As a licensed tour conductor who has accompanied countless families on weekend excursions across the Kanto region, I can say with confidence that Shimizu Park’s Field Athletics in Noda City, Chiba Prefecture, is one of the most genuinely thrilling outdoor experiences available within an hour of central Tokyo. Three courses totaling 100 obstacle points — including a water course built over a pond with depths exceeding 130 cm — await visitors of all ages. This guide covers everything you need to plan a seamless family day trip, from course-by-course breakdowns to transport options and where to stay overnight.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Facility Name | Shimizu Park Field Athletics |
| Hours (Regular Season) | Feb 1 – Nov 13: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (last entry 3:00 PM) |
| Hours (Winter Season) | Nov 14 – Jan 31: 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM (last entry 2:30 PM) |
| Closed | December 30 – January 1; also closed on days following heavy rain |
| Address | 906 Shimizu, Noda-shi, Chiba 278-0043, Japan |
| Access (Train) | Tobu Urban Park Line, Shimizukoen Station, West Exit — approx. 10 min walk |
| Access (Car) | Jōban Expressway, Nagareyama IC → Matsudo-Noda Road, approx. 12 km |
| Reservations | Advance booking required (online or by phone) |
| Phone | +81-4-7125-3030 |
What Families Need to Know Before Visiting
Reservations Are Mandatory — Walk-Ins Are No Longer Accepted
The field athletics courses operate on a fully reservation-based system. Turning up without a booking is no longer an option; when the reservation cap is reached, entry is refused regardless of the circumstances. During school holidays, Golden Week, and summer weekends, slots fill well in advance. The park’s official website accepts online reservations, while groups of 20 or more must book by phone. Planning this visit on a whim the night before is a reliable way to be turned away at the gate.
Weather Can Close the Course on the Day
Rain or residual moisture from the previous day’s rainfall makes the courses dangerously slippery. The park makes its own call on whether to open each morning. After particularly heavy rain, the opening may be delayed by an hour or more. Families driving in from a distance should check the official website on the morning of their visit before leaving home.
Pack for Inevitable Soaking
Every course in the field athletics area contains points built over water. The water course is explicitly designed to get participants wet — water depths reach over 130 cm in sections. Packing a full change of clothes (including undergarments), a spare pair of shoes, towels, and work gloves is the minimum preparation. Valuables — phones, wallets, cameras — must be secured in the paid lockers located throughout the facility. The park takes no responsibility for water damage to personal belongings.
Footwear is non-negotiable: closed-toe, closed-heel athletic shoes (sneakers) are the only acceptable option. Sandals, crocs, boots, dress shoes, and bare feet result in entry being refused for safety reasons.
Born from Soy Sauce Money: 130 Years of History
Shimizu Park traces its origins to April 3, 1894, when Mogi Hakuemon (Hakuei), the fifth-generation head of the Kashiwa-ya soy sauce merchant family, leased 5,500 tsubo (approximately 18,200 ㎡) of land from the Konjō-in Temple and opened the grounds to the people of Noda. Mogi was the father of the first president of Noda Shoyu — the company that would become Kikkoman — making the park a direct product of the wealth generated by the soy sauce trade that made this corner of Chiba famous.
In its early years the park was known as Jūraku-en and was celebrated for its sweeping fields of peach blossoms. Luminaries of the Meiji era, including industrialist Shibusawa Eiichi and essayist Ōmachi Keigetsu, visited and left behind prose and poetry. By the early Showa era, foreign varieties of peaches had displaced the local cultivar in the market, and the orchard slowly gave way to the broader parkland we see today.
The park’s transformation into its current scale came in 1929, when Dr. Honda Seiroku — the landscape architect behind Hibiya Park, Omiya Park, and the Meiji Jingu Forest, often called the “father of Japanese parks” — directed a major expansion. The Field Athletics course as a dedicated facility was added in 1976. Today the park spans approximately 28 ha and is managed by the private company Senshū-sha, maintaining its identity as a community-oriented, nature-first destination for over 130 years.
Three Courses, 100 Obstacles: A Full Course-by-Course Breakdown
The three courses — Challenge, Adventure, and Water — each contain a distinct set of obstacles and are designed to be tackled in sequence from easiest to hardest. Each course takes roughly one hour, giving a total of about three hours for all three. That said, pace varies considerably depending on crowd levels and individual ability.
Challenge Course — 40 Points
The Challenge Course is the entry point, with 40 land-based obstacles that test balance, grip strength, and coordination. Log walks, rope traverses, narrow crawl-throughs, pull-up bars, and ropeway swings form the core of the course. There is a point involving lifting a heavy log and another where participants swing on a rope to land on a platform over water — the first taste of what’s ahead.
This course is labelled as the most accessible, but that does not mean easy. Of the 40 points, 20 are restricted to primary school age and above, even with a parent present. Adults who have not exercised regularly will feel it in their forearms and legs by the halfway mark. Children in the younger primary school years will likely need a parent alongside them for a number of the more physically demanding stations.
Adventure Course — 40 Points
The Adventure Course steps up both the physical difficulty of the land-based obstacles and introduces water-surface points. Some of the elevated land structures here have no safety netting; a fall from certain points could result in injury. The course requires the kind of spatial awareness and controlled movement that goes beyond what the Challenge Course demands.
The water sections within the Adventure Course are restricted to primary school age and above — no exceptions with parental accompaniment. By the time families work through these 40 points, wet clothes should already be an expectation. The Adventure Course functions as the psychological and physical transition into the Water Course, and completing it with confidence goes a long way toward making the final course enjoyable rather than overwhelming.
Water Course — 20 Points
The Water Course is what puts Shimizu Park Field Athletics in a category of its own. All 20 points are set directly over the surface of a pond, with water depths exceeding 130 cm at the deepest sections. Entry is restricted to primary school age and above, and participants who are uncomfortable in water or cannot swim are advised not to enter. Life jackets are available for free loan at the course entrance and are strongly recommended for younger primary school children.
The obstacles include a tarzan rope over open water, a sled-style ride that launches riders into the pond with a spray of water, floating pontoon runs, and several suspended rope structures where the standard outcome for first-time visitors is a full submersion. Every single obstacle has an adjacent bypass made from wooden boards, allowing parents to walk the route alongside a child without getting wet — or to choose their battles. The life jackets, the bypass paths, and the supervised environment mean that the drama of this course is managed, but there is no avoiding the water itself. Bring a full change of clothes or accept that the drive home will be damp.
Toddler Zone — For Children Under School Age
A dedicated play area for children aged three and above was added in March 2022. Since the main three courses are designed for primary school age and above, this zone provides a safe and age-appropriate option for younger siblings while older children and parents tackle the courses. Families with a mix of ages — a school-aged child and a toddler — will find this addition genuinely useful.
More to Do Inside the Park
The Field Athletics is the headline attraction, but Shimizu Park offers enough additional facilities to fill a full day without leaving the grounds.
Aqua Adventure, which reopened in a new format in July 2022, combines a splash zone — a wading pool with fountains, a large bucket that fills and tips, and a slide — with a wooden maze tower. It is designed primarily for younger children and operates as a separate ticketed facility.
Flower Fantasia, which opened in 2002 and covers 70,000 ㎡, is a landscaped garden with around 500 plant varieties cycling through the seasons. Peonies and wisteria in spring, roses in early summer, chrysanthemums in autumn — the garden offers an entirely different pace from the athletics courses. Stroller and wheelchair access is available throughout, making it well-suited to grandparents or younger members of the group who are not doing the courses.
The park holds a place on the list of Japan’s Top 100 Cherry Blossom Sites, with approximately 2,000 trees of around 50 varieties in bloom from late March onward. The avenue of cherry trees lining the road from Shimizukoen Station was planted at the station’s opening in 1929 and has been growing for nearly a century. Azalea season follows in late April and early May. In autumn, the Momiji Valley section of the park features around 800 maple trees that turn the hillside red and gold.
Rainbow trout fishing is also available on a walk-in basis, and a campsite and barbecue area operate year-round.
Getting There
By Train
Take the Tobu Urban Park Line (Tobu Noda Line) to Shimizukoen Station and leave from the West Exit. The walk to the park’s main west gate takes about 10 minutes; allowing 15 minutes to reach the Field Athletics reception is a reasonable estimate when carrying gear.
| Departure Station | Route | Approx. Journey Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kashiwa (JR Joban Line) | Transfer to Tobu Urban Park Line | Approx. 30 min |
| Nagareyama-Otakanomori (Tsukuba Express) | Transfer to Tobu Urban Park Line | Approx. 20 min |
| Kasukabe (Tobu Isesaki Line) | Transfer to Tobu Urban Park Line | Approx. 20 min |
| Omiya (JR Tohoku/Takasaki Line) | Transfer to Tobu Urban Park Line | Approx. 50 min |
During Golden Week, summer school holidays, and cherry blossom season, the park’s own official information recommends arriving by train rather than car. Road congestion in and around Noda City on busy weekends can add significant time to the journey.
By Car
Three highway routes lead to the park, each covering approximately 12 km from the expressway exit:
| Route | Expressway Exit | Road |
|---|---|---|
| Nagareyama IC | Jōban Expressway | Matsudo-Noda Road |
| Kashiwa IC | Jōban Expressway | National Route 16 |
| Koshigaya (Route 4) | — | Noda-Kaido |
Parking
Five car parks serve the park, with a combined capacity of approximately 1,200 vehicles. Car parks 1, 3, 4, and 5 operate around the clock; Car Park 2 is open on busy days only. Car Parks 4 and 5 are the closest to the Field Athletics and Aqua Adventure entrance. Payment at Car Parks 1 through 4 is accepted by cash, credit card, IC card, and QR code payment; Car Park 5 accepts cash only. During Golden Week and spring weekends, the lots can reach capacity before 9:00 AM, so an early arrival significantly improves the chances of finding a space.
Nearby Sights
Kikkoman Soy Sauce Museum (Monoshiri Shoyu-kan)
The Kikkoman Food Company’s Noda factory houses a free visitor facility that traces the history of soy sauce production and guides visitors through sections of the working manufacturing line. The post-tour café, “Mame Café,” serves soy-sauce-flavored soft serve ice cream and fresh soy sauce udon — genuinely worth trying. The museum is located a 3-minute walk from Nodashi Station on the Tobu Urban Park Line, approximately 15 minutes by car from Shimizu Park. Visits are by advance reservation only and are available on weekdays. Pairing the factory tour with a full day at the park makes for a trip that captures both the industrial history and the outdoor character of Noda City in a single outing.
Former Hanai Residence (National Important Cultural Property)
Relocated from Nagareyama and preserved within the grounds of Shimizu Park, this early Edo-period farmhouse was designated a National Important Cultural Property in 1969. The building’s thatched roof and timber frame offer a sharp contrast to the athletics courses nearby — a quieter stop for visitors who appreciate Japan’s architectural heritage.
Noda City Comprehensive Park
Immediately adjacent to Shimizu Park, this 18 ha municipal sports complex includes a baseball stadium with floodlights, an athletics track, sports climbing wall, tennis courts, and a free-to-use skateboard park with a snake-run layout that is unusual even by national standards. In June, the botanical section of the park comes into bloom with iris flowers.
Where to Stay
Business Hotel Noda
Operated by Tobu Food Service Co., Ltd., Business Hotel Noda stands within Noda City and offers free flat-surface parking (98 spaces, no reservation required), suitable for families arriving by car with bulky outdoor gear. The on-site facility “Noda Onsen Honoka” draws from a natural hot spring 1,000 meters below ground (sodium-chloride strong saline spring), with source-flow outdoor baths and nine varieties of hot-stone bathing including rock bath and salt bath (bathing wear and towels included). For families finishing a full day of athletics and looking to recover before the drive home or overnight, this is a practical and genuinely comfortable option close to the park.
Hotel Route Inn Noda — Kokudo 16 Gouzoi
A 200-room business hotel located approximately 10 to 15 minutes by car from Shimizu Park, with free on-site parking. The large public bath (radium artificial hot spring “Tabibito-no-yu”), a Japanese-Western buffet breakfast restaurant (“Nagomi”), and consistent reviews praising cleanliness and staff make it a solid choice for families using the park as the main event of an overnight trip. Atago Station on the Tobu Urban Park Line is a 5-minute drive away.
Mitsui Garden Hotel Kashiwa-no-ha Park Side
Part of the Mitsui Garden Hotels group, this 4-star hotel sits adjacent to Chiba Prefectural Kashiwanoha Park and is reachable from Kashiwanoha-Campus Station on the Tsukuba Express line in approximately 3 minutes by bus. The hotel features a natural hot spring large public bath with mist sauna, and its restaurant “Teijiya KASHIWA-NO-HA” serves seasonal Japanese cuisine. Shimizu Park is accessible from here by car in approximately 20 to 25 minutes, making this property a well-appointed base for combining the field athletics day trip with the broader Kashiwa and Nagareyama area.
Plan Your Visit with a Licensed Tour Conductor
Navigating Japan’s transport network, coordinating multi-generational family itineraries, and handling the unexpected — a delayed train, a park closure due to rain, a child’s change of mind — is exactly the kind of situation where traveling with a professional tour conductor makes a difference. At E-Stay Japan Tours, our licensed tour conductors handle the logistics of group and family travel throughout Japan so that you can focus on the experience. From day trips out of Tokyo to multi-day regional itineraries, we design trips around what genuinely matters to each group.
Final Thoughts
Shimizu Park Field Athletics earns its reputation as one of Japan’s largest outdoor adventure courses not through marketing language but through the sheer amount of time, energy, and occasionally dignity it takes from visitors of every fitness level. The three hours that the course officially takes tends to stretch longer — because children want to retry obstacles they failed, and because adults, having made it through the land courses, discover that the water course has different ideas about who is in control.
The prerequisites for a successful visit are straightforward: a confirmed reservation, full athletic clothing and shoes, a dry bag for valuables, and enough changes of clothes for everyone in the group. Get those four things right and Shimizu Park delivers one of the best family days out within reach of the greater Tokyo area.
Business Hotel Noda, with its natural hot spring on the grounds, is the natural choice if a comfortable recovery before the drive home or an overnight stay is part of the plan.