2026 Kaminotomatsuri Happoya Children's Park (上戸祭八方谷児童公園) Water Play Area Full-Day Course

This is a one-day course centered on the Kaminotomatsuri Happoya Children's Park Water Play Area (上戸祭八方谷児童公園 水流施設) in Kaminotomatsuri, Utsunomiya, combined with a quiet shrine and a forest art museum. According to the City of Utsunomiya, in 2026 the water runs from 10:00 to 16:00 during the season from Saturday, July 18 to Sunday, August 30. Admission is free, and besides the water play area the park also has a slide, swings, a horizontal bar, and a sandbox, the range of play options is what makes this park good. It's scheduled to be closed on July 30 and August 27 for regular cleaning, so plan around those dates. Since you can't go into the water barefoot, be sure to bring sandals or other footwear. The morning starts at Tochigi Gokoku Shrine (栃木県護国神社), walking through the quiet grounds surrounded by trees. Next, move to the Utsunomiya Museum of Art (宇都宮美術館) in Utsunomiya no Mori (うつのみや文化の森), taking your time to view the works in the cool museum. For lunch, spread out a picnic on the lawn of the Forest of Culture where the museum stands, and rest in the shade. In the afternoon, move to Kaminotomatsuri Happoya Children's Park (上戸祭八方谷児童公園) and splash around in the water play area until evening. It's a low-effort summer outing that stays entirely in the northwest part of the city.