But sometimes, you need to go somewhere new. I've heard that Nerima has some great playgrounds in the area, but haven't really explored too many of them since we love Hikarigaoka Park so much. Recently, I heard of a park called "Banana Park" and decided we needed to check this place out.
Just a 10 minute walk from Hikarigaoka station, Banana Park is a neighborhood park featuring banana shaped playground equipment. It is surrounded by houses and isn't very big. But they did their best with the space provided.
In true Japanese style, the park is covered in a fine gravel which I'm sure is a joy to fall down in. The playground equipment is mostly metal (the slide was plastic, and so were the sides of the rockers). Since there isn't any shade to speak of near the play structure, I'd avoid the park in the afternoon of really hot days when it can burn the skin off a little one. Although I kind of grimace at the gravel and metal (and cement structures at some parks), millions of Japanese children play in these parks and are just fine. I've just watched American parks morph over the years to have soft grounds that don't give road rash and plastic equipment that gives a serious electric charge but doesn't burn the daylights out of any skin that touches it. There isn't a perfect play structure material that I've seen. Everything has positives and negatives. Frankly, kids don't care as long as they have the ability to play to their heart's desire and use their active imaginations.
My son loved pretending to be a monkey as he went up and down the slide and rocked in the banana rockers. It made me wish I had made a picnic with fresh bananas, trail mix featuring banana chips, and banana bread. We'll definitely have to do this next time!
I don't think we'll ever spend an entire afternoon at Banana Park since it is pretty small, but it is a fun place to go for a change of scenery.
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