to our article on the Plum Blossom Posts in Osaka to plan your trip!