If you want to take a stroll around this park in Japan, you will have to be very nimble on your toes.
A park roughly the size of four sheets of paper in Japan’s central prefecture of Shizuoka was recently crowned the world’s smallest, according to Guinness World Records. Despite measuring just 2.6 square feet, the recreational space offers a stool made up of a block of wood held up by a rock, with a little bush encircling it. From afar, it could easily be mistaken for a bonsai, an example of the Japanese art of manicuring miniature trees.
The park is a short walk from the town hall of Nagaizumi, about 68 miles southwest of the capital Tokyo. The previous official world’s smallest park was Mill Ends Park in Portland, Oregon, which helped inspire the Japanese contender that officially took the title on Tuesday, according to Guinness.
When a Nagaizumi local was on vacation in the US, “they found the previous record holder for the smallest park,” Shuji Koyama, a team leader of the town’s construction division, told Guinness. “So, they wanted to create an even smaller park.”
Locals have been referring to it as the world’s smallest park since it was built in 1988, despite a lack of official recognition. To qualify for the Guinness title, Shizuoka officials brought in a certified surveyor to measure the park.
Koyama told Guinness World Records he was relieved that the park was finally recognized. “We want to continue maintaining the park with the community, as well as creating a landscape that is more social media friendly, so that even more people will find attractions of our town,” he said.
