Zenpukuji Sakura Park

(3.5÷5 stars overall)
Unilocal 100 Challenge 2016 — ²⁴⁄₁₀₀
It’s unusual to Review a small pocket park in a residential neighborhood, but upon closer examination, I was both delighted and excited to feel this place is definitely worthy.
Why? Huh? Why?!? Well, parks are the safe, modern places to provide some controlled opportunity to «experience and interact» with nature, right? Most places you’ll passively enjoy the trees, flowers, maybe some wildlife. Of course there’s a bit of that here. BUT, this park is designed to be experienced with… your feet — preferably bare-​footed at that!
Read on…
Highlights:
— Design: 4.5÷5 stars (it’s a landscape architect’s college project turned real — wacky concept created in real life! Why else would they call it «Barefoot Oasis?»)
— Instructions: ⁴⁄₅ (take off your shoes (socks on or off up to you); start on the left side after examining the huge stone foot showing therapeutic pressure points on the soles; walk up the gentle slope in a clockwise direction; note and feel the changing textures underfoot — can you make it all the way around? You’ll see what I mean, you’ll see…)
— Amenities: ³⁄₅ (greenery hedges around two sides for protection from the street; a few round stones in the back center; gates on each corner; round grassy area in the middle; no restrooms; minimal lighting at night)
— Access: ³⁄₅: (bus, bicycle or walk from JR Nishi Ogikubo or Seibu Shinjuku Shakiji Kōen stations. Either way, hard to find so use the Unilocal app)
OK, so not much description of the park experience. What are we walking (barefoot) on? Were we therapeutically stimulated? The photos will give a bit of a hint but walking/​feeling is believing, right?
Oh, and it IS called sakura (cherry blossom) park, so maybe you’re supposed to gain visual and inner peace with the flower viewing? Stay tuned in the coming weeks as the sakura begin to bloom in mid/​late March. I’ll go back to get photos.
Watch your step — ever-​changing terrain underfoot!
P. S. Try this in the spring or summer. In the winter (when this Review was written), you might decide to wear thicker socks. Don’t catch cold!
P. P. S. A water faucet is provided to wash your feet afterwards — bring your own towel though.