Ellen L.
Yelp
+++review #1800+++
another review ending in "00" which means another review dedicated to running!
working out is hard whenever i travel, but when the place i'm staying at is close to a park, and i remembered to bring running shoes & clothes, i really have no excuse for not logging a few miles!
this park was about 1.5m from my hotel, after crossing several streets and going over some pedestrian overpasses. there are several loops inside the park, a bigger one that gives you greater distance and a smaller one that gives you less (i didn't measure, so i don't know exactly how many miles/meters these loops are). on any given day, there are tons of people here, running, walking, playing with their kids/pets, or just sitting and enjoying the park.
there was at least one set of women's & men's restrooms, since i actually had to make a pit stop during one of my runs, and was pleasantly surprised to find they were very clean and well-maintained with toilet paper, soap and running water.
there's also tons of places to just sit and eat your lunch or have a coffee if you just need a break. i recommend the water fountain towards the north end of the park, where lots of school children and some adults were hanging out, enjoying their food and drink.
on my last run here, just before heading to the airport, i actually saw a large running group at the park entrance, with several pacers giving instructions. i have no idea what they were training for, since they only spoke japanese, but it was pretty cool to see a running group in another country and see that they operate similarly to the groups i run with in the states.
if you're staying in shibuya or shinjuku, i highly recommend checking out this park. and if you're a runner, definitely bring your running shoes as they'll be put to good use here.
happy running!