[Suwanomori Station West Building & Hamaderakoen Station Building] (Suwanomori/Hamaderakoen Area)

The area around Suwanomori Station used to be called “Funao”, but the Nankai Railway (present-day Nankai Electric Railway) began service in 1897, residents and local officials worked together to name the station “Suwanomori”, named after local Suwa Shrine, and its grounds that were covered with pine and camphor trees like a forest (“mori”) at the time. Because of the station name, new residents started to refer to the area as “Suwanomori”, and eventually the address notation was changed to “Suwanomori” as well. Hamadera Park ("Hamaderakoen" in Japanese), built in 1873, is one of the oldest parks in Japan, and the area became very popular when a beach opened there in 1905. The old Hamaderakoen Station building was rebuilt in 1907 and has spent many years witnessing the history of the Hamadera area, serving as a gateway to its beach resorts and high-end residential areas. While the beach is no longer there today, Hamadera Park, which has been selected as one of the Top 100 Pine Forests in Japan, also has a rose garden and a transportation-themed amusement park, and is still a beloved location for many people.