I promised myself I would explore south of Nishi Kasai and today that’s what I did!

I went by the Edogawa Baseball Stadium, various parks and pools, across footbridges over major highways, and past the Edogawa Coastal Baseball Stadium and eventually came to Rinkai Park.

The first thing you notice is the big wheel.  It’s really big.  I’m pretty sure it’s bigger than the one in London.  It costs 700 yen per person per rotation and I was tempted, but I wanted to get to the seafront while I still had light left (I started out in the early evening).

There were lots of green grassy areas, wooded areas and pools, it was quite a quiet tranquil place to walk about – or would have been but for the noise of the starlings and cicadas going through their evening concertos.

There’s an area for barbecues – full of groups of young people, grilling away – then beyond that you can actually see the sea.

There are little mini-rivers and islands between the sea-wall and the wide open bay itself, but you can cross over the bridge.

Then you arrive at the beach.  Golden sands it ain’t but there is an area protected by a spit which is safe for bathing and swimming.  In the distance you can see central Tokyo to the west and the hotel complex that serves Disneyland to the east.

There are some small, distinctively Japanese trees, there is a monument marker to something or other (Wetland Conservation Monument, apparently) and not really much else.

It is easy to pick out the landmarks of Disneyland – fairy-tale castles and a volcano!  Beyond Disneyland lay the Chiba headland, protecting Tokyo Bay from the bare Pacific Ocean.

To the southwest, I could make out a bridge for the highway to Haneda Airport – I couldn’t see the airport itself but I could see the planes landing and flying out.

To the northeast I could see a tall dome structure with some sunshade sails outside it.  Still not entirely sure what it was.  Maybe an aviary?

I started making my way back.  The big wheel was starting to light up now as the sky got darker, and I passed the closed Tokyo Sea Life Park.

The walk down had taken about 45 minutes and not really wanting to repeat the experience, I was happy to find a bus station (outside a railway station) with a bus that went directly back to Nishi Kasai in only 13 minutes.

While the signs might have misrepresented the beach slightly, they were absolutely right about the Tokyo summer.  I was absolutely drenched in sweat by the time I got back home.  I’m glad I didn’t set off in the morning or midday!