Kema Sakuranomiya Park is a 4.2-kilometer-long riverside park stretching along both banks of the Okawa River, from the upper reaches near the Kema Washi Weir to Tenmabashi. With its beautiful combination of water, greenery, and cherry blossoms, the park is a popular place for local residents to relax and enjoy nature.
The park makes use of the riverbanks along the Okawa River. On the right bank, historic buildings representing the early Meiji period, including the Japan Mint and Senpukan, stand along the waterfront.
A promenade follows the river and is lined with rows of cherry trees. There are also waterside spaces and walking paths, making the park an ideal destination for strolling, jogging, and enjoying the seasonal scenery.
Approximately 4,800 cherry trees grow throughout the park, including Somei Yoshino, Yamazakura, Kanhi-zakura, Kanzakura, weeping cherry trees, and Oshima-zakura.
From late March to early April each year, the blossoms create a spectacular landscape, with soft pink colors spreading along the river. The area is particularly popular for hanami, the Japanese tradition of enjoying cherry blossoms.
The Cherry Blossom Passage at the Japan Mint is a special spring event held for approximately seven days around mid-April, when late-blooming double-flowered cherry trees are at their best. Part of the Japan Mint grounds is opened to the public, allowing visitors to enjoy a remarkable variety of cherry blossoms.
The origins of the Cherry Blossom Passage date back to the Tenpo and Koka eras (1830–1847), when the Todo family, lords of the Tsu Domain in Ise Province, planted cherry trees along the embankment of their Osaka warehouse residence.
During the Meiji period, part of the former warehouse residence was redeveloped as the Japan Mint. The cherry trees from the residence were transplanted along the banks of the Okawa River, while new young cherry trees were also planted within the Japan Mint grounds.
In 1883, Japan Mint Director Endo Kinsuke decided that it would be a shame to limit the enjoyment of the blossoms to Mint employees. The grounds were therefore opened to the public so that the people of Osaka could enjoy the cherry blossoms together.
The Japan Mint has been selected as one of Japan’s Top 100 Cherry Blossom Viewing Sites. As of 2019, approximately 338 cherry trees representing 134 varieties were planted within the grounds, with many being late-blooming double-flowered varieties such as Kanzan and Fugenzo.
Each year, one cherry blossom variety is selected as the “Cherry Blossom of the Year” and announced to the public.
The name “Cherry Blossom Passage” comes from the approximately 560-meter-long pathway inside the Japan Mint grounds along the Okawa River. Numerous cherry trees line the route, and visitors traditionally walk through the area in one direction while viewing the blossoms.
The famous British writer Rudyard Kipling also encountered the Cherry Blossom Passage during the Meiji period. He described the scene as a long, soft ribbon of pink and white blossoms stretching into the distance along a road beside the river, and recorded his admiration for the Japanese tradition of enjoying flowers.
During the Taisho period, the health of the cherry trees declined because of smoke from nearby factories. From the late Taisho period into the early Showa period, young trees were collected from across Japan and planted to replace those that had deteriorated.
During the air raids of 1945, more than half of the cherry trees were destroyed by fire. After the war, replanting continued as part of the recovery, and by 1951, the Cherry Blossom Passage had been restored to its prewar condition.
After experiencing many changes throughout its history, the area has developed into one of Osaka’s best-known cherry blossom destinations, attracting visitors from Japan and abroad.
Kema Sakuranomiya Park and the Japan Mint Cherry Blossom Passage are among the places that bring Osaka’s spring landscape to life. Visitors can enjoy many different varieties of cherry blossoms while also discovering the area’s history, architecture, and riverside scenery.
A visit during cherry blossom season offers a chance to experience both the natural beauty of spring and an important part of Osaka’s cultural traditions.
Always open
Free of charge
Subway Tanimachi Line, Keihan “Tenmabashi” Station
JR Tozai Line “Osaka-jo Kitazume” station
Short walk from West Exit of “Sakuranomiya” station on JR Loop Line