Asamin (park playground equipment enthusiast)
A writer living in Nagoya. Wanting to find interesting things hidden in the city, she focuses on the originality of playground equipment in parks. She travels around the country searching for adorable playground equipment that can only be found there.
Searching for elephants in the concrete jungle
While there are many mass-produced playground equipment that is designed with safety, security, and durability in mind, it's the occasional unique piece that keeps me coming back to parks. What shape is the motif for playground equipment? The most common shape I saw while traveling around the country was the elephant-shaped slide.
However, I discovered some in Tokyo that looked far different from the elephant slides I imagined. They were all elephant slides, but the ideas were so outlandish that they were captivating. What's more, they were surprising not only for their design but also for their functionality. The fact that they were one of a kind made them even more lovable.
Asukayama Park
At Asukayama Park, you can encounter slides that are so far removed from the typical image that you might wonder if the elephant slide you ordered is really the right one. It is definitely an elephant slide, but you won't find anywhere else a slide that is completely undeformed and realistic, with an elephant carrying it on its back.
Address: 1-1-3 Oji, Kita-ku | map
Akagi Children's Park
In a hidden space in a densely populated residential area of Kagurazaka, there is a gigantic elephant slide that makes effective use of the city's narrow land and elevation difference. The playground equipment is made by connecting two elephants trunk to trunk, one above the other, and is designed so that you can climb not only on the slide but also on their ears. It is a beautiful design that is like a work of art, but without any unnecessary features.
Address: 21-21 Akagi Shitamachi, Shinjuku-ku | map
Machiya 3-chome Children's Park
At Machiya 3-chome Children's Park, there is an elephant slide that overturns the usual preconceived notion that "when you think of an elephant slide, the sloped part is supposed to be its trunk." The slide has the elephant's trunk intact, but the back of its head has been transformed into a large slope, which might make you want to point out, "What's the point of it being an elephant?"
Address: 3-27-6 Machiya, Arakawa-ku | map
