Ikeda Shiroato Park/Ikeda Castle Ruins

Ikeda Castle Ruins Park is located in Shiroyama-chō, Ikeda City, Osaka Prefecture. It was opened in April 2000 after the former site of Ikeda Castle—home of the Ikeda clan, a local ruling family from the Muromachi through Sengoku periods—was developed into a park. Known for having Ikeda City’s only stroll-style Japanese garden with a central pond, the park was developed at a total cost of about 6.3 billion yen. The best-known event in the castle’s history is the “Battle of Arioka Castle,” which broke out in 1578, when Araki Murashige, the de facto ruler of Settsu Province, rebelled against Oda Nobunaga using Arioka Castle as his base. After Arioka fell and the conflict ended, Ikeda Castle was abolished in 1580 by Nobunaga’s order. In addition to the Japanese garden, the park includes an observation pavilion, a tea room, and an administration building; from the observation pavilion, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Ikeda City as well as Takarazuka, Osaka, and Kobe. The park also features a literary monument dedicated to “Teruteru Bōzu-san no Teruko-san,” commemorating the 2003 second-half NHK morning drama series “Teruteru Kazoku,” which was set in Ikeda.