It is a place of relaxation for the citizens of Sapporo, and is particularly bustling with cherry blossom viewers in early May and worshippers for the 'Hokkaido Jingu Shrine Annual Festival' in June. Originally, it was a tree testing ground established by the Development Commission in the early Meiji period, but it was developed as a park from the late Meiji to the Taisho period.

The vast grounds are equipped with sports facilities such as Maruyama Baseball Stadium, Maruyama Athletics Stadium, and Sakashita Ground. Along with the adjacent Hokkaido Jingu Shrine, Maruyama Zoo, and the Maruyama Primeval Forest, which is designated as a natural monument, it also plays a role as a center for recreation and sports culture. Within the park, you can also see cedar forests and large katsura trees that are remnants of the testing ground, and if you look closely, you can observe many squirrels, wild plants, and wild birds.

It has also been a famous cherry blossom spot for a long time, and about 120 cherry trees, including Ezo-yamazakura and Somei-yoshino, are planted in the park.