Kiryū-ga-oka Park

Kiryū-ga-oka Park (桐生が岡公園) is a municipal urban park located in Miyamoto-chō and Nishi-hisakata-chō, Kiryū City, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. It is a comprehensive park that includes a zoo and an amusement park, and is famous as a cherry blossom viewing spot. Locals often abbreviate it as "Oka Park." The park sits on a hill in central Kiryū, offering panoramic views of the city from its observation deck and Ferris wheel. The name derives from the hilly area stretching from Nishi-Arakuto to Shimo-hisakata, historically called Kiryū-ga-oka. The zoo, Kiryū-ga-oka Zoo, opened in 1953 and is notable for having started wildlife rescue efforts in 1952, ahead of the rest of Japan, making it the country's first wildlife protection center. The amusement park, Kiryū-ga-oka Yūenchi, opened in 1971. The park is managed directly by Kiryū City for the zoo, while the amusement park is managed by the designated administrator, the Kiryū City Sports and Culture Foundation. In 2020, naming rights were introduced for the amusement park; the company Earth Care Co., Ltd., based in Maebashi, signed a sponsorship agreement until October 2030, giving the amusement park the nickname "Earth Care Kiryū-ga-oka Yūenchi." The park has been used as a filming location for several television dramas and music videos, including "Mirai Yūenchi" (2007), "Tetsudō Sōsakan Special" (2009), "Sailor Zombie" (2014), "Tantei ga Hayasugiru" (2018), and the music video for "We GO" by Ketsumeishi (2024). The zoo houses a diverse collection of animals, with 129 species and 797 individuals as of July 1, 2016. The amusement park features rides such as a mini railway, sky helicopter, merry-go-round, Ferris wheel (nicknamed "Kiryū Dai Yōchien Diamond View" through naming rights), adventure ship, cycle monorail, and a former JNR C12 steam locomotive. The park is accessible by train from JR Kiryū Station or Jōmō Electric Railway Nishi-Kiryū Station, and by car from various interchanges.

Kiryū-ga-oka Park opened in 1916 as a town-operated park in Kiryū, Gunma Prefecture. The park is situated on a hilly area in central Kiryū, and its name comes from the historical designation of the surrounding hills as Kiryū-ga-oka. In 1952, the park began wildlife rescue efforts, becoming the first wildlife protection center in Japan. The following year, in 1953, Kiryū-ga-oka Zoo opened. In 1971, Kiryū-ga-oka Yūenchi, the amusement park section, opened. Over the decades, the park has been used as a filming location for various television dramas and music videos. In 2007, it was used for the TV drama "Mirai Yūenchi" and "Mirai Yūenchi II," during which some amusement park facilities were actually renovated with sponsor funding. In 2009, it was used for "Tetsudō Sōsakan Special." In 2014, it appeared in "Sailor Zombie." In 2017, Izumi, an Asian elephant and the oldest in Japan at an estimated age of 61 years and 11 months, died at the zoo. In 2018, the park was used for the TV drama "Tantei ga Hayasugiru." In 2020, naming rights were introduced for the amusement park, with Earth Care Co., Ltd. becoming the sponsor until October 2030, giving the amusement park the nickname "Earth Care Kiryū-ga-oka Yūenchi." In 2024, the park was used as a filming location for the music video "We GO" by Ketsumeishi. The zoo continues to house a wide variety of animals, and the amusement park remains a popular local attraction.

• 2024

  Used as filming location for music video "We GO" by Ketsumeishi.

• 2020

  Naming rights introduced for amusement park; Earth Care Co., Ltd. becomes sponsor until October 2030.

• 2018

  Used as filming location for TV drama "Tantei ga Hayasugiru".

• 2017

  Asian elephant Izumi, Japan's oldest at estimated 61 years 11 months, died.

• 2014

  Used as filming location for TV drama "Sailor Zombie".

• 2009

  Used as filming location for TV drama "Tetsudō Sōsakan Special".

• 2007

  Used as filming location for TV dramas "Mirai Yūenchi" and "Mirai Yūenchi II"; some facilities renovated.

• 1971

  Kiryū-ga-oka Yūenchi (amusement park) opened.

• 1953

  Kiryū-ga-oka Zoo opened.

• 1952

  Began wildlife rescue efforts, becoming Japan's first wildlife protection center.

• 1916

  Opened as Kiryū Town Park.

Municipal leisure and wildlife education facility

• Kiryū-ga-oka Zoo

  Zoo with 129 species and 797 animals as of July 1, 2016.

• Kiryū-ga-oka Yūenchi

  Amusement park with rides including Ferris wheel, mini railway, and merry-go-round.

1. 1Kiryū-ga-oka Park - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2桐生が岡公園 - Wikipedia (Japanese)ja.wikipedia.org