Umekita Park is Now a World-Class Urban Park! Grand Green Osaka is Open!

The area around JR Osaka Station is continually changing.
A new space opened recently, in September 2024, and it stretches north and south of the passageway that leads from Hankyu Osaka-Umeda Station to Umeda Sky Building. The area did seem vacant for a long time, since it was the site of the former Umeda Freight Station. And two other buildings—JP Tower Osaka and Inogate Osaka—both opened in July.
he once familiar scenery of Umeda is changing so rapidly, and it goes beyond the addition of commercial facilities. So let’s take a look at some of the changes.

A New Green Space in Osaka—Umekita Park

Stylish new facilities, delicious and diverse food options, views from skyscrapers…
This new space is many things—a tourist spot, a business base, and a place to enjoy everyday life in the city. Umeda is a massively important hub for Osaka, packed with so many 　different kinds of facilities that millions of people enjoy every day.
And now in Umeda, there is a brand new green space called “Umekita Park”. It’s directly accessible from JR Osaka Station, so it’s very easy to get to.
When I visited, I saw people resting barefoot in the shade, playing in the fountain, and freely enjoying the space however they wanted.

Everyday Becomes Extraordinary at Roth Heart Square Umekita

Inside Umekita Park, there is an eye-catching event space called “Roth Heart Square Umekita,” which has already become a symbol of the park.

A local radio station held a concert here on the night of the park’ s grand opening. It was amazing to hear the voices of artists echoing through the air, drowning out the hustle and bustle of the city. It felt like an outdoor concert, but the sound echoed nicely from the surrounding buildings. The sound was completely different from a normal concert hall and the atmosphere was incredible!

When you think of a live performance venue, you might have a special image in mind. I do too and I didn’t expect to be able to experience this sort of concert at a place so close to Umeda station!
I hope this flourishes as a place where people can easily experience live music and help Osaka grow as a music city.

I don’t know if it will be held regularly in the future, but there was also a live performance produced by MUSIC BUSKER IN UMEKITA. These performances are usually held around Grand Front Osaka.
So it was great to see them perform in a newer, bigger venue.

Spots to See in Umekita Park

A number of restaurants and cafes can be found scattered throughout the vast park. And they offer plenty of take-out options so you can enjoy food and drink inside the store, or take it away for a picnic in the sprawling green of the park. Picnicking is always fun and they make it easy!

The park also features an aerial walkway called “Hirameki no Michi.” This path makes it easy to get around the park and it’s connected to the neighborhood called Shin-Umeda City, where Umeda Sky Building is located. It seems there is a deck connecting Grand Front Osaka and JR Osaka Station in the works too.
The park is designed to include many gentle curves so the straight angles of the rectangular buildings located throughout the park contrast nicely.
It’s also easy to see where the stores are because they stand out.

Relaxation with a Dose of Disaster Prevention

Estimates say that as many as 20,000 people pass through the Umeda underground area on a daily basis. If a natural disaster occurs, authorities expect a difficult situation.
As a preparation measure, Umekita Park is equipped with emergency lighting, disaster prevention speakers, emergency use manhole toilets, and storage space, so that it can be used as a wide-scale evacuation site. It’s very reassuring to know it is so well-prepared.

And the space that is currently open to the public, is only about 40% of the entire site. There’s still much more to look forward to.

The South Building will open for business next year in the spring of 2025 (before the start of the Osaka, Kansai Expo), with a grand opening scheduled for 2027. There are also plans to hold participatory programs on a regular basis, so be sure to check them out.