"Moriwaku market" in Yoro-cho and Wanouchi-cho in Gifu Prefecture reopened in July 2019 as "Mori no Wakuwaku no Niwa (Forest Wakuwaku Garden)"!

A wide variety of playgrounds using wood from all over Japan, such as bouldering and mazes, have been added to the vast site of each facility exceeding 1,000 tsubo. These two wood education facilities were born from the idea of "We want them to play with all their might as if it were their own garden!"

Play on wooden athletics, relax on the lawn, eat delicious gourmet food, and read. It is a spot where parents and children can play all day even on rainy days. This time, we will report on two stores, the Yoro store and the Wanouchi store.

Grow your heart 
“Mori no Wakuwaku no Niwa Store”

First of all, I would like to introduce you to "Mori no Wakuwaku no Niwa Wanouchi Branch (hereinafter referred to as "Wanouchi Branch"), which is located 40 minutes by car from Nagoya.

The feature of the Wanouchi Branch is the spacious artificial turf that spreads all over. Based on the theme of "Overlooking the mountains", the central space is covered with artificial grass and shaped like a small hill. It is so comfortable that both adults and children will want to lie down.

Added a playground with plenty of wood!

Along with the renovation, a variety of playgrounds using wood from all over Japan were added. The kids were playing full of energy while every area was wrapped in the scent of trees! I will introduce them in order.

"Playground area" with a big slide

First of all, this is the "playground area". The Wanouchi branch has the largest slide. In addition, it is an area where you can play with blocks, challenge bouldering, and have fun.

"Wooden Maze" where you can keep an eye on your child

Next to the "Playground Area" is the "Wooden Maze". The height of the wall is set to the child's size, and a stepping stone is installed outside the maze. Parents can keep an eye on their children from above, which gives them peace of mind.

"Multi-purpose area" where even small children can relax

This is the "multi-purpose area". It is carpeted, so even small children can relax. You can enjoy wooden rides and hula hoops. There is a bench at the boundary with the aisle, so you can take a break here.

In part of the multi-purpose area, you can also enjoy traditional Finnish play "molkky". A game in which a wooden stick called molkky is thrown from a designated position to knock down the pin ahead. It is so popular in Finland that it even hosts world championships. Adults can enjoy it too!

Let's have a pillow fight! "Pillow Forest"

"I want to throw pillows to my heart's content!" This is an area filled with plenty of pillows containing wood scraps from Gifu Prefecture. The pillows are handmade by the staff and dyed with tree bark.

"Sukusuku area" where small children can play safely

“Sukusuku area” where even small children can play safely. There is a mini jungle gym and ball pool. Even small children who can't play on a big slide can have fun with this!

Surprisingly, at the back of the "Sukusuku Area" there is also a nursing room and diaper changing space. It seems that the design reflected the opinions of the female staff at Mori no Wakuwaku no Niwa. I was impressed by the thoughtfulness of the facility, which even had a water server for powdered milk.

"Ball pool" wrapped in the scent of wood

Another popular area is the ball pool. The holes in the floor are full of round wooden balls! The inner wall is a magnet, and it is full of tricks such as rolling the ball like a slide and putting the ball inside the wall.