Yuzawa Nakazato Forest Adventure

Yuzawa is famous throughout Japan for winter sports, but even in the off-season there are fun things to do there!

At Yuzawa Nakazato Forest Adventure you can climb wooden and rope bridges high up in the trees before zip-lining back down to the ground.  Everyone wears a harness with a belay system, so you're safe at all times, and the staff give a comprehensive explanation of how everything works.  At the start of the course there's also a practice area where you can get comfortable with how to move from tree to tree.

Forest Adventure has a beginner course (Canopy Course), which is for anyone over 110cm, and an advanced course (Adventure Course), which requires children to be at least in the 4th grade and over 140cm.  We tried the Canopy Course, which has 4 different routes, and spent about an hour and a half there.  We had a great time, and though at first it is a little scary to be up so high above the ground, the harness makes you feel so safe that you'll quickly stop worrying and just have fun!  The website below (no English) has additional photos and few video clips.

The Forest Adventure operates from the end of April until early November.  Reservations are required in advance (phone number is on the homepage).  The price for the Canopy Course (kids and adults) is 2,800 yen.

Yuzawa Nakazato Forest Adventure homepage: https://www.yuzawa-nakazato.com/summer/forest-adventure/

Lotte Arai Resort Playground

The Lotte Arai Ski Resort, in Myoko City, is well known for its slopes in the winter, but there is also a great time to be had in the off-season!  Renovated in 2017, the hotel has a brand new facility with climbing walls and a large trampoline area.  We spent about 2 hours there, which was more than enough time to try the 4 different play areas.

There is a large bouldering wall with beginner and advanced routes, and a "wonder wall" that uses projection mapping for a handful of games.

We played one game that has you climb around the wall touching colored circles to make fireworks.

The "fun wall" area has 8 themed walls with a harness system so it's easy and safe for young kids (4 years and older) to descend from the top.

Finally, there's a big space full of trampolines to bounce around and try some of the special jumps that are posted on the walls.  The entire resort is beautiful, clean, and the staff are very friendly.  In addition, many of them speak English, and all signage in the area is in multiple languages.  Outside of the hotel there is also a zip-line, a tubing area, and an athletic play area up in the trees.  We didn't have a chance to try those, but I'm sure we'll be back again soon to check them out!

Here's a photo of their pricing information, which can also be found on their website below.

Lotte Arai Resort (in English): https://www.lottehotel.com/arai-resort/en/activities/playground.html

Stand up paddle boarding in Kashiwazaki

At Arahama Beach in Kashiwazaki City, you can find "Go Surf Daigo", where you can try stand up paddle boarding.  Stand up paddle boarding is a bit like surfing, but it's much easier and slower paced.  You can sit, kneel, or stand on the wide board, and row with a paddle.

For 4000 yen per person, you get a board, a paddle, a lifejacket, and 2 hours to use them.  The first hour is a lesson, during which Daigo (I think that's his name) will accompany you into the water and show you everything you need to know.  He was really friendly, and he took many photos for us with his waterproof camera, which he sent to me at the end of the lesson.  It's really relaxing and my son had a lot of fun!

Go Surf Daigo Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/DAIGOSURF/

Waku Waku Hills

Waku Waku Hills is an amazing indoor play-space for kids up to 13 years of age.  Located in Agano City, it's part of a new collection of buildings that includes a kindergarten and an elder care facility.

Waku Waku Hills opens for 90 minutes at a time, during which kids can play in the giant ball pit, run and jump on a massive inflatable trampoline, climb on the climbing wall, and enjoy a number of other areas.  After the 90 minutes, the building is closed while they set up for the next group of kids.  On weekdays there are 3 sessions a day, 10:00 to 11:30, 1:00 to 2:30, and 3:00 to 4:30, and on weekends there are 4 sessions, 9:00 to 10:30, 11:00 to 12:30, 1:00 to 2:30, and 3:00 to 4:30.

The first time you visit, it costs 200 yen per child for the membership fee, and 300 yen to play for 90 minutes.  After that it is always 300 yen, and adults are free.  There is a small area for babies to play in, and adults are welcome to join their children in the ball pit and on the climbing wall and trampoline.

When we visited, my son loved using the foam blocks to build his own "Super Mario" level on the trampoline, and my wife and I had a great time jumping in the ball pit.  This is one playground where I can say that adults will have as much fun as their kids!

Waku Waku Hills website (no English): http://www.fukushi-kagayaki.jp/hills#a1

Camp4

I wrote in a recent post about Hut Wall, a bouldering gym that I and my son have been going to.  It's a great facility, but it's also a little far if you are coming from Niigata City.  Yesterday we checked out another climbing gym that might be more convenient for those of you who live south of Shibata and Murakami.

Camp4 is a really large and impressive gym located in Higashi-ku, close to Toki Messe and the Sado Ferry Terminal.  This gym features both bouldering (climbing without ropes) and top rope climbing (climbing with ropes).  There are many bouldering walls with a lot of interesting rock shapes and paths, and though Camp4 seems to get pretty busy at times, it's a large enough space that it doesn't feel crowded.

For first-time climbers the price is 1900 yen for adults and 1100 yen for young children, along with shoe rental for 200 yen, and you will have a lesson about how to climb and stay safe.  After the initial time, it's 1400 yen per day for adults and 600 yen for children.  Shoe rental is a flat fee of 200 yen.  Camp4's operating hours are 2pm to 11pm on weekdays and 11am to 8pm on weekends.

Camp4's website (no English): http://www.camp4-climbing.jp/index.html

Hut Wall

I was recently introduced to bouldering by a colleague of mine, and found it to be a really fun, non-competitive way to get some exercise, especially for someone like me who isn't super into sports.  Two weeks ago I took my five year old son, and he loved it!

Bouldering is a type of rock-climbing that uses walls that are only a couple of meters high, covered with colorful "rocks" that you use for hand and foot-holds.  There are no ropes involved, but the floor is covered by a soft mattress so you can't get hurt by falling.  All of the man-made rocks are labeled with colored tape, which indicate the level of difficulty for the climb to the top.

The place we go to is a new facility called Hut Wall, located in Tainai City.  It costs 1000 yen for the member's card and first time, which also includes rental of climbing shoes.  Subsequent visits are 1200 yen per day for adults, and 600 yen for children of elementary school age and younger.  Shoe rental is 300 yen.

The owner of Hut Wall is very nice and helpful, and will give a short lesson and explanation of the rules.  It's a great activity for kids, especially those who love to climb all over the furniture at home, and can be enjoyed in any weather!

Hut Wall website (no English): http://hutwall.com/

Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - 2:00pm to 10:00pm
Wednesday - 6:00pm to 12:00am
Saturday - 10:00am to 10:00pm
Sunday - 10:00am to 8:00pm

(on the map Hut Wall is listed as 坂上こんにゃく店)