Dragon Park

Dragon Park in the city of Kai is a spacious, family-friendly destination, with fun elements themed around the mythical creature that gives the surrounding Ryuo (“Dragon King”) district its name.

Inside the park is a vast, 25,000-square-meter grass lawn, together with attractions appealing for all ages. On the west side a Zen garden-style arrangement of rocks reveals itself, when the “head” is discovered, to form a lengthy dragon. Just behind it is the park’s centerpiece observation tower.

Climb the steps of the 33-meter-high observation tower—an elevator is also available—for a sweeping, 360-degree view over Kai’s natural beauty and the dramatic peaks beyond. Besides iconic Mount Fuji, another highlight of the view from up here is the Yatsugatake group of rugged volcanoes, roughly 36.5 kilometers to the north.

Elsewhere you will find a fountain, flowerbeds, a picnic zone, a long and snaking wooden bridge again inspired by the form of a dragon, and a children’s play area featuring a Mt. Fuji-shaped slide.