I found a most wonderful place to take the kids for a day out in the sun and for some great excitement, fun, sports and adventure. It is called Heiwa no Mori Koen Field Athletic Course (平和の森公園 フィールドアスレチックコース) and it's about a ten minute walk from Keihin Kyuko Heiwajima station or a ten minute bus ride from JR Omori station.
The Heiwa no Mori Koen Field Athletic Course is an obstacle course for kids. The entire course, from start to finish has 40 obstacles that the kids have to challenge. There's climbing giant rope and wood jungle gym types of structures to climbing over walls using ropes to jungle bars and rowing across ponds full of deadly piranhas (oh, and I'm kidding about the piranhas part). You and your child could have a wonderful time at this fun park.
I'd say that it is best for children between the ages of 6 to 12 but younger ages will also have a blast at this park as mom and dad can help them out with the obstacles that are too scary!
Yesterday, I went there with a bunch of 8 and 9 year olds to chaperon for a birthday party and I also wanted to check out the facilities. I was very impressed. The Heiwa no Mori Koen Field Athletic Course is run by the local government (please don't get me started on what the heck the local government is doing running an athletic course for kids, as that's another story) but admission for children was an incredibly low ¥100! Adults are ¥360!
Okay. I've found the best and cheapest place to enjoy a Saturday or Sunday in Tokyo for under ¥500! Parking is available and dirt cheap (I parked for more than three hours and it was only ¥600).
This place is a real diamond in the rough, folks! I think this is one of the best and most refreshing and healthy places you could take your kids to on a day and have some real fun!
The kids love it!... (Thanks to Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Humphrys)
Here is a map of the park at the entrance featuring all the obstacles. See a larger map online here.
Looks daunting. It is, but safe. Kids start at the left, climb over the log, up the ramp,
then climb down the rope ladder on the other side.
In the west they might call this the Tom Sawyer ride. In Japan it's like Issun Boshi.
There were about 5 huge structures like this that are fun to look at as they
are to challenge and climb! Take your child and have them bring a few friends!
Great for a kid's birthday party!
Heck, this one looked so fun even I wanted to ride it... (But I'm afraid of heights!)
Not quite as tough as the Marines or Navy Seals, but pretty darned tough for an 8 year old...
What kid wouldn't go crazy over riding in a basket over the dangerous valley?
Speaking of danger, watch out for the crocodiles and piranhas! Moms! Dads!
Definitely need to bring extra clothes & shoes two kids fell in when I was there!
The kids would get to the top of one of these and want to stay there.
I had to tell them to hurry to the next obstacle.
This area kind of reminded me of Disneyland's Adventureland...
It just looked like fun and the obstacles didn't disappoint! At this obstacle
kids had to help each other to get across. Team work!
Running across the floating logs? Yep. Scary and a distinct possibility of getting wet!
Older kids can do this... But I even saw parents with 3 or 4 years old kids
and the moms and dads carried their kids while they challenged
the obstacles... A great time together!
Great fun. Exercise. The Outdoors. Camraderie.
What more could a parent want for their child?
I give Heiwa no Mori Koen Field Athletic Course (平和の森公園 フィールドアスレチックコース) 5 stars for a great cheap place to take your children where they can spark their imagination with adventure and get a day out and some great exercise. It's fun, cheap and a wonderful memory!
NOTES:
1) Definitely take at least one pair of extra clothes and shoes in case your child falls into the water.
2) There are no restaurants or coffee shops nearby
3) There are no shower facilities.
4) There is another park outside so if you want to have a birthday party there, you'll need to have the cake and pizza or sandwiches at the park outside the entrance of the athletic course.
5) I hear it gets crowded on weekends around lunchtime so I recommend getting there early!
6) If the course weren't crowded, then I expect that it should take an hour or two to complete depending on the age of your child.
Heiwa no Mori Koen Field Athletic Course
(平和の森公園 フィールドアスレチックコース)
Address:
Heiwa no Mori Koen 2-1
Ohta-ku, Tokyo
Te: 03-3766-1607
Business hours:
Opens at 9:30 am (last entrance at 15:00) Closed at 16:00
Closed on Mondays and bad weather days
Entrance fee:
Children and Junior high school students: ¥100
Above high school and adults: ¥360
Heiwa no Mori Koen Field Athletic Course URL (Sorry Japanese only): http://www.city.ota.tokyo.jp/shisetsu/sports/fieldathletics.html
Map:
Thanks Mike. Wish I knew about this 10 or 15 years ago when my kids were still small enough...
ReplyDeletei am going to try on this on my Kids Birthday Parties in Orlando. Hope they will enjoy it.
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