Inokashira Park, Metropolitan park in Mitaka and Musashino, Japan.
Inokashira Park is a metropolitan park spanning Musashino and Mitaka in western Tokyo, with an area of 428,389.99 m2. At its center lies Inokashira Pond, a Y-shaped body of water about 43,000 m2 fed by springs, with a boat area and a fountain jet. The pond is edged by cherry trees and a low concrete bank with a dark metal railing.
The park opened in May 1917 as the first suburban park in Japan and marked a shift toward modern city planning in Tokyo. The spring supplied fresh water to the capital since the early 1600s.
The name Inokashira is linked to shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu, who is said to have named the Kanda Aqueduct source and carved the word on a nearby tree; a stone monument marks the spot. Merchants and kabuki actors donated the stone lanterns and Uga-jin statues around Benzaiten. Since 2007 the Inokashira Park Art Markets system has licensed street performances and sales.
The entrance is a five-minute walk from Kichijoji Station and easy to reach. Boats and sports facilities require separate fees, and parts of the park are accessible for wheelchairs.
A small shrine to Benzaiten, the goddess of water and music, stands in the pond. Locals believe that couples who row together will later break up.
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