Hirakata Park, Osaka: Video introduction

This video, titled "[Hirakata Park Official Video Clip] Fun Hirakata Park for Children and Adults All Year Round" (【ひらかたパーク公式】 子どもから大人まで一年中楽しいひらパー), was uploaded by "hirakatapark."

The video is a brief three-minute intro to Hirakata Park in Osaka. It shows seasonal spots and attractions popular on social media as well, such as cherry blossoms, roses, and illuminations. Check out the video to see everything there is to do at Hirakata Park.

Hirakata Park: An Introduction to the Oldest Amusement Park in Japan

Photo：Hirakata Park, an amusement park in Hirakata, Osaka

Hirakata Park is an amusement park located in Hirakata, Osaka. The park is approximately 40 acres, allowing guests to enjoy many attractions and plenty of facilities all year round, including swimming pools in the summer and an ice-skating rink in the winter. Unique events are held in every season, and people of all ages, from small children to adults, can enjoy their time here.

Opened in 1910, the park has been open for more than 100 years: it has a longer history than any amusement parks in Japan and one of the representative theme parks in the Kansai area. Although Hanayashiki in Asukusa, Tokyo technically has a longer history, it was destroyed once in WWII, making Hirakata Park the oldest amusement park in Japan without interruption.

Junichi Okada, a member of V6, a popular Japanese idol group, has been appointed as the poster child of Hirakata Park. The Japanese movie Hard Days, featuring Junichi Okada, commemorates the 10th anniversary since his appointment as such.

More Than 40 Attractions at Hirakata Park!

Photo：The Ferris wheel at Hirakata Park, Hirakata, Osaka

Hirakata Park features a wide range of rides that both children and adults can enjoy, including thrill rides.

It has many attractions that small children and their parents can enjoy together, such as the classic teacup-shaped Strawberry Cafe, Magical Jumping, and Dolphin Paradise.

It also has attractions that adults can enjoy. Red Falcon, with a top speed of 70 km/h, is one ride that will satisfy even the most die-hard thrill seekers.

ELF is a unique wooden roller coaster that is popular for its classic wooden roller coaster feel. People of any age taller than 3 ft 7 in tall can ride it.

Those looking for an even more thrilling experience can try METEO, which drops from a height of around 165 feet!

It also has indoor attractions and covered rides, so you can enjoy the park even on rainy days. Its one-day pass, Free Pass as they call, may be a good deal to ride various attractions.

A "free pass" that includes admission to Hirakata Park and unlimited access to attractions costs 4,800 yen for adults, 4,000 yen for elementary school students, and 2,800 yen for children from 2 years old to preschool age. Purchase online or with Lawson Ticket for a discount. For details, please check the official website.

Enjoy a Hot Summer Day at the Pools at Hirakata Park

Photo：A child playing in a pool

The Boon is its swimming pool where both children and adults can enjoy a huge lazy river pool and kids pool. The swimming pools are especially fun for children on their summer vacation who are full of energy.

Kiddie Slider, Crying Tube, and Canyon Ride are fast and powerful tube slides.

You can bring in a dome-shaped pop-up tent of 2m x 2m or less to the poolside, but it will be crowded during summer vacation, so you'll need to get a spot early in the morning.
[Video] 0:46 - Nagisa Pool and the Lazy River Pool

In the summer, you can leave the pool area in your swimsuit and ride other attractions as well. Please check the official website for pool fees.

Autumn and Winter Events at Hirakata Park: Halloween, Illuminations, and More!

Photo：An illumination at Hirakata Park, Hirakata, Osaka

During autumn, Hirakata Park is dyed in Halloween colors with pumpkins and ghosts displayed throughout the park. Autumn roses are also in full bloom during this season, so be sure to stop by the Rose Garden. In the winter, Hirakata Park is home to an ice-skating rink called Winter Carnival. It has three areas, including the main rink, sub rink, and baby rink. you can choose the rink you want to skate at according to your age and ice-skating skills.

Another winter event is the Amusement Park of Lights, an illumination event that transforms Hirakata Park into a magical world. Different illuminations and music are played in each area, and you can also enjoy night attractions. Be sure to take a photo in front of the Christmas tree to commemorate your trip to the park!
[Video] 2:28 - Illuminations at Hirakata Park

Other Things to Do at Hirakata Park – Petting Zoos, Athletic Parks, Barbecues & More!

Photo：A prairie dog at Wonder Garden, Hirakata Park

Hirakata Park has two animal areas. The outdoor Wonder Garden is a great place to stop by while having fun at the amusement park. At the indoor Wakuwaku Zoo, you can feed cute animals. You can feed popular red pandas for a limited time on certain days as well, so be sure to check the schedule in advance.
[Video] 1:35 - Wonder Garden

Active elementary school children can also enjoy the educational adventure "Athletic 'try-it,'" which has two courses, normal and challenging. Preschool children can also take part in the adventure, so long as they are accompanied by an adult! The self-service barbecue areas can be reserved online, making it easy to prepare and clean up. Consider trying it with your family during spring break or summer vacation.

How to Get to Hirakata Park

There are several ways to get to Hirakata Park depending on where you're coming from, but below we'll introduce how to get to Hirakata Park from Osaka Station and from Kyoto Station.

Hirakata Park From Osaka Station (Total time: ~40 minutes)
To get to Hirakata Pak from Osaka Station, first, take the Osaka Loop Line to Kyobashi Station (~7 mins). From Kyobashi Station, take the Keihan Main Line to Hirakata-Koen Station (~19 mins). From Hirakata-Koen Station it's an approximately 10-minute walk.

Hirakata Park From Kyoto Station (Total time: ~45 minutes)
To get to Hirakata Park from Kyoto Station, take the Kintetsu- Kyoto Line to Kintetsu Tambabashi Station (~11 mins), and then from Tambabashi Station, take the Keihan Main Line to Hirakata-Koen Station (~20 mins), and then walk to Hirakata Park (~10 mins).

Summary of Hirakata Park

Photo：The rose garden at Hirakata Park, Hirakata, Osaka

At Hirakata Park, where many seasonal events are held, you can feel the spirit of the season from the flowers that decorate the park. If you ride the Red Falcon when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, you can ride through a row of cherry trees. The 300 cherry trees planted in the park are also well worth seeing.
[Video] 0:10 - Red Falcon Riding Through Cherry Blossoms

The park has 4,000 roses of 600 different varieties in its rose garden, which is beautiful from any angle. In the spring and autumn, visitors are delighted by the colorfully blooming roses.
[Video] 0:28 - The Beautiful Rose Garden

Hirakata Park is a theme park loved by people in the Kansai region, where everyone from children to adults can enjoy themselves. If you're visit Osaka on vacation, be sure to stop by Hirakata Park. Children on their spring or summer vacation are sure to have a blast!

◆Hirakata Park◆
【Address】1-1 Hirakata Koenmachi, Hirakata, Osaka
【Hours】10:00 am -5:00 pm
【Admission Fee/Tickets】Adults (junior high school students and older): $11.15 USD, Children (Ages 2 through elementary school): $6.27 USD. Prices correct as of 6/27/2023.
※Please not that prices are subject to change, so please check the official website for up to date information.
【Nearest Station】Hirakata Park Station, Keihan Railway

【Official Website】Hirakata Park

【TripAdvisor】Hirakata Park