CONTRIBUTED BY JULIA CHEN
Editor’s Note: We published a new post on this park in October 2013. Click here to read the newer post on Tobaru Koen Park.
Tobaru Koen is home to the largest rollerslide that I’ve been to on-island so far. My kids love it! The last time we went I had to check the back of my pants to make sure they weren’t on fire. I’m not kidding when I say that there was a slow burn back there from all of the friction. A good piece of cardboard is highly recommended for this activity. I was smart enough to have a piece in my car but of course I didn’t bring it with me to the slide. We must have gone up and down about 5 times before I had to put my foot down and call it quits. I got quite the workout climbing the steps to get back to the top each time.
There’s also a fun little toddler playground that has a slide and several teeter totters. Bring your sand toys as there’s plenty of sand here for the kids to frolic in!
Directions from Kadena:
-Take a LEFT out of Kadena Gate 1 to head South on Hwy 58.
-Take your 1st LEFT to get onto Route 23.
-Take a RIGHT at the 3rd traffic signal. You’ll see a Lawson’s on the right hand side of this intersection.
-The parking lot for the toddler playground is on your right hand side just after the 2nd traffic signal. If this lot is full, there are about 6 additional parking spaces further up the road on your right hand side.
Here is a video with a map in it. https://youtu.be/YQ7NGfIIsXU
We took our three kids and I was wearing flip flops, not good I recommend a pair of sneakers or tennis shoes. My toes rubbed against the metal and it burned a little bit. Bring lots of water and energy as it is hot during the summer, and a trash bag we didn’t find a trash can close by. It was so much fun we all loved it.
My husband and I took our daughter and our dog here today and it was great! The slide is fun and fast, cardboard is a must to go down it! Lovely walking trails as well. We saw a few children go down on sleds too, they got good speed but still came to a slow down at the bottom of the slide. The view from the top of the slide is great as well, you can see all the way to the ocean.
We just visited this park a couple of weeks ago and one of our friends sons broke his leg. Please be careful when going down these slides. They were using a plastic sled that made you go faster down the slide than cardboard would. There is a part on the slide that levels out for a second before you get to the bottom and that is where they caught air and his leg flew up and got caught in the side bars. I would recommend only using cardboard or going down without anything. This slide is a little bit more steep in areas than some of the other ones that they have here on Okinawa.
Just got back from this park- its AWESOME!!!!
if you can locate a plastic slide @ makemen get one of those and use them on the roller slides, much better than cardboard, not very expensive and man talk about a rocket ride and much easier to maintain on the way down then cardboard..just saying…
This is a great park! We’ve been to a couple other roller slide parks and this is one of my kids favorites! There are A LOT of steps, but my kids willingly climbed them to get to go down the slide. Thanks for sharing!
I went their 20110411 and men and my 4 kids all had a great time. The net had some holes but it was great. Wife wanted to work out so she went up and down the stairs awesome. I will a video on Youtube.com you can watch. Follow this link.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqfHm2rehrM
Thank you so much for posting these pictures. My Dad was stationed on Kadena in 93-97. I was 5-11 years old and my mom would take us to awesome parks. I’ve tried to explain how great they were over the years but nobody understood. Now I have pictures to show my husband. Oh how I love it, great memories. Thanks again!
Jeanne- You didn’t go far enough after turning by the Lawsons. I ended up at the park that I think you’re talking about the first time I tried to go there. It is a small community center with a roller slide and some climbing equipment and a big grassy area to run around. But you need to keep going much further down. I haven’t counted traffic lights (in the 4th line of the directions) but I feel like it is more than 2 lights down– or else those lights are few and far between. I hope you try again! Getting lost on the way to a new park is part of Okinawa’s charm… 😛
Jeanne, when you parked was there a little area with those animals that you ride back and forth on like a horse (can’t think of a better way to describe!!)?? If so, that was the correct parking area. To get to the big slide, you walk down the path in the direction you drove in (back to the 23).
If you didn’t find the parking area — that is harder. It is a ways down on the right… anybody else able to help??
I couldn’t find this park. I followed the directions, but found a small roller slide, but it wasn’t what was pictured. Help! I’d love to go!
You’re welcome Julie! I don’t have kids, but I went to this park and another one with some ladies from Bible Study and we had fun going down the slides, just as if we were kids ourselves. So, if you want to release some energy with you sons too, the parks are also nice for the adults!
thanks ash 🙂
This park is free to go to. There are several other parks with rollerslides on the island. Check this site for directions to other parks (up at top, under To Do: Parks).
Are there several places like this on the island in okinawa and what are the costs associated?? We are looking at arrival in October and I have 3 very busy boys that need this energy outlet, especially knowing we won’t have a big yard there like we do here!
thanks in advance for any responses 🙂
Roller slide advice…After today’s outing to the park, I would definitely suggest that one bring a piece of cardboard to any roller slide park. Though the slide appeared dry, it did rain last night, and the slide was definitely wet. Our pants got soaked on the long ride down. Also, even if the slide is bone dry, there is often bird droppings that one would prefer not to slide over. Just my advice.
Welcome to the island Nicole! So glad you and your girls like Tobaru Koen too. There are a lot of fantastic parks and playgrounds out here. Have fun exploring!
We’re new here and are so grateful for this website! My girls (2 and 5) and I tried this playground this morning and loved it!
Just returned from this park with my kids and some friends and we had a great time. I think my backside is still burning from the trip down (with cardboard). Our 4-year-olds did not have any trouble climbing the steep stairs and going down the slide on their own. It’s definitely a fun park to visit and I’m sure my kids will sleep soundly tonight! Thanks for the info.
Glad you liked it! Definitely faster with the cardboard but I thought there were a couple of quick stretches at the end without it anyway. I let the little one go down ahead of me the first time and I could see his arms and legs flailing because it was so fast he couldn’t hold himself back. After that he still wanted the thrill of going down but only sitting in my lap.
FABULOUS! Just got back from visiting this park! Had to drag my son away after an hour of climbing those stairs with him to the slide. And it’s so close to Kadena that it’s a great short outing. Extra comment on the cardboard: we had it and tried it with and without — sooooo much faster with it!!