Torii gate at the entrance of the park! Otari Park” in Higashinada Ward is overflowing with flowers and greenery

Otari Park” (Higashinada-ku, Kobe) is located about a 7-minute walk south of Hanshin Sumiyoshi Station. The park has a mysterious torii gate at its western entrance that makes it look like a shrine.

Otari Park (Higashinada Ward, Kobe City)

This park is also the “Otabisho” of Moto-Sumiyoshi Shrine. The term “Otabisho” refers to the place where the Mikoshi (portable shrine) rests and stays on the way during festivals. This torii gate was rebuilt after it collapsed during the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake.

Two old torii gates are preserved around the tamagaki.

Passing through the torii gate makes you feel sacred. To the left of the entrance, a pedestal remains in the center of the tamagaki. Two old torii gates, which collapsed in the great earthquake, are preserved around the gate.

Playground Equipment

At the center of the park is a playground with a slide and swing combined. There are two types of slides: a straight one and a tunnel one.

Playground equipment and sandbox

In front of the playground, there is a spring playground with a rabbit and a bird. The sandbox space is also spacious, so there are many ways to play.

Adults-only “kensui” *Children are not allowed to use it.

There is also an adult-only “kensui” (*children are not allowed to use it). There are stickers with training instructions on it, and they recommend stretching the arms on the bars, doing kensui, and for advanced users, hanging on the bars with the legs stretched out and doing “toe touches”. The goal is five times! It will strengthen your abdominal muscles.

Ground

There is a large playing field, and with this size, everyone can get together after school to play baseball. The use of spikes and walking dogs are prohibited.

Benches and flower beds

There are covered benches on the east side, where you can take a break when you get tired of playing. Pansies and marguerites are blooming beautifully in the flower beds.

Otabi-Kaikan

On the south side stands the “Otari Kaikan,” which may be used for community interaction.

Cherry blossoms on the west side

On the west side, the double-flowered cherry trees donated in 2000 to commemorate the recovery from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake are beginning to fade. The double-flowered cherry trees are at their best in mid-April, so we will be able to appreciate them for a while longer.

In May, Danjiri (floats) from Higashinada Ward parade through the park, and Goshinto (sacred lanterns) were decorated around the park. The park is rooted in the community, and the presence of the torii gate seems to give it some kind of power.

More Information

Location

Otari Park
(1-2 Sumiyoshiminamimachi, Higashinada-ku, Tokyo)
Google Map

Hours of operation

24 hours