Kyoto · Kyoto Station
Umekoji Park
A city park of about 13.7 hectares, opened in 1995 to mark 1,200 years since the Heian capital, about 15 minutes' walk west of Kyoto Station. It has a large lawn, a water play area for children, an orchard of 140 plum trees of 14 varieties, and at its two ends the aquarium and the Railway Museum. Excavations before construction uncovered remains that appear to be part of the mansion complex of the Heike, the family of Taira no Kiyomori, so to avoid damaging them the ground was covered with a layer of soil 1.5 to 6 meters thick.
For a small fee you enter the Suzaku Garden, a garden of about 9,000 square meters around a pond, with the 'water mirror' at its center: a layer of just one centimeter of water on black granite from India, which reflects the trees by day and the moon at night. Its waterfall drops about 6 meters. From the garden you continue to the Inochi no Mori forest, a biotope from 1996 where you walk on a raised path up to 3.6 meters high among the treetops.
On weekends and holidays the little tram runs in the park, a car of the first model of Kyoto's city tram, 10:00-16:00. A one-way ticket is ¥150, a day ticket ¥310. It returned to service on 29 April 2026 after a month and a half of repairs.
Good to know
- The park has no public parking, only parking for people with disabilities and the elderly. Come on foot, by train or by bus 205 or 208 from Kyoto Station.
- Lighting fires is not allowed, including barbecues, and neither is feeding birds. A picnic with a bento on the lawn is allowed.
- On the third Saturday of every month, 13:30-15:00, there is a nature tour of the Inochi no Mori forest in areas that are usually closed. The tour is free, you pay only the garden entry, there is no registration, and you meet at the Midori no Yakata building.
What is nearby
Approximate walking minutes from the entrance of Umekoji Park.
- HereUmekoji Park
- ~3 min
Umekoji Park Cafe Cafe
A cafe in the middle of the park, on the path between the aquarium and the Railway Museum. Pizza and curry with Kyoto vegetables, udon with Kujo green onions, and desserts, and almost everything can be taken for a picnic on the grass.
- ~3 min
Shiden Hiroba Umekoji Cafe
Old Kyoto city tram cars turned into a cafe and a tram souvenir shop. Soft-serve ice cream made with Miyama milk, and a bun shaped like a tram hand strap.
- ~3 min
Shizuya Shichijo Food
A branch of Kyoto's local bakery chain, with 38 seats and breakfast and lunch. The best sellers are Carne, the chain's signature item, and a cutlet sandwich.
- ~4 min
Kobushi Ramen Food
A ramen shop that has made Tabelog's list of the 100 best ramen shops in West Japan every year from 2017 to 2025. The known dish is ramen in a broth of Kyoto duck and nodoguro fish. Cash only.
- ~12 min
Nishi Hongan-ji More to see
The head temple of the Jodo Shinshu Honganji-ha school, whose two main halls, the Goei-do and the Amida-do, are National Treasures. Entry is free, and four times a day (10:00, 11:30, 13:45 and 15:30) a tour of about half an hour leaves, free and without registration.
More in Kyoto Station
Appears in: Kids' day in Kyoto: the Railway Museum, the Aquarium, To-ji and Kyoto Tower