[Showa-ku,Nagoya] A Thorough Report of the Charm of Nagoya's Oldest City Park, "Tsuruma Park"

Located in Showa Ward, Nagoya City, Tsuruma Park is an urban park that was established in 1909 as Nagoya City's first park. In addition to being registered as a national monument (related to scenic spots), it is also home to the Nagoya City-designated cultural properties "Sogakudo" and "Fountain Tower" and the Hachimanyama burial mound, a national historic site in the eastern part of the site, and is selected as one of the 100 best historical parks in Japan.

In addition, the vast park has a plum garden, a cherry garden, a rose garden, a hydrangea promenade, and an autumn pond with beautiful autumn leaves.

History of Nagoya's first modern park "Tsuruma Park"

Tsuruma Park, the first park built by Nagoya City, opened in 1909. There was a strong desire among the citizens of Nagoya to have a large park, and this long-cherished wish was born.

The overall design plan was created by Shiguroku Honda and Teiji Suzuki, Japan's first landscape designers, and the Japanese garden was created by Genchu Murase (the 11th generation Urasenke Gensai's senior disciple) and Somi Matsuo (the 9th generation of the Matsuo School).

The garden has both a formal garden reflecting Western influences and a Japanese garden with a pond.

The flat plaque was written by General Katsura Taro, who was the Prime Minister of Japan at the time of the park's opening. It is now installed in the flowerbed.

The vast grounds of Tsuruma Park are perfect for a walk or a short outing. Now, let's take a walk around Tsuruma Park!

Buildings that retain vestiges of when the park first opened

The first stop was the symbolic "Fountain Tower. This authentic Roman-style stone structure, designated as a cultural asset by the City of Nagoya, was built in 1908 when the 10th Kansai Prefectural Union Kyoshinshin-kai was held at the present site Tsuruma Park.

The surrounding garden is planted with pine trees, willow trees, cherry trees, azaleas, and other garden plants, creating a unique blend of Japanese and Western styles. During the cherry blossom season, the area is illuminated at night, creating a magical atmosphere.

The Sogakudo (Concert Hall) is located at the end of the Fountain Tower. This is also a Renaissance-style circular stage (music hall) built in conjunction with the fountain tower. It was demolished and replaced by a new music hall with a different design, but was restored to its original appearance in 1997.

You can also use the facilities, so events are often held here on weekends.

The "Kakukaku-" tearoom and the "Fusen Kinen Dan" often used for concerts are also available, so please check them out if you are interested in these facilities.

Lots of playground equipment for children to enjoy.

Tsuruma Park Children's Square, located on the south side of the park, has a wide variety of playground equipment for children. From standard playground equipment such as swings, slides, sandboxes, and iron bars, to a mountain fort that children climb as fast as they can, a water playground, and playground equipment for small children.

You can play around to the fullest!

"Terraspo Tsuruma," a sports facility equipped with LED lighting

This is the sports facility "Terraspo Tsuruma" that opened in April 2018. There are two soccer fields with artificial turf and a clubhouse.

Nuncnusq, an old folk house cafe in the park

Nuncnusq is a cafe located in Tsuruma Park, located in an old folk house built over 100 years ago. We also recommend a great value lunch menu focusing on baked goods and cakes!

Originally, an old private house called Seifuso was renovated. When you go inside, you can see the splendid pillars and beams left as they were at that time.

Chef's Lunch

quiche lunch

Limited quantity lunchtime is very popular every day!

At lunchtime until 3:00 pm, they offer a "quiche lunch" that includes your favorite quiche + 3 kinds of deli, a "dessert lunch" that comes with a cake, and a "chef's capricious lunch".

The deli and quiche menus change with the seasons, so it's something to look forward to every time you visit.

shine muscat short

We also recommend the proud cakes made by the pastry chef. Various cakes are lined up in the showcase, so please try to eat them together.

[Nuncnusq]
Business hours: 11:00-17:00
Phone number: 052-364-9292
Closed ：Thursdays
https://nuncnusq.official.ec/

"Nagoya City Greenery Center" where you can consult anything about green

After filling our stomachs, we went to the Nagoya City Greenery Center. Aiming to create a city rich in greenery, this is a base facility for raising awareness of greening among citizens and disseminating planting knowledge.

The greenery center's specialty, "Suifuyo". The flowers are white in the morning, pink in the afternoon, and red in the evening. The best time to see them is from early August to early October.

In addition, there is a tree sample garden in the vicinity, where trees are planted to serve as reference for home tree planting. Visitors can also consult with specialists at the museum.

An urban oasis to soothe everyday life

Tsuruma Park is a popular spot for flowers such as cherry blossoms, roses, and irises, as well as a place for relaxation with lush greenery, and a place for sports and recreation. The highlight is the beautiful rose garden. Around 1,400 roses of about 120 species are in full bloom at the peak of their blooming season.

Ice cream from Nagoyaka Farm is also sold at the Park Information Center inside the park. Although it was sold out that day, there is also a rose flavored ice cream that is limited to Tsuruma Park, so be sure to check it out.

Beautiful Japanese garden

Tsuruma Park which has been selected as one of Japan's top 100 historical parks, also has a beautiful garden.

This is "Kocho-gaike (Butterfly Pond)" created in 1908. Shaped like a butterfly with its wings open, the garden was constructed under the direction of Genchu Murase and Sogo Matsuo.

Other ponds include the "Iris Pond," where you can see 20,000 irises of about 90 varieties, Tsuruma Park the largest pond, "Ryugaike Pond," and "Autumn Pond," with its beautiful autumn foliage.

Many people were taking pictures of the animals living in the pond.

If you get tired of walking, take a break at Hagino Chaya

There is also a tea shop in Tsuruma Park that has been open since the Taisho era. The cafeteria menu includes a variety of dishes, including the famous Kino Me Dengaku set meal, as well as noodles, rice bowls, and set meals.

There are also sweets such as zenzai (mochi with red bean soup) and mitarashi, so it's perfect when you're tired of walking!

If you order mitarashi dango, they will bake it for you on the spot.

[Hagino Chaya]
Business hours: 10:30-18:30 Sunday 10:30-17:30
Phone number: 052-731-2001
Closed: Thursday

Nagoya's largest library "Tsuruma Central Library"

Finally, I came to Nagoya's largest library "Tsuruma Central Library". The museum has about 1.3 million books. It is also the base of 21 libraries in Nagoya.

There is also "Sugakiya" in the basement of the library. When you get tired of reading and studying, please visit Sugakiya.

[Tsuruma Central Library]
Opening hours:
Tuesday-Friday (excluding holidays) 9:30-20:00
Saturdays (excluding holidays) 9:30-19:00
Sundays and public holidays 9:30-79:00
Closed days: Please check the official website.
https://www.library.city.nagoya.jp/guide/m_tsuruma.html

Tsuruma Park is a modern park with seasonal flowers and trees. Just walking around the park is a relaxing way to forget the hustle and bustle of the city.