Makinogaike Ryokuchi, Public park in Meito, Japan
Makinogaike Ryokuchi is a prefectural urban park in Meito Ward, Nagoya, with a small portion in Tempaku Ward. The park spans about 1.2 km on each side, and roughly half of its area is occupied by the Aichi Country Club golf course. Its name comes from Makino Pond in the northern part, a reservoir built in 1646 for irrigation.
The park was created in the 1940s as a green buffer for air defense purposes and opened to the public in 1957. The central lake itself is much older, having served as an irrigation reservoir since the 1600s.
The park is popular with birdwatchers, as the lake and surrounding greenery attract many species throughout the year. The quieter corners along the water are where visitors often linger the longest.
The park covers a large area, so it helps to decide in advance which part to focus on, whether the lake, the sports facilities, or the playgrounds. The paths are easy to walk and accessible to most visitors.
The pond is fed by the same irrigation system it once supplied: it was dug in 1646 and remains the largest reservoir in Nagoya, covering 16 hectares. Its name was standardized as Makino-ike only in 2009, when the Geographical Survey Institute corrected the maps; locals still campaign to rename the park Makino-ike Ryokuchi.
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