A while ago, I asked my Hike it Baby friends for recommendations of "ninja parks" or, as they are called in Japan, athletic parks. Unfortunately, all of them that were shared with me are located over an hour and a half away. So, if we want to go, we have to calculate at least 3 hours of train travel into our excursion.
After a bit of a calculation, we decided to head over to Heiwa no Mori in Ota Ward for a fun-filled family day. With the promise of a challenge, we headed out to find adventure. Three trains and a 7 minute walk later, we arrived at the gates of the park.
This was the first athletic park we've had to pay for. At ¥360 per adult and only ¥100 per child (totally ¥820/$7.60 for my whole family), we felt the fees were not too high. Personally, I'm happy to pay these fees to support the upkeep of these parks. They are so amazing and beneficial for children.
After giving the ticket to the man at the gate, my son immediately began the 40 obstacle course.
While traversing a long balancing log, he fell off a couple times. He was frustrated, but restarted the beam again and again until he didn't fall off. At one point, he grumbled to me "I can do hard things!"
The place was a bit crowded. My son had to wait at several of the obstacles for his turn to balance, mount, and conquer. We weren't surprised since it was the weekend.
I wasn't prepared for the water obstacles, so my son reluctantly obliged our request for him to skip those. After all, if he fell in and got all wet, he would be the one sitting in wet clothes all afternoon!
As he challenged himself again and again, he continued to conquer all of the challenges put in front of him.
I am continually impressed by these parks. The wooden structures are a bit daunting for me as an adult, but thrill my son to no end. He is endlessly proud of each accomplishment, ready for the next. As he learns confidence in himself, he also feels my pride in him.
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