Ornamental Greenhouse (観賞温室), Suma Rikyu Park Botanical Garden

The greenhouse stands in the botanical section of Suma Rikyu municipal park. The park occupies the site of the Mukō Imperial Villa (Suma Rikyu), completed in 1914: destroyed in 1945 in the bombing of Kobe, the estate was returned to the city in 1956, works began in 1958 in memory of the crown prince's wedding, and the park officially opened in 1967, according to the history page of the official site.

The 24-hectare botanical garden occupies the grounds of the former Okazaki family residence, a prewar zaibatsu, which the City of Kobe acquired in 1973 according to the Japanese Wikipedia. The residence's western-style building was destroyed by the 1995 Hanshin-Awaji earthquake; a former Japanese-style hall survives and is now rented out. The present greenhouse has two levels and can be visited freely inside the garden, according to the article Kiss PRESS published on 30 July 2026.

The official site describes the ornamental greenhouse (観賞温室) as a hall of about 500 m²; the Kiss PRESS article adds that it has two floors. Wikimedia Commons photographs from 2006 and 2008 show a building with rounded brick walls crowned by a glass vault, with a small glazed lean-to and a water lily pool against its facade.

Inside, the article's photographs show a glazed roof of metal arches above the plants, with vents and a fan. The article notes that, despite the name "greenhouse", the interior is kept at a comfortable temperature and that tables invite visitors to sit. An outdoor gallery on the second floor lets visitors look down into the greenhouse.

According to the official site, the greenhouse shows mainly subtropical and tropical plants. The photographs in the 2026 article show a dense understorey of large ferns and tropical foliage, but neither that article nor the official site names any species.

The displays change with the seasons: the official site mentions seasonal flowers and special exhibitions, among them the poinsettia show. At the time of the 30 July 2026 article a special exhibition brought together phalaenopsis orchids of every colour.

The cactus and succulent show of the Kobe Cactus Club, 16 to 18 October 2026, is not held in the greenhouse but in the Nakamon rest hall, on the west side of the fountain square.

The greenhouse stands at the centre of the botanical garden, on the east side of the park. Around it the official site describes a waterfall, the Midori-no-taki, known for its maples; a 1,300 m² flower garden in the European manner, with topiary, roses and perennials; the three-tier Sandan-no-taki waterfall; a plum garden of 1,500 m² with nearly 25 varieties and 150 trees; a peony garden; a hydrangea garden of 2,500 plants; a maple lane of about 150 m; and a Japanese house and garden hired out for events. The plum blossom in February, the hydrangeas in June and the autumn maples set the seasons. The botanical garden has a 22-space car park, and the main part of the park, with its fountains and rose garden, completes the visit.