Is Hirakata Park Worth Visiting? Guide + Honest Review
Last Updated on October 16, 2025 by Kay
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Wondering if you should visit Hirakata Park?
Built in 1912, Hirakata Park (known as Hirapah by locals, a combination of Hirakata Park) is Osaka’s oldest amusement park. It lies in the eastern part of Osaka, and honestly isn’t that easy to get to using public transport, so is it worth a visit?
I live in Osaka, and I’ve been to Hirakata Park with my family a few times, so I wanted to share my honest thoughts about what it’s like to spend a day at this historical amusement park and what you should know before you visit.
Hopefully, by the end of the article, you’ll be able to decide whether it’s worth your time and money to go.
Table of Contents
How to Get to Hirakata Park and Tickets
Hirakata Park is located between Kyoto and Osaka, although it can be a challenge to get there using public transportation.
By train, it takes about 45 minutes to get to the closest station to Hirakata Park, Hirakata-Koen, from Osaka Station, and the same amount of time from Kyoto Station. Once you reach Hirakata-Koen, it’s only a 6-minute walk to the park.
Opening Hours
The park’s hours of operation are typically from 10 AM to 5 PM, although on certain days, they’re open until 9 PM.
Note that the park is always closed on Thursdays. Check their official website to find out more information about their opening hours.
Ticket Price
Hirakata Park requires a paid entrance ticket to get into the park. This costs 2000 yen for adults (junior high school age and up), and 1200 yen for children ages two to twelve. If you get only the entrance ticket, you’ll have to pay for each ride using tickets (pay-per-ride). You can purchase these tickets from machines located throughout the park
If you want to purchase a combo ticket that includes the entrance fee as well as unlimited rides (called a “free pass”), this will set you back 5400 yen for adults, 4600 yen for elementary school students, and 3300 yen for kids ages two to six.
You can buy tickets at the gate, but you’ll get a 100 yen discount per ticket if you purchase your tickets online. You can buy tickets online on the day of your visit, so there’s no need to buy them ahead of time.
Personally, I think it’s better to purchase the free pass that includes unlimited rides if you’re visiting with your family because you’ll truly get your money’s worth. If you’re an adult without kids, read on to find out whether there are rides you would like to try, and then see if a free pass is worth the cost.
Hirakata Park Rides & Attractions
Hirakata Park boasts a whopping 39 different rides and attractions. However, I’ve found that many of these are best for children in junior high school and younger.
One of the best things about Hirakata Park is that the wait times for rides are short. I think the longest I waited was 15 minutes for a roller coaster.
Rides I Tried
Below are the non-kiddy rides I’ve tried and my thoughts. If you’re interested in kiddy rides that are great for babies up to junior high school students, read my full guide to Hirakata Park with children.
Note that prices indicated below are subject to change.
Sky Walker
This is the famous pastel-colored Ferris wheel in Hirakata Park.
It’s not that big, and I found the door was blocking the view of Osaka’s cityscape. It was fun to see what the theme park looked like below, but I wouldn’t ride on this again. I think this would be a nice ride for those with babies, though.
No height restrictions.
Cost without a Free Pass: 600 yen
ELF
I went on this wooden roller coaster with my daughter (age 6), and I personally hated it. I thought it was the worst ride in the park. It shook too much and was painful instead of fun. I was really sad because I really, really love roller coasters, but only when I can have a smooth ride.
I was worried about my daughter because the roller coaster was quite fast with a number of dips, but surprisingly, despite that she was screaming her head off with no trace of a smile on her face, she really liked the ride! She even said she wants to go on it again!
Guests must be at least 110 cm tall to ride.
Cost without a Free Pass: 800 yen
Crazy Mouse
As the name suggests, this ride makes you feel like you’re a mouse running along a ledge. I felt like I would fall out of the cart multiple times, so if that’s something you’re into, then give this ride a try. I am not a fan, and neither is my friend.
However, my friend’s kids (one in high school and the other in junior high school) loved this ride, so maybe younger people won’t find it as unsettling.
My daughter wants to ride it, so I guess next time I will build up the courage to go again…
Guests must be at least 110 cm tall to ride.
Cost without a Free Pass: 600 yen
Red Falcon
I was so excited for this roller coaster. I think if you’re taller than me (152 cm), you’ll likely enjoy this ride. Unfortunately, the over-the-shoulder restraints (OTSRs) were a little too large for me, and I felt like I would slip right through them.
The drops and speed for the roller coaster were great, nothing too scary or intense, so perfect for junior high school and elementary school kids. But sadly, I wasn’t able to enjoy it because I was getting tossed against the restraints. I might have felt differently had I been more secure.
Guests must be at least 120 cm tall to ride.
Cost without a Free Pass: 900 yen
PACHANGA
Riding in a six-seater raft, you cruise down a tumultuous river, turning around as you go. One seat will get soaked, so you’d better hope it’s not yours. (As luck would have it, it was my seat, of course.)
This is a fairly short ride and doesn’t have any drops, but my daughter, at age six, found it a little too fast and rocky for her liking. (“It’s so scary!”) Meanwhile, I found it underwhelming, and one side of me got soaked, so I’m not a fan of this ride.
No height restrictions.
Cost without a Free Pass: 900 yen
Wave Swinger
This is a pretty standard amusement park ride where you’re in an individual swing that’s suspended by chains and spins outward. I’ve always loved this ride, especially the feeling of the wind passing over me and seeing the view below me.
Guests must be at least 120 cm tall to ride.
Cost without a Free Pass: 500 yen
Rides I Want to Try at Hirakata Park
Although I’ve been to Hirakata Park more than once, I haven’t been able to ride everything, partly because I just don’t want to ride them alone. Here’s what I hope to ride someday (and would likely appeal to thrill-seekers).
BASSH
This is a Splash Mountain-type ride, although it’s considerably smaller. What I find interesting about it is that it measures how loudly you scream!
I’m not confident enough to ride this alone (and scream as well while people watch my sad little score), so I hope I can go on it with my daughter if she ever feels like riding it.
Guests must be at least three years old to ride.
Cost without a Free Pass: 600 yen
Disc “O”
I haven’t had the courage to ride this yet because spinning in circles while being tossed up and down doesn’t sound like a good time to me. But if that’s your thing, go for it!
My friend’s daughter (a junior high school student) said she felt like she was going to be thrown out of her seat, and it was “really scary!”. She also said to avoid this ride if you have just eaten.
Guests must be at least 120 cm tall to ride.
Cost without a Free Pass: 600 yen
Legend of Luxor
This is a horror attraction that requires you to complete several challenges. I wouldn’t recommend this if you don’t understand Japanese.
Guests must be at least 130 cm tall to ride.
Cost without a Free Pass: 400 yen
ROWDY
I really want to try this roller coaster but I haven’t had the time to do so yet.
It looks fairly gentle without any major dips, so I think my daughter would enjoy it. I just hope it’s a smooth ride, my neck can’t take any more bouncing!
Guests must be at least 4 years old to ride.
Cost without a Free Pass: 600 yen
Cycle Monorail
The name of the ride is pretty self-explanatory. You cycle along a rail and you’re able to see the view down below.
I wanted to try this with my daughter on our last visit, but it was closed!
Guests must be at least 3 years old to ride.
Cost without a Free Pass: 400 yen
Seasonal Events at Hirakata Park
Hirakata Park is famously known for its seasonal events, which I think is its biggest draw. The park does get more crowded during these times, so just be aware of this before you go.
Winter Carnival
The Winter Carnival is held from the end of December to the beginning of March. In 2025-2026, it’ll run from December 20th to March 1st.
During this time, you’ll be able to see beautiful illuminations, such as this one that reminds me of Rapunzel’s lanterns in Tangled! (This particular one is available year-round, but it only lights up once it’s dark, and other than winter, it’s still light out when it usually closes.)
Guests can also go ice skating and play in a small snow park for an additional charge. The snow park is mainly for small kids, so I don’t recommend going if you don’t have children.
The Boon
During summer, Hirakata Park opens its waterpark area. There are various pools and three water slides. Similar to the snow park, I think The Boon is best for kids.
So, Is Hirakata Park Worth It? My Honest Thoughts
As a parent who lives in Osaka, I think Hirakata Park was perfect for my child. There are plenty of indoor and outdoor attractions for her to enjoy, and the time always flies by whenever we visit.
I also like that you don’t need to line up early to get into the park, and that wait times are very short.
For more on what it’s like to visit with children, read my Hirakata Park with kids article.
However, if you’re traveling with teenagers or you’re an adult without young children, I would not recommend Hirakata Park unless you’re looking for something low-key and somewhat retro. My closest friend, who has three kids, told me that her eldest stopped liking the park when he started high school (so around age 16). The rides were too kiddish for him, and he much prefers Universal Studios Japan.
I also wasn’t a fan of the rides meant for older children (and taller guests). I found them more painful than enjoyable.
In summer, the park opens up its water park, which has a number of water slides; however, it can be very crowded.
If you like illuminations, it might be worth going in winter for some pretty photos, but otherwise, if you don’t have young kids, I suggest skipping Hirakata Park.
Tips for Visiting Hirakata Park
Hirakata Park is typically not very busy throughout the year, but expect crowds during weekends, Japan’s national holidays, and when they have special events or collaborations.
I suggest purchasing tickets in advance if you want to save a bit of yen and don’t want to wait in line at the ticket counter (but from experience, the line moves pretty fast). Keep in mind that you need to line up anyway at the Information Counter inside the park if you purchase an all-you-can-ride (free pass) ticket online in order to get the wristband.
Many of the attractions at Hirakata Park are in Japanese only, so make sure you have the Google Translate app on your phone and a portable battery.
For those driving to Hirakata Park, know that parking is expensive at 2000 yen for the day. I suggest using a nearby coin parking to save money (but these fill up fast so the earlier you go, the better).