Located right by Meiji Jingu Gaien in central Tokyo's Minato Ward, Niko Niko Park is one of those gems of a place to bring your younger kids and give them free licence to run, jump, slide and play.

A haven for little jungle gym enthusiasts, the park is fully enclosed and features a lot of artificial turf. Safety is not an issue here with the kids free to run around until their hearts are content or until their bodies have had enough.

The choice of equipment here, too, is simply fantastic. Jungle towers, wooden slides, rope climbing hills, quasi-obstacle courses, mini-roller coasters, trampolines, sand pits and even rubber riding horses, yes, Niko Niko Park actually does have it all. Even with all of this equipment, there is a lot of space to be had here so it never feels crowded, at least on weekdays. There is also a substantially large area with many shaded tables and chairs where families (or parents relaxing while the kids play) can enjoy some lunch.

It is recommended, though, to bring your own as the vending machines at the time of our visit to the park didn't offer much in the way of proper fare.

Niko Niko Park is open from 10am until 5pm between March and October, and until 430pm between November and February. Admission is extremely reasonable with junior high-school students and adults only paying an easy JPY300, with kids from two years of age paying only JPY100. If you happen to be under two years of age, you get in free.

Getting there

Take the JR Chuo-Sobu Line to Shinanomachi Station for a 5-minute walk. Or, if you are riding the subway lines, take the Ginza, Hanzomon or Toei Oedo Lines to Aoyama-Itchome Station and head out of Exit 2 for a 10-minute walk.
 
 
By Sleiman Azizi