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

Tsuruma Park, located in Showa Ward, Nagoya, is Nagoya's first urban park, established in 1909. It is registered as a national monument (place of scenic beauty), and is also home to the Sogakudo and Fountain Tower, which are designated cultural properties by Nagoya City, and the Hachimanyama Kofun, a nationally designated historic site, on the eastern side of the park, making it one of Japan's top 100 historical parks.

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.

The history of Tsuruma Park, Nagoya's first modern park

Tsuruma Park, the first park built by Nagoya City, opened in 1909. There was a strong desire among the citizens for a large park in Nagoya, and after many years, this long-awaited dream 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 stroll or a short outing. Let's take a stroll around Tsuruma Park!

Buildings that retain vestiges of when the park first opened

The first place we visited was the symbolic Fountain Tower. This authentic Roman-style stone structure is designated as a cultural property by Nagoya City and was built in 1910 when the 10th Kansai Prefectural Exhibition was held at what is now 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.

The Children's Square on the south side of Tsuruma Park is packed with play equipment for children. From standard play equipment such as swings, slides, sandboxes, and parallel bars, to a mountain fort where children can climb with all their might, a water play area, and other play equipment for smaller 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 cherry blossoms, roses, irises, and other flowers, as well as a lush green space for relaxation and sports and recreation. The park's highlight is its beautiful rose garden, where 1,400 roses of about 120 varieties bloom in full bloom.

The Park Information Center inside the park also sells ice cream from Nagoyaka Farm. Although it was sold out on the day we visited, they also have rose-flavored ice cream, which is only available Tsuruma Park, so be sure to check it out.

Beautiful Japanese garden

Tsuruma Park, which has been selected as one of the "100 Best Historical Parks of Japan," is also known for its beautiful gardens.

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 than that, there are other quaint ponds that will soothe your soul, such as the Iris Pond, where you can see about 90 varieties and 20,000 irises, the largest pond in Tsuruma Park, Ryugaike Pond, and the Autumn Pond, where you can see beautiful autumn leaves.

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, which is the size of five Tokyo Domes, is a modern park where you can enjoy seasonal flowers and trees. Just walking around the park will help you forget the hustle and bustle of the city and soothe you.