The Water Play areas in Shinrin Park (Musashi Kyuryo National Government Park) always opened on the first day of Golden Week, before the pandemic. However, since the pandemic only one opens for the full length of Golden Week. The other, the main one, starts the second half of Golden Week. The smaller of the two water play areas, a wading river, opens the last weekend of April. In addition, the main large water play area opens early May.
Shinrin Park Water Play areas
There are two separate places you can play with water in Shinrin Park, both near the West Gate where most of the children’s facilities are. The “Mori no Oasis” is the main – large – one. It is one of the better (non-swimming-pool) water play areas in Saitama. (Check out this cool one in Shiki too). Then there is the “Keiryu Hiroba”, which is a wading river. That is relatively new, opening for business – so to speak – just before the pandemic. It is actually closest to the Central gate, but considered part of the West Gate area.
① Mori no Oasis Water Play area Shinrin Park
The Mori no Oasis Water Play area is the main water play area in Shinrin Park. The photos in the featured photo collage at the top were all taken at this water play area. There are a few more below. It has been around, and loved, for a long time. It is a 2500 meter squared paddling and splash pool with mist, fountains and other water play features. The water depth ranges from 5 to 30cm. There is an “upper” area and a lower area. The upper area has the cool stuff! The lower area is a wading stream.
There are lockers and changing rooms beside the Mori no Oasis water play area. Nappies (diapers) are allowed, but they have to be the regular type – the special water nappies are not allowed. There is a tuck shop beside the wading pools, that sells ice cream and kaki-kori.
Information
Opens in early May to late September annually. It is closed on Tuesdays at least twice a month. When it is open, you can use the water play area between the hours of 9.30 am and 4.30 pm (last entry to the park is at 4 pm).
② Keiryu Hiroba Water Play area
The Keiryu Hiroba Water play area is a wading river. The manmade wading river is 270 meters long, so much simpler and smaller than the Mori no Hiroba. It is relatively new, it was completed around 2019. It is close to one of the main flower display areas, which usually grows coleus in summer. Moreover, hydrangea bloom in the area from around mid June. However, please note the Keiryu Hiroba Water Play area closes occasionally for cleaning purposes.
Information
Date: From the last Saturday in April to the last Sunday of September 28th. Closed on one or two Thursdays a month for cleaning.
Time: 9.30 am to 4.30 pm
Official event page.
General Information
The official name of the park is Musashi Kyuryo National Government Park, but it is just called Shinrin Park for short. Thus the train station is also called Shinrin Koen (Koen is the Japanese for park) station.
Cost: 450 entrance fee to the park, free in for children. No additional cost for the water play.
Address: 1920 Yamata, Namegawa, Hiki District, Saitama 355-0802.
Plus code: 39PC+3P Namegawa, Saitama. On Google Maps.
The nearest train station is Shinrin Koen Station on the Tobu Tojo line. You can get a bus to the park from there. There is also a bus that goes from Kumagaya Station on the Takasaki Line. Take the bus bound for Shinrinkoen station and alight at the Shinrin Koen West gate.
There is plenty of parking. It is charged by the day – 700 yen flat rate. At the central gate there is additional independent parking lots. They are cheaper than the park’s parking lots. However, they are normally only open on weekends and public holidays. And some of them are quite a distance from the gate. Bear in mind that this particular gate is also quite far from the nearest play area.
Check out these 10 water play areas already open since Golden Week.
Editor’s note. Last republish 220704, last update May 2026. The post was temporarily off the site during the pandemic. It was republished in 2022 as the water play area reopened then. However, they only decided in early July 2022 to reopen them from the end of July and only for five weeks. Moreover, there was a lot of conditions to using them.
This is a great splash park. My family went here two years ago and my son still talks about wanting to go back. So many nice things to see in shinrenkoen.
I agree. Its one of our favorites for small children. The new wading river is also really nice.