“BATON PARK” offers a space where you can relax by the river in the middle of the city

From the Edo period to before the war, Tokyo was a city of water transport, with many canals networking like a spider’s web. Nowadays, many of the waterways have been filled in, making it hard to imagine that there used to be rivers there, but place names such as Sukiyabashi and Hatchobori remain as vestiges of that time.

In Marunouchi, the Nihonbashi River, a tributary of the Kanda River, is on the border between Kanda and Otemachi, and together with the inner moat of the Imperial Palace, it forms the waterfront landscape of the Marunouchi area. A pedestrian bridge is currently being built to connect Kanda and Otemachi, and is scheduled to be built as Nakadori Walking Bridge in 2025. When this bridge is completed, Kanda and Otemachi will literally be connected, and it is expected to create new bustle.

On the Otemachi side of the bridge, the pedestrian-only Otemachi Kawabata Greenway has been hosting “BATON PARK-KAWABATA-RYOKUDO-2024” since October 14th as a social experiment to verify the future of the bridge as a junction between Kanda and Otemachi after the Nakadori Walk Bridge is built. This is the third year for “BATON PARK,” and it features a space where people can spend time however they like, including Kanda stores opening branches in Otemachi, a children’s playground, a grassy plaza, an outdoor library, and workspaces.

This time, I visited BATON PARK on the first day and enjoyed the atmosphere of the venue, Otemachi Kawabata Greenway Route 8. The greenway is divided into five areas: the Entrance Zone, Shop Zone, Lively Zone, Living Zone, and Play/Event Zone. Let me introduce each zone.

Entrance Zone

A big BATON PARK sign has been set up in the entrance zone, and a venue map has also been provided so that visitors can easily find their way there.

Shop Zone

This is a shopping zone where 20 stores, including Kanda stores, antenna shops, bakeries, etc., change every day. At the time of the interview, the “Kanda Indigo Association,” which is made up of indigo dyeing artisans from Kanda Kon’yacho, where many indigo dyeing artisans live, was setting up a booth to introduce the artisans and their products.

Busy Zone

A lively zone with tables and chairs. You can relax in tents, hold meetings, or use it as an outdoor workspace. Food trucks are also set up.

Living Zone

In the living zone, you can relax on the grass and enjoy music. You can take off your shoes and relax in the middle of the city.

Play/Event Zone

The play/event zone is equipped with table tennis and other facilities that allow you to easily exercise, so it’s a good place to refresh your body after a long day at the office. In addition, wooden toys are provided for children to enjoy on weekends, and mothers with small children gather there.

BATON PARK KAWABATA-RYOKUDO-2024

“BATON PARK KAWABATA-RYOKUDO-2024” is open from 11:00 to 17:00 on weekends and holidays, but from 11:30 to 20:00 on weekdays. Alcohol is also served from food trucks in the evening, so it’s a great place to stop by on your way home from work.

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● “BATON PARK-KAWABATA-RYOKUDO-2024”

• Implementation period: 13 days from October 14th (Monday, holiday) to October 26th (Saturday), 2024 Weekdays 11:30-20:00, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 11:00-17:00
• Cancelled in the event of rain or bad weather
• Implementation location: Otemachi Kawabata Greenway Route 8 (near Otemachi 2-3, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (along the Nihonbashi River))
• How to use: No prior reservation required