Why not get outside and exercise during your trip? Shinagawa has some great spots for you to get the heart racing. Here are three facilities that are perfect for visiting during your trip or holiday.
Oi Central Seaside Park in Yashio
The hockey stadium at Oi Central Seaside Park was one of the venues for the Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021. A reopening event was held on June 18, 2022, and this hotspot will host world competitions in the future. Why not take advantage of its facilities for yourself and your friends?
That’s right! Oi Central Seaside Park has not only a hockey field, but also a baseball diamond, open field, tennis court, a dog run (advance application required), a BBQ area along the beach (to be renewed after autumn 2022), as well as fishing and bird observation spots. This seaside park is a nature-lover’s paradise!
For those who want to enjoy nature at a more leisurely pace, the Oi Pier Seaside Park (Nagisa Forest) area is recommended. Yuki Kuramoto, in charge of park management, says that “there is a tidal flat conservation area that is open only on Saturdays and Sundays, so you can enjoy butterflies and wild birds that come to the waterside, which are rare in Tokyo.”
It’s also great to chill at the beach while watching the Tokyo Monorail come and go. Fishing is also possible in the area facing the canal of Nagisa no Mori, except for the tidal flat conservation area. Be sure to arrive early to pick out your fishing spot and reel them in. On sunny weekends, families can be seen playing along the rocky shore. The BBQ area is scheduled to be renewed after autumn 2022, so please look forward to that as well. In addition to enjoying sports, simply sitting beneath a tree’s shade or feeling the beach breeze makes this the perfect place for walking, cycling, picnics, and relaxing.
Kuramoto adds, “Of course, there are the latest facilities such as hockey grounds, but there are various environments such as fishing and BBQ, so I think that it is a place that both neighbors and visitors can enjoy. It is a seaside park that is hard to find in the city center. Please find your own favorite place.”
Oi Central Seaside Park (大井ふ頭中央海浜公園)
Address: 4-1-19 Yashio, Shinagawa
URL: https://seaside-park.jp/park_ooisports-en/
*Registration is required to use the sports facilities and dog runs. For more information, please contact Oi Sports Center.
SHINAGAWA CULTURE BASE
‘SHINAGAWA CULTURE BASE powered by Sposuru’ opened in Tennozu in April 2022. This sports complex provides a court where you can play futsal, tennis, and basketball, and a treatment center. The SHINAGAWA CULTURE BASE is run by the Shinagawa Culture Club, which has been running a professional soccer team and basketball team based in Shinagawa, since 2006.
“The school ground that the soccer team was practicing on became unusable, and around the summer of 2021, I discovered this land that wasn’t being used. This place can only be rented for a limited time until a building is built. Therefore, it opened in April 2022 as a relocation (reusable) sports facility,” said Yusuke Yoshida, the representative of the Shinagawa Culture Club.
The artificial turf can be rolled up and carried around, so it can be used in the next place without being thrown away. They aim to become a sports facility that will encourage reusability in the Shinagawa area.
Although it was erected only for a limited time, the facility itself is very good. It is used by local people as a spot where adults and children can easily enjoy sports. The facility can be used by online reservation. There are 3x3 courts for basketball, a variety of futsal courts, and tennis courts, all of which can be used from early in the morning.
There are many office workers in the neighborhood who stop by after work, and some companies even use it as a place for club activities and welfare programs. Local school children also used it to welcome former Japanese national soccer team players.
“People who sympathized with the concept helped me to open it, but I’m surprised that it’s used beyond my expectations. It’s become a model case for future land utilization and community contribution through sports,” says Mr. Yoshida.
Even more surprising is the annexed treatment center. It opened as part of the career support of trainers belonging to Shinagawa Culture Club. It’s nice to receive full-scale treatment from a trainer who cares for professional athletes. Stop by to refresh yourself during your trip.
SHINAGAWA CULTURE BASE powered by Sposuru
Address: 2-1-17 Higashi-Shinagawa, Shinagawa
Business hours / Regular holidays:
- Weekdays 10:00–22: 00,
- Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays 10:00-22:00 (Early morning available)
URL: https://base.shinagawa.cc/ (Ja only) and https://base.shinagawa.cc/home/shinagawabasechiryouin (Ja only)
*Please check the website for treatment clinic reservations
E-Park
Just a 5 minute walk from Meguro Station, you will find E-Park which opened in 2021.
Enjoy a wide range of activities such as skating, skateboarding, and even bouldering at the E-Park. The pure white synthetic skating rink is a visitor favorite and on weekends.
“Ice rinks emit a lot of carbon dioxide to maintain. To be environmentally friendly, we have adopted resin rinks that allow you to enjoy skating with the same quality as ice,” E-Park’s Mr. Soga said.
The admission fee is 1,000 yen per person (500 yen on weekdays) and reservations can be made in advance. Skate shoes and skateboards are rented for a fee on an hourly basis, and the staff will teach you how to play. Come enjoy the activities of E-Park even if you come empty-handed.
Many users are accompanied by parents and children, and some of them become so enamored when they experience skateboarding for the first time.
There are also some small games in the park. The fishing game is made from scrap wood from a nearby timber shop. Visiting children decorated the wooden tiles with their own hand drawn fish that must be “caught” for points.
In addition, there is a book share corner set up by neighbors and visitors. Enjoy leisurely reading time between sports. In the future, it will be developed as a place where you can contribute to the community, such as collecting and sharing recycled books in joint connection with the local library. Future plans include starting a shared kitchen in a kitchen on wheels.
“What I want to do most is to connect with local people through play. I want people to use the facilities, participate in events, and evolve the park from the connections they made with others. Also, considering sustainability, I want to operate the facility in a way that is kind to both the community and the earth,” says Soga.
Since opening in 2021, E-Park has become an indispensable landmark in the community. Various events are regularly planned, such as playing in the water on the skating rink, climbing trees, and free study time. Please check the latest information on SNS and make E-Park your next holiday stop.
E-Park
Address: 3-1-2 Nishigotanda, Shinagawa
Business hours / Regular holidays:
- 11: 00–19: 00 / Thursday
- (Open in rainy weather and temporary closures will be announced via Instagram Stories)
URL: https://www.ease-epark.com/ (Ja only)
If you want to experience and enjoy Tokyo to the fullest then make your way to Shinagawa to enjoy the outdoors — there’s something for everyone at any time of the year.
Why not get in touch with Tokyo’s nature, and move and nurture your body, mind, and spirit on your next trip!
*Please note that business hours and usage fees are subject to change.
