2026 Full-Day Course at the Water Play Channel of Nakaura Himesayuri Forest Park

The Water Play Channel at Nakaura Himesayuri Forest Park in the Shitada district of Sanjo City is a free water-play spot where you can play in a channel built to resemble ponds and small streams. The city of Sanjo describes it officially as a place where, besides playing in the water, you can go in and catch insects, and being able to come for both the water and the wildlife is what makes this place special. The water-play opening period has not been announced; the park itself operates from late April to early December and is closed every Thursday. It opens when a Thursday falls on a public holiday, so check the day of the week before you plan your trip. The grounds have an adventure playground, a fishing pond, five bungalows and auto-camping sites, outdoor cooking facilities, an open-air stage and a 3 km walking trail, offering plenty of ways to spend the day besides water play. Use of the channel is free, while some facilities such as camping and the fishing pond are charged. In the morning, look up at the rock face of Yagigahana, a scenic landmark of Shitada, and feel the power of this land's terrain, then visit the Morohashi Tetsuji Memorial Museum (諸橋轍次記念館) to learn about the scholar's life and his work on the Dai Kan-Wa Jiten (大漢和辞典). In the afternoon, enter the forest park and play until evening in the tree-lined channel. It is a course that fills a quiet day in the mountains with water and learning.