Shiawase No Mura Athletic Park

Shiawase No Mura, or the “Village of Happiness,” began as a social experiment to help integrate a growing elderly population with the rest of society. The large, green area of grounds northwest of the center of Kobe includes an extensive athletic park, with nice sidewalks for running and walking. A perimeter loop around the village’s main roads is just under 4.5 km, but there are many other paths to add on for a more substantial run. There’s also a running track just north of the Shiawasenomura Pool.

Additional facilities in the park include a pool, gymnasium, running track, Japanese Garden, and numerous athletic fields.