Minami-Senju is not a popular area of town for tourists. It is right in the middle of Tokyo's 'Shita-machi', older neighborhoods of the working class. This area of Minami-Senju, however, is brand new and so is Shioiri Park. 
Shioiri Park has all the basics: baseball fields, tennis courts, large grassy lawns, picnic & BBQ areas, and an excellent playground. Located along the Sumida River, there is also a lovely cycling course. I was also impressed that although the riversides are concrete, they left a nice section of reeds right at the waters' edge.
I was surprised by, a huge, beautiful, traditional-style building that sits between the park and the Tokyo Metropolitan College of Industrial Technology. It is actually the 'Shirahige Nishi Pump Place', a water treatment facility. What a way to hide an unsightly necessity! (It is the large building on the left below).
Minami-Senju hosts a very large train freight depot. The Shioiri Park area lies just beside it, and the entire area, including all of the residences (mostly high-rise condos), are very new. I don't know what the area was before, but its 'renewal' is very impressive.I recommend this park for those who want some wide-open space, but don't want to travel very far to find it!
The park is a short walk or bus ride from Minami-Senju Station. There is also reasonably priced parking available.
By the way, keep your eye out for English language tourist brochures of Arakawa Ward. They are excellent. I would never have know about this park if I hadn't read about it in their brochure.
2 comments:
Good to see pictures of Shioiri Park from three years ago (before I moved to Minamisenju).
Now, the trees are a little bigger and there are more new apartments. I jog there every other day. :)
Oh me too. I live a few mins from this park. Wish there were more bars in MSenju though
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