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June 12, 2012 - Most Extreme Elimination-like obstacle course near Tokyo!
Summon your inner Tarzan!
I discovered Shimizu kouen whilst in search of a friendfs recommendation to another obstacle course of sorts in Yokohama. She had me at gjumping across water structures but most of the time just falling in.h Ding ding ding! Figuring myself in for a smashingly good time, my companion and I set out for Northern Chiba on a fine Sunday afternoon for what is dubbed as gthe largest obstacle course in Japanh with over 100 obstacles. Otherwise known as fuiirudo asurechikkusu in Japanese, these courses are a type of outdoors activity that would serve no legal purpose in the good eol US of A (though the courses do meet basic safety requirements). They are situated all throughout Japan, I suppose as a way to combat obesity and prepare future game showers for Most Extreme Elimination Challenge or Wipe Out. Or concussions.
Upon arrival at beautiful Shimizu kouen station, I was first struck senseless by the senseless number of children. Then again, the occasional brave parent and unconventional couple broke up the lines of infants. After renting obnoxiously tight shoes (an absolute must) and donning our miniature numbered bibs, we made a beeline for the recommended course out of the three offered: the water course, a course with 20 obstacles, most of which are suspended over a frigid lake of brown scum. For the next hour, we swung, jumped across unstable rafts, and found ourselves in awkward positions with ropesc and then there was me. While a normal person might want to avoid the frigid brown lake of scum, I really had no choice. Blessed with undeveloped arm muscles, I found myself submerged, count eem, FOUR TIMES after failing to hold on to a rope.
Seriously, the most fun I've had in awhile and only a short trip from Tokyo!
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