Parks & Playgrounds
There are hundreds of small and not-so-small parks and playgrounds located in Tokyo and its surrounds. While some of them are not anything to write home about, others will inspire and entertain you for hours. If you are new to your area, you’re sure to discover a playground or two from simply walking around your neighborhood. To find your local parks and playgrounds go to the website of your ward, to the living guide and check under public facilities or recreational facilities. Please be aware they could appear under a different title. You could also visit your ward office in person and ask them for a map of the ward which shows parks and playgrounds. Another fantastic resource is the Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association which describes a lot of parks in Tokyo and also makes recommendations according to your interests.
This is a list-in-progress and we need your help to make it better.
Additional Info: If you have any relevant information on these parks that we've missed, such as opening/closing times, other facilities, general vibe, etc., let us know via email or the contact form provided.
Photographs: One thing lacking is great photos of the actual facilities for kids such as the playground equipment. You may have some pictures of your own child at the park that might be suitable or if you don't mind taking a camera on your next visit, it would be very helpful if you could take photos especially for this site.
More parks: As you can see we have mostly included the better-known parks. If you know of any parks that should be listed, it would be helpful if you could put together a similar description as we have (including photos if possible), or as much information as you can get. This is especially true of areas outside of Tokyo as we have almost no personal experience to write of.
Nishi Rokugo Park (Tire Park) is a must-visit park for anyone with kids. You'll find sculptures made of tires that the kids will clambour up, there are tire tunnels and tire mountains, tire tubing down concrete slopes, and of course tire swings that even parents will be able to fit in.
Gyosen Koen is a much-loved park for kids with its very own petting zoo and avary located inside, a carp-filled pond, a large fountain that kids can splash around in during the summer months, and a beautiful Japanese garden for you to enjoy.
Rinshi-no-mori Park has several playgrounds including one with some pretty impressive wooden and rope equipment. There is also a not-to-be missed splashing pond for water play in the summer, though beware the mosquitoes that suddenly appear in the later hours. Rinshi-no-mori has some impressive trees - some with circumferences measuring more than three meters – and a pond/stream with ducks and turtles to delight little ones.
Ueno Park has a plethora of cherry blossom trees, an enormous fountain, rental boats, and a children's playground. It is however surrounded by a host of other attractions including Tokyo National Museum, National Science Museum, National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Ueno Royal Museum, many temples and shrines, Ameyahoko-cho shopping street with its street stalls selling just about everything you can think of, a small amusement park called Ueno Kodomo Yuen, and last but not least, the much-loved Ueno Zoo.
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