Rose Festival
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Hirakata Park's month-long spring celebration invites visitors to experience roses through sight, scent, taste, and sound within an English-style garden.
This spring, Hirakata Park in Osaka Prefecture will once again transform into a fragrant wonderland as it hosts its beloved annual Rose Festival. Timed to coincide with the peak blooming season, the month-long event invites visitors to experience roses in every way imaginable – through sight, scent, taste, and sound.
The rose garden at the heart of the festival has a remarkable history. In 1955, pioneering rose authority Kanjiro Okamoto gathered specimens from around the world to create what was then a grand 9,900 m² garden housing an extraordinary 2,000 varieties and 40,000 plants. Following a major renovation in 2000, it was reborn as the English-style Rose Garden visitors know today – a refined space where approximately 600 varieties and 4,000 plants flourish, spanning everything from rare heritage Old Roses to vibrant contemporary Modern Roses.
Morning Rose Garden
One of the festival's most popular offerings is the Early Morning Rose Garden Stroll Days, running from May 8 to 17. Roses are said to be at their most fragrant in the early hours of the day, and this 10-day special event takes full advantage of that – opening the Rose Garden exclusively from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. for a peaceful, unhurried experience before the crowds arrive. On May 9 and 15, rose sommelier Ken Osanai will lead guided tours, offering deeper insight into the garden's exceptional collection.
Expert Guided Tours
For those eager to learn more, free guided tours are available throughout the festival. Rose sommelier Ken Osanai returns on May 9 and 15, while Kaoru Takada leads tours from May 11 to 14. Both tours begin at 11:00 a.m. and are free of charge, though standard park admission applies.
Photo Spots
The festival has no shortage of picturesque backdrops. Returning favourites include the "Butterfly" and "Heart Bench" spots, joined this year by several festival-exclusive installations at Rose Hill Plaza. The Flower Doll – a striking figure adorned with vibrant artificial roses – will be on display from April 25 to May 24, while the Floating Roses installation, in which freshly pruned blooms are set adrift on the water's surface, creates an ethereal scene from May 8 to 17. A Rose Path lined with roses and flowering plants will also wind through the plaza from April 25 to May 17, offering visitors an up-close encounter with the blooms.
Themed Menu
The festival extends its floral theme well beyond the garden beds. A limited-time menu at Rose Hill Plaza features the Rose Churros, a fragrant street-food treat ideal for strolling the grounds; the Rose Ice Cream, as visually striking as it is delicious; and the Rose Tea, a gently sweet black tea with a lingering floral finish. For those looking to take something home, the Rose Pie – baked with hand-picked rose petals folded into the pastry – and the Rose-Scented Sweet Potato Kenpi, a crispy sweet with a delicate floral note, make for memorable souvenirs.
Live Music
On four dates throughout the festival – May 4, 5, 10, and 17 – violinist Yuki Nagasawa will perform live at Rose Hill Plaza, with a program of classical pieces chosen to complement the garden's atmosphere. Admission to the performances is free with park entry.
