What I Learned Walking There with My Shiba Inu by the River
Reading time: about 7 minutes
Hello.
I’m a guy in my 50s from western Japan who writes a small personal blog.
Have you ever had a day like this?
“I just feel like walking somewhere with a river today.”
One day recently, that was exactly how I felt.
To say the conclusion first:
Kinchakuda Manjushage Park turned out to be a very pleasant place to walk with a dog.
There’s a river, wide open sky, and plenty of space to walk slowly.
It’s not a flashy tourist spot, but for a relaxing walk, it’s actually a really nice place.
Parking costs 500 yen.
To be honest, when I first saw the name of this park,
I couldn’t even read it.
But after visiting, I found myself thinking:
“Hey… this place is actually pretty nice.”
And only after returning home did I realize something.
This park is known as
the largest cluster of red spider lilies in Japan.
I had absolutely no idea.
So today, I’d like to share a story about that walk,
and a few things you might want to know if you’re visiting with a dog.
Who This Article Is For
- People who want to walk somewhere with a river together with their dog
- Those who prefer a quiet park rather than a crowded tourist spot
- Anyone wondering: “It says dogs are allowed… but what’s it really like?”
- People looking for somewhere relaxing to go on a weekend
Conclusion
It may not be a flashy place,
but it’s a wonderful park for a peaceful walk with your dog.
Basic Information About Kinchakuda Manjushage Park
Location & Access
The park is located in Koma-Hongo, Hidaka City, Saitama Prefecture.
It’s about a 15-minute walk from Koma Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line.
The park sits on a flat area surrounded by the Koma River,
and the total area is about 22 hectares.
Seasonal Highlights
I visited in March, which is the off-season.
It was very quiet.
For a slow riverside walk, it was actually the perfect time.
- Spring → Cherry blossoms
- Autumn → Red spider lilies (Manjushage)
- After that → Cosmos flowers
It seems to be a park where the scenery changes beautifully with the seasons.
Entrance Fee & Parking
When I visited, admission was free.
However, during the red spider lily season,
there may be an entrance fee of 200–500 yen.
Parking costs 500 yen per day.
Parking hours are 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
Important Notes When Visiting with Dogs
If you bring your dog:
- A leash is required
- Please follow basic etiquette such as cleaning up after your dog
There is also something else worth knowing.
Red spider lilies (Manjushage) are toxic to dogs.
While walking, I suddenly thought:
“What if Momiji starts sniffing or digging around the flowers or bulbs…?”
That thought made me a little nervous.
If your dog tends to eat things off the ground,
you should be especially careful.
I Just Wanted to Walk Near a River
One morning on a day off, I suddenly thought:
“I want to walk somewhere with a river today.”
No special reason.
I just wanted to hear the sound of water and walk slowly.
Then my wife said,
“I found a park that might be nice.”
That park was Kinchakuda Manjushage Park.
To be honest, my first reaction was:
“I’ve never heard of that place…”
Actually, when I first saw the name,
I couldn’t even read Kinchakuda.
“Kin… chaku… da?”
Later I learned it’s pronounced Kinchakuda.
Apparently it’s quite famous.
But well… if you don’t know it, you don’t know it.
Anyway, we decided to go.
It Was Bigger Than I Expected
You can watch the full walk in the video below.
A peaceful walk in Kinchakuda Manjushage Park with our Shiba Inu, Momiji.
👉 柴犬もみじの散歩動画はこちら / Watch Momiji’s walk
The first thing I thought after arriving was:
“Wow… this place is wide.”
The sky feels open.
The river flows slowly.
There are people around,
but it doesn’t feel crowded like a tourist attraction.
There aren’t flashy facilities.
But for walking slowly,
it’s just right.
As I walked, I thought:
“Maybe this place is actually a hidden gem.”
It’s spacious, calm, and simply pleasant to walk through.
That’s the kind of park it is.
Momiji Got Excited About the River
And there was one more creature enjoying the park.
My Shiba Inu, Momiji.
The moment she saw the river,
her excitement level shot up.
She kept walking near the water,
sniffing everything.
She was clearly in river-play mode.
Dogs really do love water.
I was just walking normally,
but Momiji was having the time of her life.
Watching her enjoy herself somehow made the whole walk even better.
I Only Realized Later That This Place Is Famous
To be completely honest,
while I was walking there,
I had no idea how special this place was.
I simply thought:
“This is a big, comfortable park.”
But after I got home and looked it up,
I learned something interesting.
Kinchakuda is a land area surrounded by the Koma River.
The shape resembles a traditional Japanese money pouch called a “kinchaku.”
That’s where the name Kinchakuda comes from.
And part of the park is famous for its
red spider lily fields.
The number of flowers?
About 5 million.
When I read that number, I literally said:
“Wait… five million?”
Because I visited outside the flowering season,
the area was just a quiet forest.
But from mid-September to early October,
the entire forest floor turns bright red with spider lilies.
People say it looks like a red carpet of flowers.
After learning that, I thought:
“So that quiet forest becomes that incredible view…?”
Maybe I missed something special by visiting in the off-season.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, I didn’t expect much at first.
I didn’t even know the park’s name.
I couldn’t even read it.
But after walking there, I realized something.
It has:
- Wide open space
- A peaceful river
- Plenty of nature
- Comfortable paths for walking with a dog
It’s simply a nice, balanced place.
Sometimes the best places are closer than we think.
Maybe life is a little like that.
Ordinary days can quietly turn out to be happy ones.
I think I’ll come back here again with Momiji.
See you next time.
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