Niigata Furusato Village

I've often thought that Niigata is a great place to live, with so many interesting places to see and things to do, but sometimes it's not easy to find out about these places and events.  Niigata Furusato Village brings all the information about the prefecture's history and culture to one place!

There are two buildings to explore, the first being the Bazaar Hall, where you can try all sorts of local Niigata delicacies (I recommend the sauce katsudon) and do some shopping for souvenirs like rice crackers, sake, or cutlery from Tsubame-Sanjo.

The second building is the Appeal Hall, which is a combination tourism center and history museum.  You can find posters and flyers here from all points of interest throughout Niigata prefecture.  If you take an elevator up to the top floor, there is a theater and a path that winds back down to the ground floor, taking you on historical tour of Niigata with photographs and hands-on exhibits.  There is one area where you can experience falling snow, which is a nice way to cool off in the summer.  Also, it's all free!

Attached to the Appeal Hall is a large playground, and right outside of that is a beautiful pond full of carp, which you can feed with a bag of pellets for 100 yen.  When the weather is nice, it's a perfect place to enjoy some Yasuda Dairy Farm ice cream.

If you want to make a day of it, I recommend the Shinanogawa Water Shuttle, which travels back and forth between Furusato Village and the Toki Messe building, with a few stops along the way.  The ride is scenic and very smooth, and the entire journey takes about 1 hour and costs 1000 yen each way (half price for small children).

Niigata Furusato Village (English website): http://furusatomura.pref.niigata.jp/eng/

Shinanogawa Water Shuttle website: http://www.watershuttle.co.jp/

Shirone Grape Garden

Japan has a lot of delicious fruit that can be eaten during its four seasons, and Shirone Grape Garden is a great place to find some of them.  There are separate areas for strawberries, kiwis, mikans, blueberries, grapes, cherries, peaches, and pears, and a few options for buying by weight or all-you-can-eat ("tabehodai" in Japanese).

In addition to the fruits, there is a large area for barbecuing plates of meat that can be purchased at the garden, and a gelato stand.  Finally, there are goats and rabbits in several areas for kids to pet and feed (lettuce and carrots are available for a small price).

The website does not have any English information, but there is useful chart that shows the annual timetable for each kind of fruit.

Shirone Grape Garden: http://www.kudamonogari.com/

Echigo Hillside Park

Echigo Hillside Park is one of my favorite parks to visit, especially on hot and humid days.  The park itself is massive and has lots to do, but what really makes it special for me is the water area.  One corner of the park is a large space with shallow (ankle-deep) water, fountains, bridges, and many other structures to play on.  It's the perfect place for kids (and adults) to cool off.

After having fun in the water, you can explore the rest of the park, which has many playgrounds with slides, zip-lines, trampolines, and climbing structures.  There is also a hill with sleds to slide down on, pedal-powered cars for rent, a large flower garden, and some hiking paths.  In the winter the park is beautifully decorated and illuminated for Christmas, and there are events all throughout the year, so it's always a good time to visit.

I was surprised when I found that you have to pay to enter the park (410 yen for adults, 80 yen for children, and you also pay to use the parking lot), but it's clear that the fee is used to keep the park spotless and perfectly maintained.

Echigo Hillside Park (English page): https://echigo-park.jp/en/

Yamanoshita Wave Pool

The Yamanoshita Wave Pool is a wonderful place to take younger children on a hot Niigata summer day.  The facility has three shallow pools that are kept cool and clean, and all are watched over by multiple lifeguards.  All younger children are provided with an orange swimming cap that they must wear so as to be easily visible to staff members.

One of the pools creates waves several times a day, which is a lot of fun for kids to ride on and splash in, so don't forget to bring a pool tube.  The price to enter the Yamanoshita Wave Pool is 200 yen for adults and 100 yen for children up to junior high school age.  The pool is open only in the summer time, from July 9 until September 4.

Website: https://niigata-kaikou.jp/facility/418/

Aquapark Niigata

Aquapark Niigata is a really nice swimming pool facility in the western ward of Niigata City.  There is a large pool in a ring shape with a current that's fun for just floating around in (Aquapark has flotation devices you can use, or you can bring your own), and a smaller area with a water slide for kids.

Also, there is an area with heated water (like an onsen or sento) for relaxing in.  In addition to the pools, there are sento-style bathing areas attached to the changing rooms, saunas, massage services, a restaurant, and lounges on both floors.  For 500 yen (250 yen for children over 3 years old), it's a great place to relax on a cold, wet Niigata day.

Aquapark Niigata website: http://www.aquapark-niigata.jp/

Toyano Traffic Park

Just a few minutes walk from the Niigata Science Museum is a great park that packs several fun things to do into a small space.

The main feature of the Toyano Traffic Park is the go-kart track, where you can drive a pretty speedy kart for 100 yen (150 yen if you are accompanying a child).  You can buy tickets for the karts from a machine on the bridge above the track, then just go down the stairs to where the karts are lined up.

After a trip around the course, there's a small park with swings and slides, as well as coin-operated cars for very young children.  If you follow the track under the overpass, you can see a few peacocks, and beyond that is an area where people practice horseback riding.

Finally, there is a decommissioned city bus and two fire engines where kids can sit and push all the buttons and switches.

Toyano Traffic Park website: http://kosya-niigatacity.jp/green/facility/49/

Kishimoto Clinic

Kids get sick.  A lot.  Going to the doctor's office can be a scary experience, especially if you're not fluent in Japanese.  As parents, we want to be able to talk to the doctor and understand exactly what's going on with our child.  Fortunately, Dr. Kishimoto at the Kishimoto Clinic speaks excellent English (and is very friendly too)!

Dr. Kishimoto is a family physician, so people of any age can see him.  In my own experience, I've found him to be very helpful, and, unlike many other Japanese doctors I have been to, he takes the time to listen to and answer all of my questions.