Gallery - Mizumoto Park, Tokyo

About Japan's Public Parks One of the things that amazes me about Japan is the fact that they have so many places to go for recreation during long holidays. One of those places are public parks where you can find no matter where you go in Japan. Going to parks is something people like to do here in Japan whether during holidays or just on their days off. First and foremost, most parks in Japan are free so you don’t have to worry about any fees. You just have to bring food and drinks with you and make sure to dispose of your trash properly. Second, many here in Japan are huge so you have a lot of things to do while inside the park. You can go jogging, bird watching, enjoy hiking trails, or just sit and relax on the benches, among many more activities to enjoy. Third, you can have plenty of time to recharge from all that hustle and bustle of the city and reconnect with nature. Of course you probably have your own list of reasons why visiting parks in Japan is a must-do during the holidays. Mizumoto Park in Katsushika, Tokyo The recent Golden Week holiday was my first time to come Mizumoto Park in Tokyo's Katsushika City and I was just amazed by how massive it is. I came here with my sister and brother-in-law on a not-so-busy day I guess. It was on the last day of the Golden Week holiday period that we decided to come to this park and spend my entire afternoon surrounded nature. We arrived at around 01:00 pm and it was a good decision to stop by the nearest convenience store to grab something to eat and drink before heading to the park. I had three slices of bread and a cup of coffee which I bought for my lunch/afternoon snack. I don’t eat that much until dinner so this was enough for my afternoon stroll at the park. At around 2:00 pm we got hungry and decided to find a spot where we could eat our snack. After passing by the lake I saw these picnic tables under the majestic sequoia trees and asked them if we could stay there! The place was perfect for picnic! We stayed there for about an hour before they made a decision to take the park's forest trail. I was really hesitant because I thought there would be a lot of bugs or small creatures in the trail, and to add to that I really don’t like the creepy sounds you hear from the tree branches brushing against each other or the sound of some creatures behind the bushes. It could be bugs or any weird-looking amphibians or maybe even reptiles! Anyway we took the forest trail and nothing out of the ordinary showed up. So I guess it was just all in my mind. It was 5:00 pm when we decided to pack up and head home. We took a different way out so we could explore the area a little more and surprisingly, it took us about 30 minutes to exit the park. There’s just so much more to see and we couldn't help but take our time walking and appreciating the park’s beauty. I will definitely be back and try new things around Mizumoto Park next time. I think, going there at an earlier time would be perfect. Mizumoto Park could be a perfect place to recharge from a busy week of work. Again, forget all your worries, your negative thoughts, and all your problems when you’re in the park, just seize the moment. I would also bring more food and drinks for sure!