Kiba Shinsui Park
by Cornelia [1 July 2001]
(includes a little bit about the much bigger Kiba Park across the street)

This is a small park sunken down from street level right across from the much bigger Kiba Park which has the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Contemporary Art at the far end. By itself, it is not worth a long trip and would be most attractive to locals. But if one were to combine a visit to the wild and wooly playground across the street with a visit to this jabujabuike park, it may well get your kids to sleep early!

- no concession stand; there is a convenience store a few blocks south
- interesting layout on a fenced-in concrete pad
- a piece of preserved canal at the west end provides a nice place to catch small crabs (using string on a stick with a worm, bug or piece of old chicken). Suddenly the splash park is supplemented and triples in size.
- limited shade
- water flow is turned off at 15:45 sharp and the staff is fairly aggressive about cleaning up right under your feet
- can get crowded on hot Sundays
- not enough seats for parents; many bring a plastic sheet to sit on picnic style

How to get there:
Kiba Shinsui Park - Water starts 1 July and is shut off 31 August. CLOSED on Mondays.
Kiba station, Tozai subway line. (10 min. walk from Exit 3 - turn left and left again at the signal, heading north towards Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Contemporary Art) The big Kiba Park is on your right hand side after you turn left onto Mitsume Dori. You will pass a fire station and then a police station on your left. You can't see this park until you are practically on top of it!
10:00 - 16:00
3-8 Kiba, Koto-ku

There is an additional "splash park" across the street from Kiba Shinsui in the large Kiba Park, quite different in concept as can be seen from the photo below. The pool with the logs in it is used for log rolling displays at certain festivals. The Kiba area was once a major log processing area.

Beyond this small pool is the playground with obstacle course types of structures. It is nested in a grove of trees and not easily visible. There is parking available inside Kiba Park for a fee, and with some persistance it is possible to find street parking.

Tokyo City English Information desk: 03-5320-7744
Tokyo Metropolitan / Tama Area Ward and City Offices
The Ito-Yokado Superstore and Kiba 109 Cinemas is close by.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo is very close by.
Japan With Kids - Forums: General Discussions: Parks / Picnics / Grassy areas

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