Need a place to escape to? Shinagawa Kumin Park offers a great respite from city life and a chance to enjoy the open spaces.
This is more of a "features" park in the sense that there's lots to do and see, but hardly any vast, open, grassy spaces that the word "park" usually suggests. At the center of the park is a very large, beautiful pond that is beautifully landscaped and decorated. There are neat-looking bridges over the top, fountains spurting out from the center, little streams leading off in different directions, and plenty of benches and tables spread out along the shore. A lot of thought was put into the planning here, as many of the tables and benches are not lined up in the open next to each other, but separated and tucked into quiet corners and hidden by trees to give you a sense of privacy.
On one end of the park is the Shinagawa Aquarium, a main attraction of the park. In addition to the aquarium itself, there are plenty of attractions around it, including the "Dolphin Restaurant," an eatery jutting out into the lake with huge, glass walls that looks like a beautiful place to eat.
Going in the opposite direction from the aquarium, there is a large BBQ area with many individual stone grills available for you to build a fire and cook up something good. There are plenty of BBQ spaces available (advanced reservation needed), and on a beautiful summer day there were still a few not in use. There are some picnic tables around the area as well, but most groups seemed to have brought their own chairs.
Further down is a large sports area, complete with baseball diamonds and tennis courts. There are a few basketball hoops set up, and there are also several fenced-off swimming pools, with a deeper pool for adults and a smaller, shallow, kid-friendly version.
Beyond and around these areas are plenty of trails cutting through the trees. It's not big enough for serious hiking, but there are some very pretty places to go for a walk around. As around the pond, the landscaping is beautiful, and there are some thoughtfully placed benches and gazebos to take a break in. This park is known for its plum and cherry blossoming trees, which are beautiful in the springtime.
The park is very child-friendly as well, with a number of playgrounds set up that were both fun and quaint - a lot more beautiful and interesting than the standard slide-and-swing-set.
The park is an 8-minute walk from Omori Kaigan Station (Keihin Keikyu Line), and a 15-minute walk from Omori Station (JR Keihin-Tohoku Line). Alternatively, at Oimachi Station (JR Keihin-Tohoku Line, Tokyu Oimachi Line, Rinkai Line) you can catch a free shuttle bus, courtesy of the Shinagawa Aquarium. You can find it at bus stop #6 outside the station's East Exit (but be careful - there's a different bus stop #6 on the opposite side of the station building).
