2026 Omori Shell Mound Site Garden Mist Fountain: A Full Day Course

The Omori Shell Mound Site Garden (大森貝塚遺跡庭園) in Shinagawa Ward is a garden laid out around the Omori Shell Mound, a nationally designated historic site regarded as the birthplace of archaeology in Japan. In the central plaza stands the Omori Shell Mound Site Garden Mist Fountain (water play), which sends out mist twice an hour to wrap the plaza in white. Combined with a corridor designed to evoke geological strata, it is a one-of-a-kind setting where you can cool off while learning about the site. The ward's official page does not state the operating period; for 2026 it is assumed to run year-round from Thursday 1 January to Thursday 31 December, but check the operating status on the official Shinagawa Ward page before setting out. The ground gets wet and slippery once you are in the mist, so bringing a change of clothes is recommended. Admission is free. The venue is the Omori Shell Mound Site Garden in Shinagawa Ward, and right nearby is the Shinagawa Historical Museum (品川区立品川歴史館), which exhibits finds from the Omori Shell Mound. In the morning, follow the story of the excavation at the museum, then have a packed lunch on the lawn at Shinagawa Kumin Park. In the afternoon, meet the dolphins and seals at the Shinagawa Aquarium before closing the day in the mist at the Omori Shell Mound Site Garden Mist Fountain (water play). It is a course only Shinagawa could offer, where learning and play link up neatly.