Tegarayama Central Park is a large multi-purpose park in Himeji City, Hyogo Prefecture. Originally opened in 1942 on an area of 9.2 hectares, the park was later developed into its present form on the former site of the 1966 Himeji Grand Exposition. Today, it covers approximately 38.17 hectares, making it the second-largest park in Himeji after Himeji Park.
Located close to the city center, Tegarayama Central Park combines green spaces with historical monuments, sports facilities, museums, and botanical attractions. It is a popular destination for local residents and visitors seeking a relaxing outdoor experience as well as opportunities to explore Himeji’s cultural heritage.
Several important facilities were established on Tegarayama after the Second World War. These include the Memorial Tower for the Victims of Air Raids on War-Damaged Cities throughout Japan, completed in 1956, and Himeji Baseball Stadium, completed in 1959. Both have long been landmarks of the park.
Following the Himeji Grand Exposition in 1966, additional public facilities were developed throughout the area, including a peace museum, an aquarium, a greenhouse botanical garden, a martial arts hall, and a cultural center. These facilities helped establish Tegarayama as an important center for cultural activities, sports, education, and recreation in Himeji.
In 1998, Tegarayama Central Park received the Handmade Hometown Award from Japan’s Ministry of Construction, now part of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. The award recognizes community initiatives that create attractive environments while making effective use of local character and resources.
The Sunk Garden is a geometrically designed formal garden featuring an orderly layout. Its carefully arranged landscape offers a peaceful place to stroll and take a break from the surrounding urban environment.
The Cascade is one of the park’s distinctive water features. Flowing water adds movement and a refreshing atmosphere to the landscape, creating an attractive setting for a leisurely walk.
Thriller Tower is a distinctive tower within the park. Its unusual design makes it a recognizable feature of Tegarayama and a reminder of the area’s history as an exhibition and leisure destination.
Completed in 1956, this white memorial tower commemorates civilians who lost their lives in wartime air raids across Japan. Standing approximately 26 meters tall, it serves as a solemn reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of peace.
Himeji Baseball Stadium was completed in 1959 and underwent a major renovation in 2014. It continues to serve as a venue for sporting events and a place where local residents gather to enjoy baseball and other community activities.
Opened in 1966, Himeji City Aquarium features aquatic life from the surrounding region and beyond. It serves both as a visitor attraction and as an educational facility, introducing guests to the diversity of aquatic environments.
The Himeji City Cultural Center opened in 1972 and hosted concerts, lectures, and other cultural events for many years. It closed in 2021, marking the end of an important chapter in the area’s cultural history.
Opened in 1980, the greenhouse botanical garden showcases unusual and diverse plant species. It provides an opportunity to discover the beauty of tropical and other cultivated plants in a controlled environment and is one of the park’s major attractions for nature enthusiasts.
Completed in 1988, this large gymnasium is a major venue for local sports and athletic competitions. It supports a wide range of activities and plays an important role in the city’s sporting community.
Completed in 2001, the Hyogo Prefectural Budokan is a dedicated facility for Japanese martial arts. It hosts training sessions and competitions, providing a venue for practitioners of traditional disciplines such as judo and kendo.
Opened in 1996, the Peace Museum introduces visitors to the history of war and its effects on communities. Through historical materials and exhibitions, it encourages reflection on the value of peace and the importance of preventing future conflicts.
Opened in 2011, Tegarayama Exchange Station reuses the former Tegarayama Station of the now-defunct Himeji City Monorail. The facility serves as a community gathering place and a source of tourist information, preserving part of the city’s transportation history.
Tegarayama Central Park has undergone changes as the city works to reorganize and modernize its facilities. Redevelopment plans have included the closure of the former Tegarayama amusement park and rotating observation tower, the construction of a new gymnasium, plans for an indoor swimming pool, and the consolidation of existing public facilities.
The rotating observation tower, also known as the Himeji Expo Theme Tower, opened in 1966 in connection with the Himeji Grand Exposition. Approximately 24 meters tall, it originally included a revolving restaurant that offered panoramic views of the surroundings.
The restaurant closed in March 2018, and the tower remains as a monument recalling the park’s exhibition-era attractions. Together with other surviving structures, it provides a glimpse into the area’s past as a major leisure destination.
The municipal swimming pool opened in 1974, followed by Tegarayama Amusement Park in 1977. Both facilities were popular with generations of local residents but closed in September 2020 as part of the area’s transition toward a new phase of development.
In March 1996, a previously unrecognized cherry tree was discovered within Tegarayama Central Park by botanist Hiroshi Muroi. It was initially given the name Futae Kasumizakura, but the tree’s location later became unknown.
The tree was rediscovered in 2015, and the variety was subsequently recognized as a new cherry blossom cultivar in May 2021 under the name Tegara-zakura. This discovery added an unusual botanical story to the park’s history.
Mount Tegarayama is a hill approximately 50 meters above sea level, located southwest of central Himeji. The hill became widely known through the development of Tegarayama Central Park after the Second World War. Its collection of cultural, historical, and recreational facilities has made it a familiar landmark for residents and visitors alike.
The construction of the memorial tower in 1956 marked an important stage in the hill’s postwar development. Himeji Baseball Stadium followed in 1959, and Himeji City Welfare Hall was completed in 1962. Himeji City Science Museum opened in 1965, helping establish the area as a center for public education and recreation.
The Himeji Grand Exposition in 1966 accelerated this development. Exhibition pavilions, amusement facilities, a library, an aquarium, a greenhouse botanical garden, and an observation tower transformed the hill into one of Himeji’s major attractions.
The Himeji City Monorail began operating in 1966, connecting the city center with Tegarayama and providing convenient access to the exposition grounds. After the exposition ended, passenger numbers declined. Service was suspended in 1974, and the line was officially discontinued in 1979.
The former Tegarayama Station has since been reused as Tegarayama Exchange Station, preserving a tangible link to this unusual chapter in the city’s transportation history.
The opening of the Himeji City Cultural Center in 1972 and the greenhouse botanical garden in 1980 strengthened Tegarayama’s role as a cultural hub. Over time, however, some public facilities were rebuilt or relocated elsewhere in Himeji. The former Himeji City Library was one notable example: its attractive brick building was familiar to many residents before it was demolished following the library’s relocation to the grounds of Himeji Castle.
Although Tegarayama no longer concentrates as many cultural facilities as it once did, it remains an important destination for sports and recreation. The greenhouse botanical garden continues to attract visitors in the southeastern part of the hill, while the nearby Tegarayama branch of Himeji City Library provides a local resource for reading and cultural activities.
Some structures originally designed to resemble European castles remain on the hill. Alongside the memorial tower and former observation tower, they create a distinctive landscape that recalls the 1966 exposition. These surviving buildings offer a nostalgic glimpse into the park’s history and its former role as a major tourist attraction.
The park is easily accessible from central Himeji. It is approximately a 10-minute walk from Tegara Station on the Sanyo Electric Railway. Alternatively, take a Shinki Bus from the south exit of JR Himeji Station and get off at the Chuo Koen bus stop after a ride of about five minutes.
On weekends and public holidays, the Tegarayama Loop Bus may provide an additional convenient way to reach the park and its surrounding facilities.
The Sanyo Main Line runs northwest of the park. A new station was planned to open in spring 2026, with the aim of improving access to the area. Travelers should check current railway information before visiting to confirm the station’s operating status and available services.
The area around Tegarayama Central Park contains several places of historical and cultural interest. Nearby destinations include Ikuya Shrine, Nadagiku Sake Brewery, and Kameyama Honganji Temple. Combining a visit to the park with these nearby sites offers a broader look at Himeji’s local heritage, traditional industries, and religious history.
Tegarayama Central Park brings together nature, sports, education, and historical landmarks in one expansive setting close to Himeji’s city center. From its peaceful gardens and botanical displays to its wartime memorial and surviving remnants of the 1966 exposition, the park reflects several important chapters in the city’s development.
As redevelopment continues, Tegarayama is expected to remain an important part of Himeji’s cultural and recreational landscape, offering visitors a place to relax while discovering the history of the city.