We started out with a short walk from the train station to the park (everything starts and ends with a walk), where we ate a picnic lunch of some sandwiches, a few pastries, some McDonalds Fries (for Anthony), and Onigiri while we sipped some cold beverages. Michael had a frosty, or the McDonalds equivalent...still can't eat real food.
After lunch, and checking out the park fountain, we all walked to the entrance to the playground. There were two playgrounds, one small version for younger kids, and another more complex and dangerous "Obstacle Course" style play area for 6 and up kids.
Below are the pictures from the "Little park" as Anthony put it. Deanna, Mia, Todd and Anthony visited the bigger park after this. It was really neat, but not very safe, primarily for younger children......but Anthony enjoyed it. Seems the Japanese don't have the same safety standards for playground equipment.
I like to call this piece of playground equipment "The Ankle Breaker"....
On this "ride", you are counterweighted can be spun around. Keep your hands up and stay off the landings when someone is riding or you could easily get pinched or break a limb....really dangerous.
After the park ,we walked about a quarter mile to an indoor mall/children's play area. The whole complex takes up an entire block and is 6 or 7 stories high. The children were all under the height restriction for the regular pool, so we spent some time in the kiddie pool. Neat set-up for the kiddie pool....it's about 18 inches deep and runs along the back of the public pool area, behind the circular adult pool. Best part of the kiddie pool was the marble waterfall in the middle and against the back wall. There were also two Jacuzzis. After a short dip in the kiddie pool, the men took the Andrew and Anthony to the Onsen. There were several pools and baths, but none was cool enough for either of the them. Both, I think, did like the bathing area. Anthony was having fun dumping the wash bucket over his head. Linda and Deanna spent some time in the hot tub, then Linda went for a message while Deanna took Emilia to the Onsen with her.
The Onsens public gathering/rest area, where you would generally wear your Onsen pajamas to relax between baths, was the least formal of the three Onsens I visited. This was geared more for kids and families and was less like a resort and more like Chucky Cheese (had an arcade attached). Huge bank of vending machines dispensed at least 100 different beverages, snacks, pastries, microwavable food and beer. Another first for me were vending machines that dispensed HOT food and beverages.
Everyone seemed to have had a good time. We did a quick walk back to the train stations, with a short ride home.
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