Gifu World Rose Garden is a prefectural urban park located in Kani City, Gifu Prefecture. It was formerly known as Hanahaku Memorial Park, or Flower Festa Memorial Park, before its name was changed to Gifu World Rose Garden on October 9, 2021.
The garden is home to approximately 20,000 rose plants representing around 6,000 varieties, making it one of the world’s leading rose gardens.
Plans for the park began in 1984, and it opened in 1996. In 2003, it became the first garden in Japan to receive the Award of Garden Excellence from the World Federation of Rose Societies, earning international recognition for its outstanding horticultural design.
Gifu World Rose Garden is one of the largest rose gardens in the world. Its extensive collection ranges from wild species and Old Garden Roses to the latest varieties developed in Japan and overseas.
Beyond roses, visitors can enjoy seasonal flowers such as nemophila, sunflowers, and cosmos. Spring and autumn are particularly beautiful, as these are the main flowering seasons for roses, but the garden offers opportunities to appreciate flowers and experience the changing seasons throughout the year.
The grounds cover an area equivalent to approximately 17 Vantelin Dome Nagoya stadiums. Visitors can enjoy leisurely walks, relax on the lawns, or pitch a tent in designated grassy areas and enjoy a picnic.
Family-friendly attractions include the 45-meter-high Flower Tower, which offers panoramic views of the garden; the Poppo road train that travels around the grounds; one of the largest multi-purpose playground structures in Gifu Prefecture; and a seasonal water play area open during summer.
The garden also has a café where visitors can enjoy a relaxing tea break while admiring the roses, as well as shops selling flowers and gardening supplies. Products include rose-inspired beauty items, accessories, more than 800 varieties of rose seedlings, over 3,000 potted climbing roses, and a wide selection of gardening goods, allowing visitors to bring the beauty of the garden into their own homes.
1984: Planning began for the development of a prefectural urban park, and work started to secure the necessary land.
April 1989: Hanatopia, the Gifu Prefectural Flower and Horticulture Guidance Center, opened.
April 1992: A baseball stadium and tennis courts opened.
1995: Flower Festa ‘95 Gifu was held from April 26 to June 4.
April 26, 1996: The park reopened as a paid-entry facility and was renamed Flower Festa Memorial Park.
2001: The Japanese pop group Morning Musume performed a live concert at the baseball stadium.
2003: The park became the first garden in Japan to receive the Award of Garden Excellence from the World Federation of Rose Societies.
2005: Flower Festa 2005 Gifu was held from March 1 to June 12.
2011: The Flower Festa Memorial Park Management Group began operating the park under a designated management system.
2015: Flower Festa 2015 Gifu was held from May 16 to June 21.
January 11, 2020 – February 14, 2021: A special exhibition facility for the historical television drama Kirin ga Kuru opened in the Flower Museum within the park.
May 16, 2021: A historical exhibition facility called Akechi-shō no Yakata opened in the Flower Museum Hall.
October 9, 2021: The park was renamed Gifu World Rose Garden.
The park features 14 themed gardens, each offering a distinctive way to appreciate roses and their rich variety.
The Welcome Garden is an impressive rose landscape garden featuring approximately 5,500 rose plants representing 17 varieties. It is one of the garden’s signature areas and provides a spectacular introduction to the park.
This garden brings together roses selected for their rich and distinctive fragrances, inviting visitors to appreciate the roses through their sense of smell as well as sight.
This garden features Anne’s Rose and a statue of Anne Frank, commemorating the young diarist and the enduring message of peace associated with her life.
Inspired by the tales of One Thousand and One Nights, this garden features exotic roses, including varieties with Persian rose ancestry.
Visitors can discover newly developed rose varieties in this garden, which offers a glimpse of the latest trends in rose breeding.
This garden was created to commemorate the park’s partnership with the Royal National Rose Society of the United Kingdom.
The central terrace offers sweeping views of repeat-flowering roses. Along the outer perimeter, visitors can stroll through a 323-meter-long rose tunnel surrounded by climbing roses.
This garden is dedicated to Old Garden Roses, allowing visitors to appreciate varieties that have been cultivated for generations and are valued for their historical character.
The garden features roses named in honor of members of the Japanese Imperial Family and the British Royal Family.
White roses are arranged with complementary flowering plants to create an elegant and harmonious garden landscape.
Drawing inspiration from traditional Italian terrace gardens, this area combines roses with carefully arranged terraces to create a distinctive landscape.
This garden features roses donated by the Kingdom of Morocco, reflecting the international connections of the park.
This garden blends the beauty of Japanese garden design with the charm of roses, creating a landscape that combines traditional Japanese aesthetics and Western floral gardening.
Designed for late-flowering climbing roses, this garden is especially attractive in early June, when these varieties reach their peak.
Akechi-shō no Yakata is an exhibition facility that introduces major historical battles connected with Gifu Prefecture. From January 8 to December 28, 2022, it hosted exhibitions centered on the Jōkyū War, together with displays about the Jinshin War and the Battle of Sekigahara. Panels introducing historically associated locations and exhibitions of samurai armor helped visitors explore the region’s history.
Oribe-an is a traditional Japanese tea house that reflects the distinctive aesthetic known as Oribe-ism, associated with Furuta Oribe, one of the leading disciples of the tea master Sen no Rikyū. Its design incorporates elements of this influential tea ceremony tradition.
Fluffy Dome: An inflatable dome-shaped play structure designed for children.
Large Multi-Purpose Playground: A substantial play structure reaching a maximum height of 10 meters.
Princess Hall Miyabi: An event hall named to commemorate the marriage of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan.
Mist Prelude: A water feature with cascading steps and mist fountains that create a refreshing atmosphere.
Flower Tower: A 45-meter-high observation tower offering views across the garden.
Tunnel Gallery: A gallery displaying panels featuring seasonal scenery.
Hanatopia: A facility with plant displays and spaces where visitors can take a break.
Flower Museum: A venue for a variety of special and temporary exhibitions.
Rose Belvedere: An observation deck overlooking the Rose Terrace and Rose Corridor.
Mimimi Terrace: A communal terrace designed as a place for people to gather and enjoy themselves.
Music Plaza: A relaxing open space featuring a broad expanse of green lawn.
East Grand Flowerbed: A seasonal flowerbed featuring nemophila in spring and celosia in autumn.
North Grand Flowerbed: A flowerbed showcasing a changing selection of seasonal flowers throughout the year.
Competition Garden: The venue for the Gifu International Rose Competition.
Poppo Road Train: A small road train that carries visitors around the park.
The Center Court: A restaurant with views overlooking the Welcome Garden.
With its extensive rose collections, internationally recognized themed gardens, seasonal flower displays, and family-friendly facilities, Gifu World Rose Garden is an inviting destination for flower lovers, photographers, families, and anyone seeking a relaxing day surrounded by nature.