All-weather Indoor Playground That is Popular with People From In and Out of the Prefecture
Indoor playground in Miyoshi city, “Miyoshi Morino Pokke”
Address: 456-2 Higashisakeyamachi, Miyoshi, Hiroshima 728-0023
Call: 0824-62-6811
Opened in 2017 as an indoor playground that is available regardless of the season or weather, “Miyoshi Morino Pokke” has been popular with parents and children. They only hire people who are qualified for childcare and have a lot of high-quality wooden toys, even people from outside of the prefecture use them repeatedly, not only locals.
Miyoshi Morino Pokke was opened as a wood-themed, all-weather indoor playground. All of the staff including the chief manager, Fukunaga Akemi, have a license for being a childcarer or teacher. On the first floor there is a playground called “Harappa” (a field) for 3 – 6 year old children which has large playground equipment. On the second floor there is a playground called “Komorebi” (sunshine filtering through the branches of trees) for children under 6th grade that has wooden toys, and “Hinatabokko” (basking in the sun) for 2 years old or younger. The system is popular with parents because they can let their children play with other ages. They are also one of the best playgrounds that possesses a lot of wooden toys and playground equipment. Their reputation spread rapidly and now a lot of families from inside and outside of the prefecture visit there frequently. In 2019, 2 years after opening, over a hundred thousand people total have visited. “It’s close to ’Toretta Miyoshi’ and ‘Miyoshi Asobino Oukoku’ so it’s convenient for families to visit, for example when it’s sunny they can enjoy Miyoshi Asobino Oukoku and when they are tired they can come to ‘Pokke’ and rest. Another reason for its popularity is that it’s easy for fathers to visit here, too. We have changing tables away from the nursing room so that they don’t need to worry other people’s eyes. There is a family bathroom that parents can use with their children, too. So while mom is shopping at Toretta dad can wait for her here with their children.” Fukunaga smiles.

By inspecting similar facilities in other prefectures multiple times and many consultations, Pokke became a high quality facility. “We are attached to the name of the facility, too. We asked the public what they wanted to name the facility. Something not too long and easy to pronounce for children that also sounds warm is good, so that children can easily say like, ‘Let’s go to Pokke!’” says Fukunaga with love and consideration for children. For those who like children like her and want to help the facility, they have a class to train activity volunteers. After attendance of certain programs and registration, people can be involved with reading to children and guiding handcraft activities as volunteers. A lot of people including 18 year-old students and 80 year-old people are working as volunteers saying, “I want to be a childcarer in the future so I want some experience.” “I’ve finished child caring at home so I’d like to help parents who are busy with child care.” Fukunaga says, “We have about 30 volunteers helping us when they have time, and it’s very helpful. It’s a good system for children, too,as they can learn things from people of various ages.” As Miyoshi city aims to be a place where people can have a baby safely, the facility that is made by everyone, “Miyoshi Morino Pokke” will contribute to the goal.

Information
スポット名 | Indoor playground in MIyoshi city, “Miyoshi Morino Pokke” |
所在地 | 456-2 Higashisakeyamachi, Miyoshi, Hiroshima 728-0023 |
ホームページ | https://www.city.miyoshi.hiroshima.jp/morinopokke.html |
営業時間 | Monday - Friday: 9:30 am - 4:00 pm (2 teams, a changeover every 150 minutes) Saturdays, Sundays, holidays and long vacations: 9:30 am - 4:40 pm (5 teams, a changeover every 70 minutes) |
お休み | Wednesdays and New Year’s holiday (There is a special closure for 5 days, twice a year) |
電話番号 | 0824-62-6811 |