Just playing around

Japanese playgrounds are awesome!! There are very few safety regulations on playground equipment in Japan compared with the US. This makes for some great parks.  I was lucky enough to visit one on the side of a mountain this past week. Thanks to Jessica and Jesse for showing me the ropes (quite literally).

This particular park start at the top of a small mountain with a gorgeous viewing area.

As you move down the mountain there are alcoves of play equipment connected by either stairs a rope net or my personal favorite a slide.

From the Top

Looking back up.. yes is it about 15 ft off the ground

Some structures were modest and similar to what you would see in the states. A slide attached to a platform structure. And some of them were almost artistically designed.

Each play area seemed to have a theme, though I’m not entirely sure what they are.

Yup totem poles

Wooden play structure 8-10 feet off the ground

There was a 50 foot zip line,  a few massive rope structures, and dinosaurs.

But my favorite part was the slides at the end. They started at a platform about 5 feet off the ground and continued on for hundreds of feet. One even completed a full corkscrew turn. The slides weren't just any slide though, they were metal rollers, like those found on a converyorbelt. You could get considerable speed, assuming the vibration of the rollers didn't make you butt fall off first.

After our playground fun we made our way to a little alcove beach and watched the waves, reveling in the beauty that is Japan.