Miyashita Park

Miyashita Park
Inside one part of the park
Location	Tokyo
Coordinates	35°39′40″N 139°42′06″E / 35.6612°N 139.7017°E
Created	1930

Miyashita Park (宮下公園 Miyashita kōen) is a park in the 6th district of Miyashita-mae, in the Shibuya Ward of Tokyo.

Summary

Dancers in Miyashita Park

Miyashita Park is situated in one of the few green spaces within the business neighborhood of Shibuya Ward, surrounded on one side by the tracks of the Yamanote Line and Saikyō Line running between Shibuya station and Harajuku station, by Meiji Street on another side, the Shibuya River (渋谷川) and Udagawa river (宇田川) (both currently used as covered drainage conduits). From the time it was opened until 1964 when the Tokyo Olympics were held, the park was above ground just as is Miyashita Street Park (神宮通り公園) adjacent to Harajuku; however, when a parking lot was set up in conjunction with the transformation of Shibuya River into a drainage conduit, the park was redeveloped on man-made land above the parking lot.

Plans by Nike to buy out the name of Miyashita Park, rename it "Miyashita Nike Park", install skateboarding grounds and a cafe, and remove local homeless squatters from the park have caused some controversy recently.^[1][2]

History

• 1930 Through a project by the city of Tokyo, Miyashita park is opened in the space between Meiji Street, Yamanote Line, Udagawa river and Shibuya river.
• 1964 All at one time, Shibuya river next to the park is converted into a drainage conduit, Miyashita park is moved onto man-made land, and a parking lot is built below it.
• 2006 A new futsal court is established.

References

1. Habitat International Coalition, July 4, 2008.
2. Scilla Alecci, Nike buys out name of public park, Global Voices Online, September 12, 2008.