About Izumigaoka Community Center Children’s Hall

Hello there! It’s Kurubushi from the SaruKuma writing team ☆彡

Today I’m introducing a fantastic spot in Kikutomi, Koshi City:

Izumigaoka Community Center Children’s Hall.

You’ll find it tucked behind Koshi City Izumigaoka Gymnasium, just off the Kumamoto–Ozu Route.

Because it’s attached to a community center used by many local residents,

some of you may have spotted the building before but never realized there’s a children’s hall inside!

Step inside and you’ll see the reception desk first.

It’s split into two sections: one for elementary-age kids and up, and one for infants and toddlers.

Since I came with my little ones, I used this side.

You fill in the child’s name, daycare/preschool, school grade, and age,

plus the parent’s name, town/city, and phone number.

You just complete this short form on every visit — no annual registration required, which is super easy.

Right by the entrance, you’ll find the restroom.

It’s a unisex restroom that also includes a diaper-changing space.

Inside there’s a urinal, a private stall, and a kid-sized stall.

Sinks too.

And a comfy diaper-changing pad.

This nursing room was newly added last September.

The L-shaped sofa is genuinely brilliant — perfect for setting your bag down or sitting next to an older sibling while you nurse the little one!

I was also impressed they included an electrical outlet — such a thoughtful touch!As a rule, eating is not allowed inside (to prevent allergic reactions).

For drinks, please bring water or tea only.

Why You’ll Love Izumigaoka Community Center Children’s Hall

The hall isn’t huge, but…

the variety of toys here is absolutely incredible!

They even have a giant elephant slide indoors!

My kids adore this slide so much they constantly beg, “Can we go to the elephant-slide children’s hall?!”

Everyone’s favorite — a playhouse!

And huge ride-on carts too!

Because there are so many different ones available,

my kids — who normally squabble over a single toy — each found their own favorite cart and rode them happily side by side ^^

My son (BOSS) was super focused on parking his Thomas perfectly straight after his ride.

He’s quite meticulous, that one.

His big sister, on the other hand? Diagonal parking all the way.

Goes to show — personality and parenting don’t always line up!

And of course, plenty of toys for babies too.

From building blocks to pretend-play food and wooden stacking blocks — the variety is fantastic.

And an impressive play kitchen — perfect for hours of pretend cooking!

Life-sized blocks big enough to build your own little fort.

Plus active toys like hula hoops to get the kids moving!

Now, here’s a highlight! A car and train corner for slightly older kids.

That famous mini-car multi-level parking garage, and yes — those iconic blue train tracks everyone knows and loves!

There are tons of them.

Those tracks take up so much space at home that even when kids beg for them, parents often hesitate to buy them.

They look like so much fun, though…

And whoa — there’s a mountain of them here!!!

Connect-as-many-as-you-want territory!

I’m pretty sure this is the largest collection of train tracks I’ve ever seen at any children’s hall (based on my own experience, which honestly isn’t the most reliable benchmark).

Loanable toys are also available, separated into sections for elementary kids and up versus toddlers.

Izumigaoka Community Center Children’s Hall also has a central courtyard, so they lend out outdoor toys too — pogo sticks, stilts, and jump ropes!

Here’s the courtyard.

You can apparently use this space without checking in at the reception desk!

When I peeked in around dusk, neighborhood elementary kids were having a blast playing here!

Honestly, there are so many toys I’m starting to run out of breath… (huff puff)

But I’m on a mission to share every wonderful detail of Izumigaoka Community Center Children’s Hall with you all!!!

I think I’ve already shown you more toys than anyone could play with in a single day,

but believe it or not, there are also coloring sheets!

Each child can color up to two pages ♪

You can’t take blank sheets home to color later, so be sure to enjoy them right at the hall and bring your finished masterpiece home!

Just ask the staff at reception to borrow some colored pencils.

My daughter colors a sheet every single time we visit ^^

Of course, this is here too!!

I told the staff, “I LOVE this system!!” with way too much excitement and clearly threw them off for a moment…

But once I explained why, they totally got it.

They told me, “We started doing this after seeing parents desperately wiping down toys after their kids played with them.”

“It also helps us tell at a glance which toys have been used and which haven’t — it’s a win-win!” they said with such kind smiles. Honestly, I felt like I was talking to actual goddesses.

And check this out — a baby play mat!!

I’ve never seen this before! Knowing you can borrow a mat like this makes it so much easier for parents with sleeping infants to drop in!

You bring fewer items, you don’t have to hold the baby the entire time,

and you can give your older child the attention they deserve too ^^

And get this — there’s even an electric organ (Electone) you can play!

I have zero musical talent so I didn’t dare touch it, but if you secretly know how to play, this is your chance

to score some serious admiration from your kids!

There’s a library room too ^^

You can sit on the tatami mats or use the table — both options make it lovely and relaxing!

They also regularly host “Challenge Classes” — fun workshops that elementary-age kids and older can attend on their own. They look really exciting!

Koshi City residents get priority, but if there are open spots, kids from other cities can join too — definitely worth checking out!

And here’s another huge plus — this children’s hall

is open on weekends, too!!!

To prevent overcrowding, the schedule is generally split:

Mornings → toddlers and preschoolers

Afternoons → elementary, junior high, and high school kids

That said, when it’s not crowded, this rule can be flexible, so it’s worth giving them a quick call to ask ♪

Most updates and details are shared in the children’s hall newsletter (“Jidoukan Dayori”)!

You can find it on the Izumigaoka Community Center Children’s Hall website,

or — and this is for Koshi City residents only — there’s a new app called KoKoa,

which makes checking updates super easy! I downloaded it on the spot.

We had so much fun we ended up staying over two hours, and the kids still didn’t want to leave.

Tons of fun, full of warmth and care from the wonderful staff — that’s Izumigaoka Community Center Children’s Hall.

If you’re looking for a kid-friendly indoor spot in the Kumamoto area, definitely add this one to your list ^^!!

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Frequently Asked Questions

※Information is current as of the time of reporting. Prices and operating hours are subject to change. Please confirm before visiting.