Tennoji Koen Park

Head over to Tennoji-koen Park near Tennoji Station for a respite from Osaka’s crowds in some open space. You could check out the zoo, art museum, and Buddhist temple, but the best fun here is just wandering aimlessly and people-watching.

[Tennoji-koen Park - image © Florentyna Leow]

Great cities usually have good parks, and Osaka is no exception in its embrace of public green spaces. Tennoji-koen Park is a sprawling green oasis right in the middle of a crowded city.

[Tennoji-koen Park - image © Florentyna Leow]

The park was, for a very long time, accessible only by paying a small entrance fee to keep the large homeless population from setting up camp. In 2015, this all changed, as the park was completely renovated and opened to private vendors, who built up a modern collection of stylish cafes and restaurants surrounding a large open lawn of lush grass. This grand scheme sounded great on paper, but due to the overwhelming crowds making use of this rare chunk of green, the grass has suffered terribly from overuse and is in danger of being trampled back to a bare patch of dirt.

[Tennoji-koen Park - image © Florentyna Leow]

Regardless of the sorry state of the lawn, there are still a few pockets of pristine grass scattered throughout the sprawling lawn to warrant a visit to the park. An added bonus at the far edge of the space is the glass-and-concrete cube topped with the pyramidal roof. This is the remnants of a pavilion designed by Osaka architect Tadao Ando for a small exposition in 1987.

[Tennoji-koen Park - image © Florentyna Leow]

In addition to the lawn, the park grounds also house a Shitenno-ji, a Buddhist temple, a pond, an art museum, and Tennoji Zoo. The most fun you’ll have here, however, is wandering aimlessly and checking out the parade of Osaka characters who inhabit the park. The local homeless will sometimes set up karaoke systems here, and perform nostalgic numbers for passers-by. It’s a good break from shopping at nearby Abeno Harukas or exploring Shinsekai.

Tennoji Park is just across the street from Tennoji Station, accessible on either the JR Loop Line or the Midosuji Subway Line. The park is open 24 hours a day and is free of charge.

English name:
Tennoji-koen Park

Japanese name:
天王寺公園

English address:
Chausuyama-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka-shi, 543-0063

Japanese address:
〒543-0063 大阪市天王寺区茶臼山町

Opening hours:
7am-10pm

Admission:
Free

Nearest Transport:
Train and Subway: 3-minute walk from Tennoji Station.

Nearest Hotels:
Check availability and pricing for hotels near Tennoji-koen Park on Booking.com or Agoda.com.

Telephone:
+81-6-6771-8401

Website: Official Website (Japanese)

Near To Here:
Tennoji-koen Park is located in Osaka’s Tennoji and Abeno area. See our complete list of things to do in the Osaka’s Tennoji and Abeno area, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.

Where Are These Places Located?

• 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.
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• 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.

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