Japan's Oldest Working Ferris Wheel
The Hakodate Park Kodomo no Kuni Ferris Wheel (函館公園こどものくに空中観覧車) is a Ferris wheel of 1950 in Aoyagicho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido, and was registered as a Registered Tangible Cultural Property (structure) on December 5, 2019 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
The Agency records a steel structure 10 metres high with legs 2.2 metres apart, moved here in 1965; registration number 01-0155.
A Small Wheel Moved from Onuma Park
The Hakodate Park Kodomo no Kuni Ferris Wheel turns in Kodomo no Kuni, the small amusement park inside Hakodate Park (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Hakodate City says it was built at Onuma Park in 1950 and moved to its present site in 1965.
A wheel 8 metres across hangs between 2 posts, with 8 gondolas suspended from its rim (Agency for Cultural Affairs). Hakodate City points out the octagonal wheel and its bench-type gondolas for 2, a rare design in Japan.
Why It Was Registered
The Agency describes a wheel built from pairs of steel angles set back to back like spokes, tied into an octagon at the rim and at 2 intermediate rings, and calls it rare as the oldest Ferris wheel surviving in Japan; it was registered as a model of design. Hakodate City calls it the oldest such wheel still in service.
What to Look For
Look at the octagonal wheel of steel angles and the bench-type gondolas (Agency for Cultural Affairs; Hakodate City). At only 10 metres high, the whole frame can be taken in from close by.
Visiting
According to the Kodomo no Kuni website, entry to the park is free and each ride is paid for with a ticket. The park closes in wet weather and from late November to mid-March; check the operator for current hours and fares.
Q&A
- When was the Hakodate Park Ferris wheel built?
- In 1950 at Onuma Park; it moved to Hakodate Park in 1965 (Hakodate City).
- Is the Hakodate Park Kodomo no Kuni Ferris Wheel the oldest in Japan?
- It is the oldest surviving Ferris wheel in Japan (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
- Can I ride the Hakodate Park Ferris wheel?
- Yes, with a ride ticket, except in winter when the park is closed.
- How big is the Hakodate Park Ferris wheel?
- It is 10 metres high, with a wheel 8 metres across.
- When was the Hakodate Park Kodomo no Kuni Ferris Wheel registered?
- On December 5, 2019 (Agency for Cultural Affairs).
Basic Information
| Name | Hakodate Park Kodomo no Kuni Ferris Wheel (函館公園こどものくに空中観覧車) |
|---|---|
| Location | 17 Aoyagicho, Hakodate City, Hokkaido |
| Designation | Registered Tangible Cultural Property (Structure) |
| Year Designated | Registered 2019/12/05 (Reiwa 1) |
| Quantity | 1 structure |
| Dimensions | Steel, 10 m high, legs 2.2 m apart |
| Owner | Hokkai Kogyo Co., Ltd. |
| Public Access | Rides during the amusement park season (fare charged) |
References
- Hakodate Park Kodomo no Kuni Ferris Wheel (Database of National Cultural Properties, Agency for Cultural Affairs)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/heritage/detail/101/00013012
- Registration of the Kodomo no Kuni Ferris wheel (Hakodate City, Japanese)
- https://www.city.hakodate.hokkaido.jp/docs/2019051300012/
- Hakodate Park Kodomo no Kuni (Japanese)
- https://kodomonokuni.sakuraweb.com/
Last verified: 2026.10.15