On our most recent trip we found another park much closer to the station area.
The park is called the Umekoji Park. We walked here for the station in 20 minutes (with two kids and my husband working , walking is just much easier than buses or trains. You would also take a cab for 8 mins for approx 700 yen.)
It was such a success! The park is also just 3 mins walk from Kyoto Railway Museum.
Umekoji Park has a pop-up water park splash pad for families May 13 – July 2, 2023 on weekends between 10am-5pm.
There are little slides, water tables, a large shallow pool, mini boat rides, ride-on inflatables. Entrance is 1,200 yen per person (children under 3 are free.)
Children in nappies / diapers need to wear swim nappies.
As you can see, the walk there isn’t the most scenic.. but it’s still good for train lovers. It was also on relatively quiet streets so the kids could walk for a large part of it (It took us about 4 million hours to get there but we still did!!)
This park gave the kids a chance to properly run and play.
The section of the park in the photo below is called Suzaku Yume Square (it’s on google maps.)
There were different playground spots all over the park and even train carriages for playing in (another was transformed into a cafe and another a toy shop. )
The carriages are opens from 9am-5pm.
How adorable are these train holder shaped sweets?
Also there in the train carriage sweet shop/ cafe are hot dogs, coffee, soft drinks, beers and ice-cream.
There are lots of public restrooms and vending machines in the park too.
There are lots of spaces to also have a picnics too ( why not grab lunch in the Isetan department store food hall underneath Kyoto Station first?).
There is also a tram that rides on a railroad up and down the park for families on weekends, national holidays and during Japanese Summer school holiday times between 10am-4pm. Rides are 300 yen ( children under school age are free.)
UMEKOJI PARK
京都市下京区観喜寺町56-3
56-3 KANKIJICHO, SHIMOGYO-KU, KYOTO
If you’re looking for more general Kyoto with Kids tips please see here.
If you’re looking for another large playground in Kyoto I think you’ll love this playground near Enkoji Temple.
