Suma Rikyu Park

Kobe, Hyogo, Japan, Japan

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Suma Rikyu Park is a large 82.6‑hectare public park and botanical garden in Suma Ward, Kobe, Hyogo, opened in 1967 on the former site of the Imperial Villa Muko Rikyu and built in honor of Emperor Akihito’s marriage to Empress Michiko.

The park blends French Versailles‑style gardens—with panoramic views of Osaka Bay, many fountains, and a Rose Garden of Princes and Lords featuring about 4,000 rosebushes in 180 varieties that bloom in spring and autumn—with traditional Japanese gardens, tea ceremony rooms, a greenhouse, and diverse botanical collections including 230 tree types, peonies, Japanese irises, hydrangeas, plums, and autumn maples.

Family attractions include an adventure playground with a Children’s Forest and adventure course, a regular playground, picnic areas, a restaurant, and an athletic pathway with 28 stations, and the park is especially popular for cherry blossoms and rose viewing.