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/

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/

Kanga's Blueberry Farm

When summer starts heating up in Niigata, we know that it's time to go blueberry picking!  Kanga's Blueberry Farm is located in Tainai City, right along the coastline.

For 500 yen per adult (elementary school students are free!) you get a bucket and 40 minutes to wander among hundreds of blueberry bushes.

You can pick and eat as many as you like, and if you fill up the bucket you can pay 200 yen per 100 grams to take the blueberries home.

The staff are always very friendly, and there's a covered seating area with free barley tea where you can take a rest.  Parking is free, and when you see the giant Buddhist monk statue, you'll know you're in the right place.

Kanga's Blueberry Farm website (no English): http://www.niigata-blueberry.com/

Cafe Paradiso

Summer has definitely begun here in Niigata, so it's time to go to the beach and cool down!  Many of the beach areas in Niigata have restaurants, but most of them seem kind of dirty and don't offer much in the way of food selection and family atmosphere.  However, Cafe Paradiso is well maintained, kid-friendly, has great food, and is just steps away from the water.

Cafe Paradiso is located on Fujitsukahama beach, in Shibata City.  There's a lot of space for parking, and it's easy to find the restaurant with its colorful sign.  Inside there are tables and couches, as well as a cute kid-sized table with smaller chairs.  Outside there are long tables where you can eat in the shade of the raised deck areas.  These all have a view of the sea, and kids can run down to the water to play while you're waiting for your meal.

The menu is simple but the food is delicious.  All the pizzas are hand-made, and you can get a set with salad and a drink for a little extra.  There are also a number of pastas, curry-rice, and desserts that look pretty good.

Cafe Paradiso is a nice place to have a meal while visiting the beach.  The layout, atmosphere, and friendly staff all made me feel like I was back in Southern California, which is a big plus in my book!  They also offer rentals for paddleboards, banana boats, water hoverboards, and surfing lessons.

Cafe Paradiso map:

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/

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/

Niigata Racecourse

We recently stopped by the Niigata Racecourse in the northern part of the city to check out their facilities for kids.  I was pleasantly surprised to find quite a few things for families to enjoy.

On weekends you can enjoy the playground, go-karts, a small train, a bouncy castle, and pony rides.  These are available during different times throughout the day, but while we were there around noon we were able to take advantage of almost all of them.  There is also a horse-drawn carriage that the whole family can ride.  The best part is that all of these are completely free!

It's probably best to visit the racecourse with your kids when there are no races taking place, so as to avoid crowds and a lot of cigarette smoke.  On these days, there is plenty of parking (also free), and lots of space on the grass around the track itself.  It's a great place to have a picnic and watch the races in other parts of Japan being broadcast on the giant screen in the middle of the track.

Information and hours for the kids' activities: http://jra.jp/facilities/race/niigata/news/fureai.html

Location of the Niigata Racecourse: