Nanakita Park

 I crossed the road and entered the park. One of the first things I could see was this artificial hill with a gazebo. I have not been up to the gazebo for a long time but there are stone benches under the roof that offer a good view of the park and some of the surrounding area. The benches are often occupied by high school couples who are looking for privacy without actually being alone.

 Before the earthquakes this path was flat. Now, it is rippled with many new cracks.

 This is the children's section of the park. It is quite large and varied with many above and below ground structures. The below ground portion is a series of trenches that are interconnected by tunnels.

 A couple of boys playing on the largest structure.

 The toilets in the park, and this is common of many parks, are constructed so that there is a clear view of the urinals from outside. When I first came to Japan it was common to see men peeing into sewers and drainage ditches, but happily this has pretty much disappeared. The remnants of this are still seen in toilets like this. It is quite funny in a way because most young Japanese men are very shy and they practically climb into the urinal to avoid being seen.

Here are some more of the structures for children. The beginning of the trenches and tunnel system is at the right.