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The Grand Green Osaka we see today is not the full picture. When this large-scale urban regeneration project reaches its final phase around 2027, Umeda will be transformed from a major commercial and transport hub into a model city district offering a new way of urban living that balances innovation with well-being and nature.
Now that Umekita Park South Park has been open for over a year, the next major component of the broader Grand Green Osaka development is set to be completed in spring 2027. The good news is, we don’t have to wait that long to get a taste of Umekita Park North Park. A key attraction in the area, the Umekita Forest – or Umekita no Mori in Japanese – will open right in front of JR Osaka Station on November 20 later this year.
Originally a wetland, then farmland, and for the last 85 years a freight yard, the green lung is designed to be a living forest, not just in name. The expansive 0.9 hectare space is just slightly smaller than a standard rugby field and will serve as a living ecosystem that contributes to the district’s urban biodiversity.
The plants at Umekita Forest will reflect the native vegetation of the Osaka region. There will be 165 trees across 22 species, growing alongside aquatic plants and Japanese flora such as iris and azalea. More interestingly, it aims to become a new cherry blossom spot in Osaka with six sakura species totalling 23 trees. This is further supplemented by maple and katsura trees to create changing scenery throughout the year.
To make Umekita Forest a functioning ecosystem, the area will be supported by a large water landscape complete with a 10m-wide, 3m-tall waterfall. This carefully balanced habitat is expected to attract 56 species of birds and insects. So far, 30 species have been spotted here. We can’t wait to see all this in front of JR Osaka Station come November.
So, compared to the existing Umekita Park, which is more of an open grass lawn, Umekita Forest will feel wilder with its lush foliage. That will help create a calm environment that insulates it from the city’s bustling noise and visual overload.
Once ready, Umekita Forest will host social events and include on-site food and drink facilities, making it a true urban retreat. But ultimately, it will function as a testing ground for exploring how nature and urban functions can coexist symbiotically.
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