National Government Parks Featuring Japanese History and Culture

Kansai Consular Forum 13th Meeting

March 1, 2018

Toyohito Ikeda Director-General Kansai Regional Development Bureau

Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism National Government Parks with Diverse Attractions

◆ The Kansai Regional Development Bureau is engaged in the development and management of three national government parks. Akashi Kaikyo National Asuka & Nara Palace Site Historical Yodogawa Riverside Park Government Park National Government Park (Sakura-deaikan) Asuka District: Kitora Tumulus Mural - Approx. 530,000 visitors Experiential Museum Shijin no Yakata - Opened on Mar. 25, 2017 (Apr. 2016 – Mar. 2017) - Approx. 100,000 visitors - Opened on Sep. 24, 2016 (Apr. 2017 – Jan. 2018) - Approx. 130,000 visitors 多目的利用エリア (Apr. 2017 – Jan. 2018) サービスセンター予定地散策・観察エリア拠点施設エリア親水エリアバーベキューエリア

Kyoto Yodogawa Riverside Hyogo Park (Nara Palace Site District) Akashi Kaikyo (Sakura-deaikan) National (Nara Palace Site Go・ve神rnm戸en地t P区ark削除 District) Osaka (Asuka District)

Nara 西楼 Asuka & Nara Palace Site Historical National Wakayama Government Park The First Imperial Audience Hall 1 Yodogawa Riverside Park: Sakura-deaikan ◆ Three rivers (Katsura River, Uji River and Kizu River) join midstream to create the Yodo River. ◆ This three-river confluence, where Sakura-deaikan is located, boasts a magnificent natural landscape and is important from the perspective of flood control. [Area-wide map: Yodogawa Riverside Park] ■ Location

Hankyu [Access] Lake Kyoto Line Oyamazaki (From Keihan Biwa Yodoyabashi Sta.) Katsura River - Admission: Free Uji River Gokoubashi Oyamazaki Yodogawa Riverside Park 40 min. by train on sta Keihan Railway Main Sewaritei District Note: Observatory Sakura- Katsura River Gokoubashi Line → Get off at Kizu River Old keihan admission fees are Yawatashi Sta. → nationdale hiwaaiykan Kyoto temporarily required 10 min. walk Arashiyama Yawatashi sta. Keihan Railway from Mar. 31 to Apr. To Yodo Yawata City 10, 2018. Otokoyama Hashimoto sta. Cable Line (Adult) 300 yen Yodogawa Riverside To Kuzuha (Child) 100 yen Park (Sakura-deaikan) Uji River

Kizu River Yodo River

Osaka Nara

Osaka Bay The Sakura-deaikan building is used for various purposes 2 Sewaritei Cherry Blossom Festival

◆ Sewaritei is the riverbank between the two rivers at the confluence. ◆ Sewaritei Cherry Blossom Festival is held every spring at Sewaritei, where Sakura- deaikan is located.

Dishes made with local farm produce, as well as processed foods and other local specialty goods, are on sale during the festival period. [Period] March 31 – April 10, 2018

Sakura-deaikan commands a view of cherry blossom trees 3 Yodogawa Sansen Bike Rental

◆ Cycle paths have been developed around the Yodogawa Sansen (= “Yodogawa three rivers”) area, boosting cycling tourism. ◆ Sakura-deaikan is utilized by cyclists as a rest station.

Bike Rental & [Legend] Biking Map Cycle path

Yodogawa Riverside Park

A guide sign on the cycle path

Uji River Yodogawa Riverside Sakura-deaikan JR Yamazaki Sta. Park Sewaritei District (10 bikes for rent) (10 bikes for rent) Keihan Yawatashi Sta. [Rental fees] (28 bikes for rent) Regular bike: 500 yen To Yawata Nagarebashi E-bike: 1,000 yen Community Plaza (10 bikes for rent) Deposit: 500 yen Bike racks in front of (Applied to the drop fee Sakura-deaikan in case of one-way To Shokado Garden rental) (5 bikes for rent) 4 Akashi Kaikyo National Government Park

◆ The park was opened when Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, the world’s longest suspension bridge, was opened to traffic.

Minotani SShhiinntteettssuu Tanigami ShinteAtAoso u LLiinnee Photo taken in March 2011 Ao Line Kobe Sumiyoshi Nishi Akashi Kaikyo Bridge Suzurandai Okubo Shin Kobe

Sannomiya Fusehata kobe Nishi Akashi Ikawadani Shinkaichi Tarumi Akashi Maiko Myodani Tarumi Kobe Airport AkAaksahsih iK Kaaiikkyo Bridge Bridge Akashi Kaikyo National Iwaya Awaji Government Park

Opened area [40. 4 ha] Akashi Kaikyo National Government Park Awaji District [Planned area: 96. 1 ha]

- Admission: 450 yen (children free) * From April 1, 2018

← Total length: approx. 4 km Akashi Kaikyo Bridge World’s longest suspension bridge (Central span: 1,991 m) 5 Spring Carnival

◆ The Spring Carnival will be held in spring 2018, decorating the whole park with a flower landscape.

■ Yellow Island Party (Mar. 17 – 30) ■ Tulip Island Party (Mar. 31 – Apr. 20)

[Major flowers] Narcissi of Western origin (80,000) Viola (30,000) Christmas rose (1,500)

■ Blue Island Party (Apr. 21 – May 20) [Major flowers] Tulip (200,000; 250 [Major flowers] variations) Nemophila (100,000) Grape hyacinth (150,000) Dianthus (15,000) Anemone (30,000) Shirley poppy (90,000) Narcissus, etc. (120,000)

6 Asuka & Nara Palace Site Historical National Government Park

◆ In ancient Japan, there were capital cities in Nara that prospered as the political and cultural center of the time. The Asuka & Nara Palace Site Historical Park is a national government park focused on these ancient capitals.

■ Location [Major capitals of Japan]

Kyoto Pref. Shiga Pref. Hyogo Pref.

Mie Pref. Heijo-kyo Osaka (Nara City) Pref. A飛su鳥区ka域-no-miya (Asuka Village) Nara Pref.

Wakayama Pref.

7 Asuka & Nara Palace Site Historical National Government Park (Asuka District) ◆ Valuable murals were discovered inside the two tumuli that are considered to be the tombs of persons of noble origin from the Asuka Period (Takamatsuzuka Tumulus, Kitora Tumulus). ◆ Asuka & Nara Palace Site Historical National Government Park (Asuka District) focuses on these tumuli.

■ Location

Kyoto Pref. Shiga Pref.

Hyogo Pref.

Osaka Pref. Mie Pref. Kintetsu Minami Osaka Line Takamatsu- Abeno- Approx. 45 min. bashi A飛su鳥k区a H域istorical Park zuka Area Asuka Nara Pref.

Wakayama Pref. Mural Garden around the tumulus

Kitora Tumulus Area (Opened on September 24, 2016)

Mural museum (Admission free) Garden around the tumulus 8 Asuka & Nara Palace Site Historical National Government Park (Nara Palace Site District)

[Site of Nara Palace, National government center of the Heijo-kyo capital] park area: approx. 122 ha (Almost as large as 32 Northern Government Office Koshien Stadiums) Compound

Excavation Site ■ Location Exhibition Hall Imperial Domicile The First Imperial Audience Hall Supposed Ministry of the (Agency for Cultural Affairs) Imperial Household

Kyoto Pref. Shiga Pref. The Second Imperial Audience Hall Hyogo Pref. Osaka Pref. Kintetsu Nara Line Mie Pref. Approx. Approx. 30 min. Nara Palace Site The First State Halls Osaka- 1 km Compound Namba Yamato- Historical Park Saidaiji The Second State 飛鳥区域 Halls Compound

Nara Pref. East Palace Garden (Agency for Cultural Affairs)

Wakayama Assembly Hall Pref. The First State Halls Compound South Square

Ministry of Ministry of Military Ceremonial

Suzaku Gate (Agency for Cultural Affairs) Suzaku Gate Nara Palace Site Museum

Suzaku Gate Square 9 Nara Palace Site Historical Park ◆ The Suzaku Gate Square and Nara Palace Site Museum Heijo-kyu Izanaikan will be opened on March 24, 2018.

Facilities in the Suzaku Nara Palace Site Museum Gate Square Suzaku Gate 特別史跡平城宮跡 Heijo-kyu Izanaikan

Rest space and observatory Nijo-oji St. Tempyo Miharashikan Restaurant and Facility for group tourists communication facility Tempyo Tsudoikan Tempyo Umashikan Suzaku-oji St.

Tourism info & shop Tempyo Mitsukikan

Display of artifacts excavated from the Nara Palace Site (wooden tablets with handwritten characters, clay roof Developed by MLIT tiles, etc.) Developed by Nara Pref.

Heijo-kyu Izanaikan

Features video programs depicting people’s lifestyles in Nara Palace, as well as a scale model of the Palace Display of a wooden scale model of the First Imperial Audience Hall structure (1:5 scale), etc. 10 Multilingual information service for tourists from overseas

[Initiatives in the Sannomiya area, Kobe City]

Introduction by video

http://www.kkr.mlit.go.jp/plan/vitality/travel- environment/ol9a8v000000eckk.html