Named “Sole”, as in the Italian for sun, this community play center in Higashimatsuyama is particularly nice. In Japanese, these type of children’s community center are called either a Jidokan 児童館 or a Jido Center 児童センター. In Higashimatsuyama, they refer to them as Jidokan. More often than the children play center are free, but this one in Higashimatsuyama has a nominal entry charge for adults. Personally, for what you get, I feel it is certainly worth the money.
Higashimatsuyama Play Center “Sole”
This is one of the few Higashimatsuyama municipal jidokan (children’s centre) you have to pay into. In fact, its the only one with an entry charge that I know of in the Hiki area (Hiki district + Higashimatsuyama + Higashichibu) of Saitama Prefecture. Children are free essentially, but they charge for adults. It is 200 yen for an adult who does not reside in Higashimatsuyama, and 100 yen for those who do. You can pay for a block of 6 months for 1000 yen for a resident, 2000 yen for those from outside the city.
You need to make a member’s card the first time you visit and bring it with you each subsequent time. The centre is mainly geared to preschoolers and unlike other jidokan, primary school children are not allowed enter and play without supervision.
Koala Room
They have a “koala” room, that only children up to 1 year old can use. The room has an area for changing nappies, making and storing bottles, nursing, some larger equipment for mobile babies and lots of toys. You need to put the toys away after each use.
Other rooms / areas
The “kangaroo” room has paper craft, colouring and play dough. The “kuma” area has some books and tables, and a small padded area for babies. Part of the floor is glass so you can see the tunnel underneath that children love to play in. There is a sink there too for making bottles.
The main hall has slides, wooden play houses, soft blocks, a piano and an area off it with loads and loads of wooden toys. There is a rest room and a room for eating in, “Kirin” 1 and 2. They have separate toilets for babies, children and adults.
The whole center is wooden, with high ceilings and lots of light. The majority of toys in the main hall and in the koala room are wooden. They are educational toys. They hold special events each month, usually you don’t have to pay extra for them. One of the best we saw was a father and son juggling show, which was high on audience participation. Their birthday parties for kids who had a birthday in a given month are fun and make children feel special. The staff are nice enough, but they are quite strict and not overly friendly.
SOLE HIGASHIMATSUYAMA INFORMATION AND ACCESS
Hours: Friday to Wednesday (closed Thursdays) 9.30 am to 4.30 pm
Costs: Outlined in the first paragraph
Phone: 0493-23-2231
Access:
The ‘jidokan’ is approximately a 13 minute walk from Tobu Tojo Line Higashimatsuyama Station.
By car it is approximately 2 minute drive from main route 407. Parking is free. The parking lot is shared with the community center “Higashimatsuyama Activity Center” next door. The entrance is a bit tricky to find. It is a laneway between the community center and a yakiniku restaurant. You then walk down a laneway to come in the back of the center. Please see the Google My Map below. The red line is the parking entrance, the grey line is the walking route from the parking lot to the center’s entrance.
10 Other things to do in Higashimatsuyama
A choice of 10 other things to enjoy in Higashimatsuyama. If you use the “Higashimatsuyama” tag you can find dozens more!
If you are visiting Sole in winter:
- Saitama Children’s Zoo 2020 | HIGASHIMATSUYAMA
- Botanen Playground | HIGASHIMATSUYAMA
- Family Friendly Peony Walk | HIGASHIMATSUYAMA
- Yakyu Inari Shrine, the Baseball Shrine| Higashimatsuyama
- Higashimatsuyama Agriculture Park and Heuvel Cafe
- Peace Museum of Saitama 2020 | HIGASHIMATSUYAMA
- Azalea Monomiyama Park
- Kitchen Cafe Cranbon | HIGASHIMATSUYAMA
And #10…