Umekoji Park

Umekoji Park is a park on the west side of Kyoto Station. It opened in 1995 on the former site of JR Freight’s Umekoji Station. Located close to the city center, it serves as a green relaxation space and also as an evacuation area during disasters. Across about 13.7 hectares are features such as an outdoor stage, lawns, and a riverside play area; the scenery changes with the seasons—cherry blossoms and azaleas in spring, water play in summer, and autumn foliage. Paid facilities include the beautifully maintained Japanese garden “Suzaku no Niwa” and the restored biotope “Inochi no Mori.” The Kyoto Aquarium opened here in 2012, and the Kyoto Railway Museum in 2016, making it popular with families. On the 2nd and 4th Saturdays each month, a children-and-family event called “Umekoji Play Park” is held, offering activities like large-rope jumping, dodgeball, and seasonal experiences such as mochi-pounding. It is directly in front of JR Umekoji-Kyotonishi Station and about a 15-minute walk west from Kyoto Station’s Central Exit.