About Kawaguchi Park

Hi everyone! It’s Maru, a writer for SaruKuma 🌼

Today I’m taking you to Kawaguchi-machi, Minami-ku, Kumamoto City, to a hidden local gem called
“Kawaguchi Park”.

It’s a neighborhood park with both an open sports ground and a fun playground area 🍃🌱

Kawaguchi Nursery School sits right next door, so for a moment I thought I’d wandered into the school yard — but rest assured, this is a proper public park open to everyone.

The park sits in a peaceful, rural area surrounded by farm vinyl greenhouses — a charming slice of countryside Kumamoto. Just a heads-up: the lanes get pretty narrow as you approach, so drive carefully 🚙💨

There’s a parking lot here with space for about 10 cars.

Across the road you’ll see what looks like a community center with its own parking — I almost pulled in there by mistake! Be sure to use the correct lot, which is on the park side.

Restrooms are available too — they’re on the older side, but they get the job done!

What Makes Kawaguchi Park Special

Here’s the open sports ground — nice and spacious, perfect for letting kids run wild and burn off energy!

There’s only one proper bench tucked in the corner, but the curved edging that wraps around the field doubles nicely as casual seating.

The other half of the park is the playground zone. Here’s the slide on the all-in-one play structure.

It comes loaded with a tunnel section, hanging bars, and even a mini bouldering wall for little climbers!

And of course, the classic swings.

Sadly, this little jungle-gym-style structure was under maintenance during my visit…

The seesaw was also fenced off for maintenance. Hoping those barriers come down soon so kids can hop right back on!

And here’s the showstopper — a perfectly round little hill rises right in the middle of the park 😲😲 As I climbed the stone steps, I could just barely glimpse something at the top. What could it be?!

Turns out, it’s a compass marker showing the cardinal directions! Cool surprise 😆 The hill is surprisingly tall, offering a lovely panoramic view of the surrounding countryside.

Even better — the slope is set up for grass skiing (kusa-ski), a beloved Japanese pastime where kids slide down grassy hills on special boards. How fun is that?! ✨
It’s mostly local families who visit, but if you’re exploring the southern Kumamoto countryside, this is a delightful little stop worth adding to your itinerary 👦👧

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Frequently Asked Questions

※Information was current at the time of reporting. Prices and hours may change. Please confirm before your visit.