Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park, Memorial park and theme park in Nagakute, Japan
Expo 2005 Aichi Commemorative Park is a memorial and leisure park in Nagakute, Japan, covering 173 hectares with several recreational zones. Large grassy areas alternate with water play sections, while a 5.1-kilometer cycling path winds through wooded sections and open fields.
The site was first opened in November 1970 as Aichi Youth Park, a prefectural recreation and children's facility marking the centenary of the Meiji era. It closed on 31 March 2002 to make way for Expo 2005, held there from 25 March to 25 September 2005 as the Nagakute venue. The commemorative park opened in stages, beginning on 15 July 2006, with the name and nickname Morikoro Park chosen by public competition in January 2006.
The park's nickname Morikoro comes from Morizo and Kiccoro, the two mascots of Expo 2005, chosen with the official name in a public competition in January 2006. The Japanese garden and its tea house Kanaretei, kept from the expo period, reopened with the park's second phase in 2007. Each December the grounds host the Aichi Ekiden, a relay race between the prefecture's municipalities, first run on 2 December 2006.
The grounds connect to the Linimo maglev line, the first of its kind in Japan, with several stations near the entrances. Parking facilities accommodate cars and buses, while paths inside remain wide and mostly accessible throughout the site.
The four-level Aichi Children's Center houses climbing structures, air tunnels, and an indoor ice skating rink open all year. The rink remains functional even during hot summer months, making it a rarity in the region.
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