Ikeda is about 20 minutes away by Hankyu train from Umeda, Osaka. Ikeda Castle Ruins Park, opened in 2000, was developed on the site of the castle of the Ikeda clan, a local clan that once ruled the Ikeda area. The park has entrances on each of the north, south, east, and west sides, but the main entrance is the east gate adjacent to the Education Center. Accessible via a 3-meter-wide, 23-meter-long wooden bridge, the park is dotted with a Japanese garden, a tiled teahouse, a restored ruins area, and a tower-style observation rest building. Overlooking the city, the cable-stayed Shin-Inagawa Bridge (commonly known as the Big Harp), resembling a giant harp, offers views as far as Kobe and Wakayama on clear days. Volunteer guided tours are sometimes available on weekends and holidays. It's the perfect place to reflect on Ikeda's History / culture.