If you want to escape Osaka’s crowded city center, consider taking a break at Yamadaike Park (山田池公園), north of the busy Namba area. The urban park is the perfect spot to enjoy seasonal colors and nature. You can also rent a bicycle from the park’s office and cycle between different scenic areas. There are even insects and wild birds for you to observe!
Table of Contents
- About Yamadaike Park
- The Two Areas in Yamadaike Park
- The Flowers in Yamadaike Park
- The Services Offered by Yamadaike Park Office
- How to Get to Yamadaike Park
About Yamadaike Park
Yamadaike Park is one of the 19 parks operated by Osaka Prefecture. The park was designed for locals to enjoy nature. This is why the park was named Yamadaike, which means mountains, paddy fields, and ponds. In addition to the Yamadaike Pond (山田池), there is a plum grove, a bamboo grove, crop and fruit fields, and a couple of flower gardens.
While it is called a pond, it has a size of 10 hachures. The locals have been drawing water from the pond for agricultural purposes. After the plan of creating an urban park in Hirakata City was approved in 1969, the area where the pond is located was first opened to the public in 1993.
The Two Areas in Yamadaike Park
The spacious park can be divided into the northern and southern areas. If you are there to enjoy the scenery created by vegetation, do spend more of your time in the northern area. More than half of the promenades are shaded by trees, so you can still enjoy a relatively cool walk under the beautiful sunlight filtering through the tree leaves during the summer heat!
In addition, the northern area is where you can listen to the sounds of water and birds chirping. Wild birds can often be spotted as well!
On the other hand, the southern area is characterized by the vast lawn. You can also overlook the area from the top of the hill.
Tip: You might spot a couple of local cats under the benches or the shades!
Important: Please don’t pick any fruits or crops from the trees in Yamadaike Park. It is considered stealing.
The Flowers in Yamadaike Park
In addition to Okami Shrine, Yamadaike Park is another must-visit spot for plum blossoms when you visit Hirakata City in Osaka. The good news is that there is no need to climb staircases to see the plums! The 73.7-hectare water park has 320 plums of around 50 varieties planted. When the plum blossoms are in full bloom (usually around mid to late February), there are food trucks and temporary stalls to make your visit more entertaining!
Besides the plum blossoms, other kinds of flowers can be found in Yamadaike Park. If you visit the park during the cherry blossom season, you can walk through a tunnel formed by the cherry trees.
In June, visit the park to adore the 10,000 irises of 140 varieties there. Apart from the typical purple-colored iris, you will also find ones with more than one color on the same flower. Between 25th of May and 25th of June, Yamadaike Park’s Iris Garden is open to the public. In addition, the iris garden is usually illuminated at night!
Moreover, 2,600 hydrangeas in Yamadaike Park bloom from late May to early July.
From mid-November to early December, the park is also an ideal spot for fall foliage hunting.
In December, Christmas illumination decorates the area around the park center.
- Refer to HERE for Yamadaike Park’s flowering calendar.
- Refer to HERE for the Yamadaike Park Map. Click on each spot for photos taken at the spot.
- Refer to HERE for the Yamakaike Park’s Jogging/Walking Map.
Tip: The iris and hydrangea season usually peaks around early to late June.
Important: Please refrain from touching or climbing the cherry and plum trees. Doing so will damage them.
The Services Offered by Yamadaike Park Office
Between 10 am and 4 pm, the below items can be rented for free:
- 6 bicycles
- 2 wheelchairs
- There is also one wheelchair available for rental at the car park in the park’s north.
Coin-operated lockers are also available at the park’s office.
- Male changeroom: 1 large locker and 10 small lockers
- Female changeroom: 4 large lockers and 20 small lockers
- Lobby: 10 small lockers
- The large locker’s dimensions are 772mm x 660mm x 350mm
- The cost is 500 yen per use.
- The small locker’s dimensions are 318mm x 357mm x 453mm
- The cost is 100 yen per use.
The park office is open from 9 am to 5:45 pm.
How to Get to Yamadaike Park
- Yamadaike Park is a 15-minute walk from JR Fujisaka Station (藤阪駅).
- You can also take Keihan’s bus bound for Deyashiki (出屋敷行き) and get off at Deyashiki (出屋敷). Yamadaike Park is then a 5-minute walk.
Tip: Most locals usually visit Yamadaike Park on Sundays.
Discover Other Plum Blossom Spots in Osaka
Hiraoka Shrine 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!
Refer to our article on the Plum Blossom Posts in Osaka to plan your trip!