Tokiwa Park ときわ公園

A major draw in the city of Ube, Tokiwa Park has all kinds of facilities, such as an outdoor exhibition of sculptures, a zoo, a botanical garden, and an amusement park, all built around Lake Tokiwa. This spot is ideal for picnics and families out for a day of amusement.

The park is easily accessible by train, bus, and car.

Tokiwa Park is a 30-minute ride by bus from Shin-Yamaguchi Station. Take the Ube City Kotsu bus bound for Yamaguchi's Ube Airport and get off at Tokiwa Station. Tokiwa Park is about a 10-minute walk away.

Tokiwa Zoo is a recent addition to the park, having opened in 2016. The zoo's exhibitions allow animals to live much as they would in the wild. Monkeys, capybaras and pelicans are just a few of the creatures you'll encounter, as well as the many truly wild birds flying around Lake Tokiwa.

Sculptures outdoors are a prominent feature of the Tokiwa Museum, while the botanical garden inside offers rare tropical plants, and one of the largest baobab trees in Japan.

Tokiwa Park also holds a biennale every two years to showcase the works of sculptors from Japan and abroad in what is one of Japan's largest outdoor sculpture exhibitions.

Tokiwa Park is covered with flowers for much of the year. With over 3,500 cherry trees blooming around April, 80,000 irises from late May to late June and other flowers in succession over the summer, as well as gingko trees and chrysanthemums, the park is an ideal spot to have a picnic and bask in nature's beauty.

The latest information may differ, so please check the official website