Interesting pictures. After all these years in Japan, something about parks here still amaze me. What were they thinking when they made this and all the other concrete creatures of all sorts? The same all over the country.
Yeah, I know what you mean. So much concrete eh? So much of it so grim and often quite disturbing too. And like you say, it’s the same all over the country, so seems like an actual plan. An evil plan to disturb the sleep of youngster throughout their whole childhood?!
The amount of concrete hits me more when I come back to Canada after a trip to Japan and see all the green. Not sure about giving the kids nightmares, it will certainly give me one. Doesn’t seem to bb bothering the boy on the swing.
No, not in the slightest. Him and his brother seemed very happy.
But yeah, there is an awful lot of it. It’s even the same along the coast, with huge numbers of tetrapods. The cement industry must make so much money…
The figure seems of a similar ilk to some of the dieties I’ve seen on huge floats or depicted in kabuki shows, or even walking on stilts around Asakusa with a bucket collecting gifts from tourists and children. I don’t imagine it’s any more scary than the Gruffalo, or Ryuk from Deathnote.
The playground as a whole though is very different to those in the UK. Over recent years they have all been changed to be ultra safe. No longer can you crack your head on a kerb or scrape a knee on the ground, as surfaces are generally safe enough to toss a five year old onto with moderate force without damage. Thick bark chippings or weird spongy black tiles seem to be the norm with regards flooring. I’m certainly not against the safety aspect, but I never recall anyone getting more than a bump on the head or grazed knee, and learning first hand about the many ways the world can hurt you are valuable lessons kids just don’t get these days. No amount of watching or reading safety material can substitute for real life experience.
There’s a heart drawn on the mouth. In the UK it would have two names in it (genarally with one crossed out by a different hand), this one seems to have about 20, or a short essay 🙂
There’s definitely none of that stuff in Japanese playgrounds. Very primitive on the whole. At least the small, local ones are anyway. Sometimes just a dirty old sandpit is all there is.
Ah, hadn’t noticed the heart. That is a lot of names. Clearly some very complicated love lives in that area!
Looks like Lum-chan’s father or another oni from the Urusei Yatsura manga and anime to me. All my knowledge about Japan and its history comes from Urusei Yatsura 🙂
But agreed, those city parks are awful places
Coli says
Interesting pictures. After all these years in Japan, something about parks here still amaze me. What were they thinking when they made this and all the other concrete creatures of all sorts? The same all over the country.
Lee says
Yeah, I know what you mean. So much concrete eh? So much of it so grim and often quite disturbing too. And like you say, it’s the same all over the country, so seems like an actual plan. An evil plan to disturb the sleep of youngster throughout their whole childhood?!
Coli says
Yes I can imagine parents taking their kids there for punishment:).
Lee says
Quite possibly! At least this one is nice and bright. So many I’ve seen are so faded and grim they seem more like prison recreation areas than parks…
Matt says
The amount of concrete hits me more when I come back to Canada after a trip to Japan and see all the green. Not sure about giving the kids nightmares, it will certainly give me one. Doesn’t seem to bb bothering the boy on the swing.
Lee says
No, not in the slightest. Him and his brother seemed very happy.
But yeah, there is an awful lot of it. It’s even the same along the coast, with huge numbers of tetrapods. The cement industry must make so much money…
cdilla says
The figure seems of a similar ilk to some of the dieties I’ve seen on huge floats or depicted in kabuki shows, or even walking on stilts around Asakusa with a bucket collecting gifts from tourists and children. I don’t imagine it’s any more scary than the Gruffalo, or Ryuk from Deathnote.
The playground as a whole though is very different to those in the UK. Over recent years they have all been changed to be ultra safe. No longer can you crack your head on a kerb or scrape a knee on the ground, as surfaces are generally safe enough to toss a five year old onto with moderate force without damage. Thick bark chippings or weird spongy black tiles seem to be the norm with regards flooring. I’m certainly not against the safety aspect, but I never recall anyone getting more than a bump on the head or grazed knee, and learning first hand about the many ways the world can hurt you are valuable lessons kids just don’t get these days. No amount of watching or reading safety material can substitute for real life experience.
There’s a heart drawn on the mouth. In the UK it would have two names in it (genarally with one crossed out by a different hand), this one seems to have about 20, or a short essay 🙂
Lee says
There’s definitely none of that stuff in Japanese playgrounds. Very primitive on the whole. At least the small, local ones are anyway. Sometimes just a dirty old sandpit is all there is.
Ah, hadn’t noticed the heart. That is a lot of names. Clearly some very complicated love lives in that area!
Al says
Ha, so random! Love the bright colors! 🙂
Lee says
Yes, it really is. It’s a grubby little park to be honest, but the devil does make it stand out.
Hans ter Horst says
Looks like Lum-chan’s father or another oni from the Urusei Yatsura manga and anime to me. All my knowledge about Japan and its history comes from Urusei Yatsura 🙂
But agreed, those city parks are awful places
Lee says
My knowledge of manga and anime is very limited, so had to do a search. But yeah, a definite similarity. Quite possibly an influence eh?
I suppose parks in a city where land is so precious is to be applauded, but it still seems a waste not to make them at least slightly appealing…