Umekōji Park

Overview

Umekoji Park is a municipal city park in Shimogyo-ku, Kyoto. Opened in 1995 and covering about 13.7 hectares, it holds both the Kyoto Aquarium and the Kyoto Railway Museum, along with wide lawns and the Japanese garden Suzaku-no-niwa. Close to Kyoto Station, it is a green oasis where families and travelers alike can spend a full, relaxing day.

Highlights

• ●The Kyoto Aquarium and Kyoto Railway Museum both within the park
• ●The seasonal scenery of the Japanese garden Suzaku-no-niwa
• ●Spacious lawns for relaxed, open-air time
• ●Historic ground linked to Taira no Kiyomori's Nishihachijo-tei residence

History

Umekoji Park opened on April 29, 1995, as a municipal comprehensive park, managed by the public-interest Kyoto Municipal Urban Greenery Association as its designated operator. The southern part of the grounds corresponds to Nishihachijo-tei, the residence of the late-Heian warrior Taira no Kiyomori. Making use of the former Umekoji railway land, the park encloses the Kyoto Railway Museum (the former Umekoji Steam Locomotive Museum) and the Kyoto Aquarium.

Map

34.9865, 135.7456 · Wikidata

Suggested itinerary

1. 1Enter the park from JR Umekoji-Kyotonishi Station and rest on the lawn
2. 2Explore steam locomotives and rolling stock at the Kyoto Railway Museum
3. 3Savor the stillness of the Japanese garden at Suzaku-no-niwa
4. 4Finish by meeting dolphins and giant salamanders at the Kyoto Aquarium

Did you know?

💡 The southern part of the park is said to correspond to Nishihachijo-tei, the residence of Taira no Kiyomori, so Heian-era history lies beneath this modern park. Bringing an aquarium, a railway museum, and a Japanese garden together within roughly 13.7 hectares is a rare combination even nationwide.

Nearby spots