On Saturday we went to a new park found with the secret society of Kobayashi Tenjin Mothers. Their network of informants throughout the area and communications are second to none. All linked via their cell phone network each exchanges information regarding parks, teachers at the kindergarten, and family activities.
Following Ballet practice Hiroko had sent an e-mail to a couple of the mothers from the class and told them we were headed to a new park they had discovered. Sakatagaike Park is located in between our place in Inzai and Narita (Where the airport is). Once we were there Anna's classmates also showed up one by one with their little brothers in tow.
The Park has a great looking suspension bridge that spans a small valley below where you can spread your picnic blanket and have lunch. There is also a real long slide that begins at one end of the bridge and slides the kids down 100 meters of track. Most of the kids bring a box they can use to sit on for more speed since the slide is made of rollers that vibrate your brain at a steady 17.8 MHz (Just below the threshold for brain damage... I think) without something to sit on.
Also, towards the back there is a large area for big BBQ parties with multiple grills that you can reserve in advance. Then behind that they have space for your tent to camp over night. The park was just beautiful. The surrounding neighborhood has some great looking and very large traditional Japanese homes that look to have been passed down many generations. All of them nestled in rolling hills of pines and bamboo forests. We will be going back for sure.
