Ride tiny Ferris wheels in time-capsule parks
These small amusement parks, with a handful of gentle rides on a rooftop or a hill, have run for decades and feel like a trip back to the mid-20th century. Ride the little Ferris wheel for a view of the town or the mountains, then try a carousel or a miniature train. Many close one day a week or in winter, so check the operating days before you go.
A small park in Hakodate, a port city in southern Hokkaido, whose low Ferris wheel is said to be the oldest in Japan, with bench seats instead of closed cabins. From the top you see the Tsugaru Strait, the sea between Hokkaido and Japan's main island, and below are small rides to wander between. It opens only from mid-March to late November.
A tiny amusement park on the roof of the building at JR Kamata Station in southern Tokyo, running since the mid-20th century. Its small Ferris wheel lifts you just above the neighborhood rooftops, and a little train-shaped ride circles below. Rides stop on days with a heatstroke alert, so in midsummer check before you go.
An old-time amusement park at the foot of the Yoro mountains in western Gifu, about an hour from Nagoya by train. Its little Ferris wheel has no windows, so you feel the breeze as you look out over the hills, and the rest of the park is a row of classic rides such as an animal carousel. It is closed on Tuesdays and for some weeks in winter, so check the calendar on its website.
A tiny amusement park on a small hill in Kanuma, a town in Tochigi on the way to Nikko. Its Ferris wheel looks out over the town, and old rides such as a fairy-tale train and a mechanical wooden horse sit among cherry trees and azaleas that bloom in spring. Entry is free, but it is about a 30-minute walk from Shin-Kanuma Station, so a taxi is easier.