The Water Play areas in Shinrin Park (Musashi Kyuryo National Government Park) reopened in 2022. 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 year, 2023, is still not back to normal, because before the pandemic they always opened the water play areas on the first day of Golden Week. However, this year, the smaller of the two water play areas will open in May. But the main large water play area won’t open until the end of June.
I am just happy they are opening, because the Mori No Oasis water play area in Shinrin Park is one of the better (non-swimming-pool) water play areas in Saitama. 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. 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.
Mori no Oasis Water Play area Shinrin Park
The Mori no Oasis Water Play area is the main water play area in Shinrin Park. It has been around, and loved, for a long time. We’ve been going since my oldest was a baby, thirteen years this summer! 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! And it has restrictions this year. The lower area is a wading stream and has no restrictions.
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.
Awaiting 2023 information, hereafter 2022 specific information
In 2022, they are restricting the number of people who can use the upper water play area of Mori no Oasis to 300 people per day. Thus, you need to get a ticket to use the upper area of Mori no Hiroba water play area. (The lower area, the wading river, has no restrictions). The ticket box is at the upper water play area. In addition, they are using a scheduled system. There are five time slots per day. You can only get a ticket for one time slot. All time slot tickets are given out from 9.30 am until the tickets run out. The time slots are:
- 9.40 am to 10.50 am
- 11.10 to 12.10 am
- 12.30 to 1.30 pm
- 1.50 to 2.50 pm
- 3.10 to 4.20 pm
As you can see, the first and last sessions are one hour and ten minutes long and the other sessions are one hour long.
Keiryu Hiroba Water Play area 2023
The Keiryu Hiroba Water play area is a wading river. It is a 270 meter long manmade wading river, so much simpler and smaller than the Mori no Hiroba. It is relatively new, it was completed around 2019. In 2023, it is open from May 20th. However, only the lower part is open. In 2022 it didn’t have the same restrictions as the Mori no Hiroba and there are no conditions to use in 2023 either. It is close to one of the main flower display areas, which usually grows coleus in summer. However, please note the Keiryu Hiroba Water Play area closes occasionally for cleaning purposes.
Water Play Shinrin Park hours
Usually the water play areas open during Golden Week (end of April / early May) and remain open until the first bank holiday in September. When they are open they can normally be used during regular park hours. However, the Keiryu Hiroba can only be used until 4.30 pm in 2023.
2023 dates: end of June for the main Mori no Oasis area. The Keiryu Hiroba water play area is open from Saturday May 20th to Sunday September 24th. However, it will close on June 8th, 29th, July 20th, August 3rd, 24th and September 14th for cleaning.
(Information for a normal year, does not apply in 2022 – Please note that during the open period there are days when only part of the Mori no Oasis will be open, due to cleaning. Generally it is on Tuesdays or Wednesdays during the paddling pool season that they close one part of the pools. They alternate between the upper and lower areas every second week.)
Shinrin Park Cost
In 2020 the prices changed and the park is now actually free in for children all the time, but the price for adults has increased to 450 yen from 410 yen. Previously they charged 80 yen for primary school and middle school aged children. High school children are charged at adult price. There is no additional charge to use the water play areas.
Musashi Kyuryo National Government Park Access
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.
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.
From Shinrin-koen Station on the Tobu Tojo Line
Directions from the official site:
Get off at Shinrin-koen Station on the Tobu Tojo Line, and there is a bus stop and taxi stand at the North Exit. It is approx. a 3 km (approx. 40 min.) walk to the Shinrin Park’s South Gate.
Bus: To Shinrin Park South Exit (Running on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays only), Get on the direct bus to Shinrin-koen,and get off at the last stop
To Kumagaya Sta. South Exit and To Rissho Daigaku, for South gate get off at Namerikawa Chugakko, and walk approx. 5 min. For West Gate, Get off at Shinrin-koen West Ent., and it is directly before you
From Kumagaya Station on the JR Takasaki Line
From the official site:
Get off at Kumagaya Station on the JR Takasaki Line, and there is a bus stop at the South Exit.
BUS: To Shinrin-koen Station, For West Gate: Get off at Shinrin-koen West Ent., and it is directly before you. For South Gate: Get off at Shinrin-koen South Ent.,
and it is directly before you
There is plenty of parking. It is charged by the day – 600 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 May 2022.
Last republish 220704, last update May 2023.
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.