2026 Orange Park Funahashi: You Cannot Play Alone Water Play Area - Full Day Course

A full day course built around the You Cannot Play Alone Water Play Area at Orange Park Funahashi, which sits inside Kyotsubogawa Riverside Park (京坪川河川公園) in Funahashi Village (舟橋村), known as the smallest village in Japan. Just as the name says, nobody can play unless someone draws water up with the hand pump, and the water that is pumped flows down into the splash pond and the mud slope. As children swap between the job of pumping and the job of catching the water, kids who have only just met naturally begin to cooperate - and that is what makes this place so interesting. It was created together with a child of the village (the Children's Park Director) and funded by crowdfunding, so it is a playground that gives shape to the wishes of local residents. The opening period has not been announced, and although the park itself is open all day there is no official statement about when water runs at the play area, so checking in advance is recommended. Admission is free. The park also has a large combination playset, the Secret Base (秘密基地) with bouldering and a slide, and a lawn area. Spend the morning reading quietly at Funahashi Village Library (舟橋村立図書館), which is part of the station, have a bento lunch on the lawn, then spend the afternoon pumping water and playing until everyone is covered in mud.