Furukawa Water Park|The First Water Park in Japan
Furukawa Water Park is the first water park in Japan. This park is a noted
spot of cherry blossoms in spring and hydrangeas in early summer. And in
summer, many people take rests under the woods to avoid the strong sun
beams and some kids play in the water in summer. Furukawa River is a main
artery that connected
Edogawa River to Nakagawa River to bring thousands of products and people to
Edo in
Edo period.
Saiokuken Socho, a
renga poet in
Muromachi period, described this area in his essay 'Azumaji no Tsuto'. He might pass Furukawa River at that time. He got on a ferryboat at Sumidagawa River and he passed rivers with reeds in this area called Kasaisho, finally he landed at the ferry at Imai. Now there are some old temples along Furukawa Water Park that tell the history of Furukawa. In addition, the principle image of Sei Kanzeon Bosatsu is said to be carved by
Gyoki, so it implies that Furukawa River has been a waterway since
Nara period. By the completion of the new waterway had opened, Furukawa River was
a very important waterway and
Ieyasu Tokugawa went on the river to go hawking in Togane.
Furukawa Water Park is a beautiful park with long history. Why don't you
visit it?
Furukawa Water Park
Furukawa River was called Funaborigawa River in long time ago. When Ieyasu
Tokugawa moved to Edo in 1590, Furukawa used as an important waterway to
bring salt made in
Gyotoku to Edo. After that, a new canal was completely built in 1629 and the most products would pass this new one and it connect to the old canal to the west to be a main artery that brought thousands of products from the northern Kanto region and Tohoku to Edo to support its economy. And they were called
Shinkawa River since then.
In Meiji Era, steam boats had run on Shinkawa River and this area became very prosperous, and Furukawa River used to bring local products to help people's life in this area. However, rail ways had been developing then the transportations by waterways were gradually declined, and improving the economy and the urbanization after the WWII made the environment of the river polluted because of sewage from residents and factories.
Under these conditions, residences in this area and the government of
Edogawaku decided 'return the clear waters in Furukawa River', and they built Furukawa
River in 1974 as the first water park in Japan. And they organized ‘Furukawa
o Aisuru Kai (the Society of loving Furukawa)’ in June 1974, and the new
history started.
Building Furukawa Water Park under the new conception of being fond of water is the first operation to regain the clear water in Japan that is highly evaluated not only domestically but also internationally and it was recorded in history.
古川親水公園沿岸案内板より
引用、抜粋並びに参考
古川親水公園沿岸案内板
新川沿岸案内板
江戸名所図会 ちくま学芸文庫
江戸川区ホームページ
市川市ホームページ
Flowers in Furukawa Water Park
Some kinds of sakura bloom and visitors enjoy them by middle of April.
Hydrangeas bloom along the river and the path in the park during the rain
season in Japan.
The Photo Movie of Ajisai Blooming in Furukawa Water Park