Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park located in Nagakute City, a popular area in Aichi Prefecture, is affectionately known by many people as "Moricoro Park." Located on the site of the Nagakute venue for Expo 2005, the park boasts one of the largest areas in Aichi Prefecture and is blessed with a rich natural environment.

In addition to nature experiences, there are also facilities dotted with various experiences such as seeing, touching, feeling, and moving the body. We will tell you the charm of Moricoro Park, where both children and adults can enjoy a lot and want to visit again and again.

What kind of park is Moricoro Park?

The area is about 150 ha, about 30 times the size of Bantelin Dome Nagoya (former Nagoya Dome). As the Expo 2005 Aichi was held under the theme of "Nature's Wisdom (Shizen no Eichi)," the park is rich in greenery and water.

As of September 2021, the red areas on the map are under construction. Depending on the circumstances of construction, there may be changes such as the number of parking spaces in the north parking lot.

The vast site is dotted with a wide variety of facilities, including cultural facilities such as "Satsuki and May's House" and "Aichi Children's Center," leisure facilities such as "Nature Playground" and "Giant Ferris Wheel," nature facilities such as "Field Center Morino School," and sports facilities such as "Ice Skating Rink".

Some facilities require a usage fee or admission fee, but admission to the park is free! You can play both outdoors and indoors, so you can enjoy it regardless of the weather.

There are three parking lots in the park, north, south, and west, and it costs 500 yen per day for a normal car.

This time, we will focus on the northwestern area of the park where you can enjoy a large children's hall and playground equipment, "Kodomo no Hiroba (Children's Plaza）", and the southern area, "Shinrin Rakuen" where you can access Satsuki and Mei's house.

A large collection of children's houses and popular playground equipment!
"Children's Plaza"

The Children's Plaza is located in the northwestern part of the park, and is an area where children can play to their heart's content with a large children's house and playground equipment. Let's take a look at the three facilities!

After entering the north parking lot, it is recommended to proceed to the west and park. You can see the building of "Aichi Children's Center".

Children's Plaza Part 1
A large children's center "Aichi Children's Center"

Cross the hallway from the parking lot to the east entrance. When you enter the building, you will find yourself on the second floor of Aichi Children's Center. Let's buy a ticket first! Admission fee is 300 yen, free for junior high school students and under!

Get event and restaurant information at the entrance on the 2nd floor!

For first-timers, please refer to this map on the first floor! Information is also available on the same floor.

The theme of Aichi Children's Center is "play." It is said that play is very important for the healthy development of children.

Here, you can encounter play that stimulates the five senses and leads to new realizations, as well as highly interactive and creative play that confirms relationships with others and one's own existence.

Be careful not to lose sight of the children rushing out!

Here are the information on how to play at each facility in the center!

"Challenge Tower" is very popular with children

The Challenge Tower, which rises in the center of the building, has a spiral corridor inside and outside, and there are many exciting tricks!

This is a "space of vertigo”. The swings and roller coasters are the same dizziness play, and the Challenge Tower is a space to experience dizziness play. Let's enjoy being dizzy!

The inside of the challenge tower is a red space, and the outside is full of play tricks. You can see, feel, smell, and enjoy the sounds. It's fun going up and down, and you don't feel the distance, and you can go back and forth to the observatory in no time.

You can enjoy it even if you smell it.

You can hear animal cries when you pass through a zone with footprints.

Even people who don't like being dizzy can go to the observation deck by elevator.

View from the elevator tower Take a look at the observation tower on the top floor of Challenge Tower, which is built at an angle.

360 degree panorama

You can also see the buildings in Nagoya city.

The view on a sunny day is the best! You can overlook Moricoro Park which is mostly forest.

Next is "1st floor"

At Taiken no Yuka (Experience floor), you can experience the softness and hardness, the feel and unevenness of wood. Everyone was playing in their own way, running, sliding, and rolling.

This is "Toko-toko no Heya" for infants. Since it is exclusively for infants, small children can play slowly and safely.

Experience zone "Children's Forest" is an experience space where you can see, hear, touch and play.

The discovery zone "Asobi Lab" is a discovery space where you can play with images.

It looks a little late, let's go around it!

What kind of play should we do here? Free thinking spreads around.

At the "Robot Theater", you can watch a robot concert every 30 minutes.

My son, loves this place.

Do you know KAPLA®︎? Play by combining pieces of wood of the same size. The work that can be done is limitless. Not only children but also adults will be fascinated.

At the time of the interview, the "National KAPLA® Tournament'' was being held, and my daughter, who is in the second grade of elementary school, entered in the lower grade category. The event is apparently held every year at Aichi Children's Center.

The work that my daughter made was "temple". Cool!

Let's play more! "2nd floor"

In the Discovery Zone "Sound and Light", let's find various sounds and lights while moving your body!

Wow, there's a rainbow! Children are having a blast.

Mysterious. Please count 5 and look at the wall.

What color does sodium light turn on? You can enjoy the sound when you step on the pedestal.

Pinhole cameras and mysterious looking mirrors are also fun!

Child-rearing open space "Ano Net no Heya" is a room where parents and children and families can play. A row of toys that foster creativity, such as KAPLA®︎ and building blocks. Take off your shoes and relax.

There is a nursing corner where you can change diapers.

There are many wooden toys. The staff will also introduce how to play.

In addition, you can have various experiences at the "Asobi no Studio", and the restaurant "Shunsai" sells bento boxes as well as eat-in, so you can have fun all day long.

There are also desks and chairs, so you don't have to worry about finding a place to rest. At the time of the interview, it was not possible to use it due to COVID-19, but there is a water play space outside.

Large glass windows on the first floor. The south entrance is outside here, and you can go out to the big Ferris wheel.

Get a "re-entry ticket" at the south entrance outside!