Aoba Kouen "Bluebird Park" Has Wide Gravel, Dirt And...

Chitose, Japan

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Posted:  Thursday, January 10
Runner:  Jim Bitgood

Aoba Kouen "Bluebird Park" has wide gravel, dirt and paved paths all around the park. It also has narrow footpaths through the woods if you don't mind getting lost for a few minutes. There are no distance markers, so you can run any route you choose, but you have to figure out the distance. As with most city parks in Hokkaido, it also has a very nice baseball stadium (2 actually), soccer fields, rugby fields, tennis courts and some really fun childrens' playgrounds. But you have to get there early before the kids take over. The only drawback is that from anywhere it is uphill to get into the park. The nicest route is up the Ohayo Bridge from the Cycling Road following the switchbacks into the park. The Nikko Hotel is only a quarter mile or so from an entrance on the opposite side. Other large hotels are a little further away. But you can find the river and then the Cycling Road from any hotel in the downtown area.

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