Editorial department

Arakawa Yuen (Amusement Park) is the only public amusement park in Tokyo's 23 wards. Due to the aging of the facilities, the park had been closed and undergoing major renovations since December 2018 but reopened on April 21 this year after for 3 years and 5 months. This is the first large-scale renovation in about 30 years, and along with the renovation of aging facilities and equipment, the park has also made the inside barrier-free and introduced wheelchair-accessible attractions. It is said that it has been reborn as a facility that everyone, including young children, individuals with disabilities, and the elderly can enjoy. To showcase how it has changed, our editorial department has collected data and now would like to introduce this park to everyone.

Approach from the nearest station to Arakawa Yuen

The nearest station to the park is Arakawa Yuenchi-mae on the Toden Arakawa Train Line. As soon as I got off at the station, I was greeted by a big sign with the name Arakawa Yuen written on it. After passing through the gate and walking along the promenade for about 4 minutes, I arrived at the entrance gate of Arakawa Yuen.

Development of barrier-free facilities and wheelchair -accessible attractions

Once inside the park one encounters a slope that gently goes upward toward the back end of the park. The walkways are wide and spacious, making it easily accessible for visitors in wheelchairs to use. There are alternative routes for wheelchairs near stairs, so there is no difficulty in moving around. All restrooms in the park are equipped with multifunctional toilets.

Of the six attractions, three of them are now a wheelchair-accessible Ferris wheel, a Merry-go-round, and a Bean Train. First, the boarding area of the Ferris wheel used to be 6 meters above the ground, so people who could not climb the stairs could not ride it, but with this renewal, the boarding area was lowered to ground level, and the highest point of the Ferris wheel is now 40 meters from 32 meters. All 28 gondolas are wheelchair accessible. The gondolas are fully air-conditioned, so people can spend their time comfortably even in hot summers and cold winters. The second is a Merry-go-round. In addition to wooden horses and carriages, new pandas, dolphins, and dinosaurs have been added. Only one carriage is wheelchair accessible. The front part of the carriage is movable so that the carriage can be widened to accommodate a wheelchair between the front part and the rear part. It is safe because it is fixed so that it does not move. This carriage is also designed to stop near the boarding area, making it easy to get on and off. The third is the Bean Train*1. The end of the train is wheelchair accessible. Visitors in wheelchairs will be able to enjoy the scenery different from usual at the attraction. We have introduced mainly barrier-free facilities and wheelchair-accessible attractions, but there are also other barrier-free facilities where visitors can interact with small animals, as well as rest and eating areas. For more information, please visit the website.

*1 the Bean Train which is very popular among children runs on a 223-meter-long track in the park. Visitors can enjoy a 3-minut train ride.

In conclusion

“Arakawa Yuen is a valuable tourist resource of Arakawa Ward and an important tool for people to get to know Arakawa Ward. This renovation was made so even individuals with disabilities can enjoy it’s attractions. As much as possible, we aim to be an amusement park that everyone can enjoy,” said Masaki Noguchi of the Arakawa Ward Child and Family Department’s Arakawa Yuen Division, who gave us a tour of the park. Although Arakawa Yuen is small, the new barrier-free facilities have made it a facility that everyone from children to the elderly, including those with disabilities can enjoy. Please visit us when the season is comfortable.

〇 Arakawa Yuen Information 〇

6-35-11 Nishiogu, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo 116-0011

For more information, please check the website.
https://www.city.arakawa.tokyo.jp/yuuen/