Nakanoshima Park and Rose Garden

Nakanoshima Park occupies the eastern tip of Nakanoshima, a long narrow island between the Dojima and Tosabori rivers at 1 Nakanoshima in Kita Ward, Osaka, Japan. Opened in 1891 as the city's first public park, it extends along the riverbanks in the middle of the business district. The island's main attractions are its Rose Garden, which holds around 3,700 rose bushes of about 310 varieties, and a promenade with views across the water. The roses bloom in two main seasons, from mid-May to early June and again from mid-October to November. Landmark buildings stand nearby, including the Osaka Central Public Hall, a red-brick Neo-Renaissance building completed in 1918, and the Osaka City Hall, a Beaux-Arts structure. The Bank of Japan Osaka branch and the Museum of Oriental Ceramics are also on the island. Riverside paths lead to Naniwabashi Bridge, guarded by stone lions, and a lower tier of seating is used for picnics and viewing river cruises. Visitors typically spend one to two hours strolling the park and its roses. The park is open at all times, and evenings offer lighting of the Central Public Hall and, in winter, the Festival of Lights illumination. Crowds are largest during rose season weekends, while weekday mornings are quiet. The best photo angles are from the rose garden with the Central Public Hall behind, and from the riverbank looking back across the water toward the city. The park is a five-minute walk from Yodoyabashi Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji Line and the Keihan Line, and Naniwabashi Station is on the Keihan Nakanoshima Line. Cafes and restaurants line the riverside, and a river cruise can be boarded nearby.