Overview
Kosuge Man'yō Park is a public park in Kosuge, Katsushika Ward, Tokyo. Its name combines the place name Kosuge with the Man'yōshū, Japan's oldest anthology of poetry, and true to that name it is a green space where the world of ancient verse feels close at hand. Set in a downtown corner near the Arakawa River, it is cherished as a place of relaxation for local residents. As a themed park where one can enjoy plantings of grasses and flowers linked to Man'yō poetry, it is well suited to a leisurely stroll.
Highlights
- ●A themed park named after the place name Kosuge and the Man'yōshū anthology
- ●An elegant green space for enjoying grasses and flowers sung of in Man'yō verse
- ●A local place of relaxation in Katsushika's downtown near the Arakawa and Ayase rivers
- ●Grounds that convey the four seasons, ideal alongside a riverside walk
History
A distinctive feature of Kosuge Man'yō Park is that its name bears the Man'yōshū. The Man'yōshū is Japan's oldest anthology of waka poetry, compiled from the seventh to eighth centuries and containing more than 4,500 poems that vividly capture the lives and view of nature of people of that age. The park is understood to have been laid out on the land of Kosuge with this Man'yō worldview as its motif. For details of its opening and the highlights within, please refer to official information.
Access
The park is located in Kosuge, Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, at roughly 35.76 north and 139.81 east. It lies in an area between the Arakawa and Ayase rivers, to the northeast of the city center. The nearest stations are around Kosuge, from which it can be reached on foot. As the surroundings form a downtown area of residential streets and riverbanks, a visit combined with a riverside walk is recommended. Please confirm the exact nearest station and route via official information.
Best season
Because the park is conceived around the grasses and flowers sung of in the Man'yōshū, spring to early summer, when a variety of plants bud and bloom, is an especially fine time to visit. In autumn the foliage takes on color and one can walk amid a calm atmosphere. The nearby Arakawa riverbank also makes seasons with a pleasant breeze comfortable. Check bloom conditions and events through official information.
Map
35.7575, 139.8136 · Wikidata
Suggested itinerary
- 1Walk from a station near Kosuge through the downtown streets to the park
- 2Stroll the grounds at leisure while viewing Man'yō-linked grasses and flowers
- 3Enjoy the open scenery and breeze on the nearby Arakawa and Ayase riverbanks
- 4Take a break at a Katsushika downtown shop or cafe before heading home
Did you know?
💡 The Man'yōshū, from which the park takes its name, is a classic remarkable even by world standards for gathering poems from people across a broad range of society, from emperors to farmers. Parks that bear the name of an ancient anthology exist in various places, but pairing it with the local name Kosuge gives this park its own character. Man'yō poems feature many familiar grasses and flowers, and becoming acquainted with such plants is the charm of this themed park.
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