EDITOR'S NOTE: This park is now closed. We're leaving this post on the site so that those of you who may be looking for this information will be able to find it. Thanks.
CONTRIBUTED BY DIANA MIDDLETON
Ishikawa People's Park is a great place to go hiking with the family. We have taken our kids there a few times (ages 4 & 6). Everyone can finish the hike on their own, but sometimes my 4-year-old daughter will con her daddy into putting her on his shoulders. Hey, if he can handle it, more power to him, right?!
Anyway, the hike is cool because there is a little castle-like structure that the kids can play on before they get into the serious hiking portion. We also ran into a couple of beetles (which my son thought was the coolest, since he is into the mushi king craze). Please do not be discouraged by the wild boar signs, we haven't run into any yet and I'm not sure who would be more scared! You can take different paths and end up on a short hike or a long one.
Directions from MCCS' web site: "There are several hiking trails featured at this small facility, lengthy enough to give you time to commune with nature. Head north on Highway 58 past Kadena Circle and turn left onto Highway 73. Go under the Expressway, and then turn left past a car garage. After about four kilometers, you'll see a parking lot for the park. Most trails start just past the castle."
But if you loved them and have never...
ill be sure to check this one out next, thank you! id like to share one of my favorite new discoveries near this place i found- ishikawa park. its got a walk/jogging path along the ocean that is probably quite beautiful during sunrise (i havent been able to wake up early enough for that yet!) theres a beach (although im not sure if youre allowed to swim here) and a skateboard area. theres a curious area that is treed inland a small bit from the ocean that has paths, squatter bathrooms, and strange concrete structures that leaves much to my imagination as there are also a couple iron gates that appear to go into underground tunnels. theres also an actual track if you perfer a more padded walking path.
directions: from kadena gate 3, go straight on 26 til it Ts at 329, turn left. go past lawsons on left and turn right at family mart where 329 splits. youll pass 75 and 6. after 6, turn right at the 3rd or 4th stoplight. im pretty sure the 3rd is where i usually park but the next several lights will lead you there. let me know if youd like to see pictures, its definately worth going to if you like scenic places to walk or jog!
Just an FYI: We tried to visit this park and it has been closed. We decided to take a look around, so we “snuck” in past chain gate. It looks like it hasn’t been tended to in awhile. The greenery is overgrown and some of the hiking paths are partially covered by what looks to have been rock slides. The waterfall is turned off and the lily pond is stagnant. The castle has been decorated with graffiti. There was absolutely nobody else in the park, which made it kind of a strange place to be. I’m not sure why the park was closed, but it was probably a cool little park when it was open and taken care of.