水の森公園, Public park in Sendai, Japan
Mizunomori Park is a large city park in Sendai, spanning the Aoba and Izumi districts around two reservoirs set within pine forests. Footpaths link the two water bodies and wind through the forested areas, making the whole park easy to explore on foot.
The park grew out of the Sendai Nature Recreation Forest's Sankyo district, a 45.97-hectare national forest opened to the public in 1971. The Marutazawa dike was built around 1615 for Ueyagari village, and the Sankyo dike in 1706 for 18 villages. The city planned Mizunomori Park in 1980 and expanded it to 103.1 hectares in 1991.
The park's two ponds, Marutazawa-tei and Sankyō-tei, were built as irrigation reservoirs, in the 1610s for Ueyagari village and in 1706 for eighteen villages downstream. On the north bank of Marutazawa-tei stands the only kiln of Tsutsumiyaki pottery, a prefectural traditional craft since 1982, and classes are held at the campsite office. The Mizunomori Hotaru no Kai holds a firefly festival in early July along the campsite's water channel.
Access is mainly by private car or bus; the free car park at the Uwadani-gari entrance holds 103 vehicles. The park spans Aoba and Izumi wards, and the walking courses are marked: the east circuit runs about 1,460 m and the west circuit about 1,730 m, the latter with steep climbs at the bridges over the Toritaki River. The campsite closes in winter, and hunting and fishing are prohibited.
On the north bank of Marutazawa Pond stands the only kiln of Tsutsumiyaki pottery, a craft designated a Miyagi Prefecture traditional handicraft in 1982 and recognised as a Japan Heritage property in 2016. Pottery classes are held at the campground office. Until about 1965, locals rented rowing boats to anglers on the ponds, a business that closed as housing development worsened the water quality.
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