Takatsuki is one of the most popular areas in the Hokusetsu area due to its convenient access to central Tokyo and comfortable living environment. During the Yayoi period, it was home to a large moated settlement, one of the first in the Kinki region to cultivate rice, and has cultivated a rich culture for approximately 800 years. In March 2021, Ama site park, which was developed on the site of that settlement (the initial opening was in March 2019), opened. A variety of facilities are located among the lush greenery, making it a park that can be enjoyed by a wide range of people.

The Ama ruins, established approximately 2,500 years ago, is a settlement that flourished from the early to late Yayoi period. A rich culture flourished as a result of interactions with a wide range of regions via the Yodo River, including the Setouchi and Shikoku regions, Lake Biwa, and the Hokuriku region. As it combined the three elements of a Yayoi settlement - residential, production, and burial areas - the site is considered an important site for understanding Japanese history, and was designated a national historic site in 1993.

Ama site park, built on the site of a former village and boasting an area the size of five Koshien Stadiums, is a 22-hectare site home to a variety of facilities and shops, offering a relaxing and enjoyable experience. Bornelund Park Center, located in the western area of the park, is a central facility housing the park office, as well as a variety of rental rooms, including a craft and kitchen room, a multipurpose studio, and a multipurpose room, as well as a running station. Bornelund Playville, located within the Park Center, has a variety of indoor and outdoor play areas, including a ball pit and sandbox, so children can have fun to their heart's content.

The park is home to a wide variety of restaurants, including a trattoria that boasts wood-fired pizza, a restaurant where you can enjoy casual French cuisine, and a cafe that serves camping food. With such a wide variety of options, you might have a hard time choosing where to have lunch or dinner. There is also a comprehensive pet service facility with a dog run and grooming salon, so many people visit to walk their beloved dogs.

The east area is packed with activity zones. SAKURA Square, with its large roof measuring 40m x 25m, is a vast artificial turf space where a variety of events such as live music, festivals, and gourmet food are held, and it is bustling with people on weekends and holidays. Nearby is the large membrane trampoline "Fuwa Fuwa Dome," where children from preschool to elementary school age can play. On the north side, there is a babbling brook that uses agricultural water, where children can enjoy interacting with nature by playing in the water.

Located in the middle of the park, the historical center is a row of exhibition and experience halls housed in renovated buildings from the former Takatsuki Farm, attached to Kyoto University, which was built in the early Showa period and has been designated a modernization heritage site by Osaka Prefecture. Here, visitors can deepen their understanding of the Amano ruins and the Yayoi period through experiences such as watching a film that shows what the Yayoi village of Amano looked like, touching replicas of everyday items, and viewing recreated Yayoi rice paddies. Additionally, in the cemetery area on the east side of the park, visitors can see recreated Yayoi period grave styles, such as square moat tombs and wooden coffin tombs.

Another major attraction of Ama site park is its moody appearance after sunset. The moat, paved with white stones, is lit with indirect lighting, creating beautiful curves of light, and the roadside trees and historical objects such as bronze bells and vases are also lit up, creating a fantastical atmosphere. In winter, an illumination event is held using approximately 30,000 LED bulbs, making the park even more vibrant.

Ama site park is a vast site that offers a variety of entertainment. It is a popular place for local residents to relax, and is expected to become a cultural hub through the hosting of a variety of events in the future. This park allows you to experience life in the Yayoi period without leaving Osaka, and is definitely a spot worth visiting for history buffs.

Ama site park

12-3 Hachochonawatecho, Takatsuki City, Osaka Prefecture (Park Office)

Google maps

Opening hours:
(Parks, parking lots, bicycle parking lots) Available 24 hours a day
(Bornelund Park Center) 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM *Park office only until 5:00 PM
Closed: New Year's holiday (December 29th to January 3rd)
Phone number: 072-648-4725 (9:00-17:00)
Official website

Access

By train:
Approximately 13 minutes on foot from JR Takatsuki Station
Approximately 10 minutes on foot from Takatsukishi Station on the Hankyu Railway

By bus:
From Hankyu Takatsukishi Station: Board from platform 5 (via Ama site park) for approximately 3 minutes
From JR Takatsuki Station South: Board from Platform 5 (via Ama site park) for approximately 8 minutes

Parking: 427 spaces (152 spaces in the west, 275 spaces in the east)