Osaka Castle Park Area

Osaka Castle Park is an urban park with much greenery and water. Many cultural and historical assets can be found here including Osaka Castle Tower, which is popular with foreign tourists. The Osaka City Government enacted a park management system whereby private-sector businesses manage the entire park. Their flexible and exceptional ideas have brought new attractions to the park.

For example, an existing historical building that was once the headquarters of the 4th Division of the Imperial Japanese Army (former Osaka City Museum) was renovated into the MIRAIZA OSAKA-JO (Miraiza Osaka Castle), where visitors can enjoy meals, etc. with close-up views of the castle. There is also JO-TERRACE OSAKA, a commercial complex established in front of JR Osakajokoen Station, providing dining, merchandise sales, information and more. Furthermore, COOL JAPAN PARK OSAKA has opened, which features three theaters of different sizes, ideal for entertainment such as stage performances and Manzai comedies.

As such, the Osaka City Government aims to make the area even more attractive and prosperous by offering high-quality dining, merchandise sales, and entertainment for visitors.

Toyotomi Ishigaki Revelation Project

Although the first Osaka Castle (Toyotomi's Osaka Castle) was a magnificent and gorgeous castle built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi as a base to unify the nation, it was buried in the ground when the Tokugawa Shogunate built a new Osaka Castle (as Tokugawa's Osaka Castle) over it.
The Osaka City Government is working on the Toyotomi Ishigaki Revelation Project to promote a new attraction that will share the intriguing history of Osaka Castle. This project focuses on excavating ishigaki (stone walls) that formed parts of the first Osaka Castle and establishing a facility for exhibiting these stone walls to the public.

Tennoji & Abeno Area

The Tennoji & Abeno Area, known as the southern gateway to Osaka, has a variety of sightseeing spots including the Tennoji Park & Zoo and the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts, which both represent the core of this district. To transform this area into a cultural tourism base, the Osaka City Government is leveraging flexible ideas and know-how from private business operators, enhancing the attractiveness and convenience for visitors and creating lively atmospheres.
The entrance area of Tennoji Park called Ten-Shiba was revitalized in 2015 by introducing a lawn space of 7,000 m², along with restaurants and cafes. Located in the midst of an urban setting with skyscrapers present in the background, Ten-Shiba is a place where visitors can relax and appreciate nature up close.
In addition, Tennoji Zoo and Tennoji Park Entrance Area "Tenshiba" were joined in November 2019, and "Tenshiba i:na" was created as a new dynamic spot to make Tennoji Zoo even more interesting for visitors. In April 2022, "Friendship Garden" opened where you can observe animals closely, while "Penguin Park & Sea Lion Wharf" opened in April 2023 where you can watch penguins and sea lions swimming as if in the ocean. Going forward, the vitality of the private sector will continue to be utilized to enhance capabilities for various services such as dining and merchandise sales, which can significantly contribute to raising the attractiveness of the zoo as well as the visitor satisfaction level.