Classification of Parks and Urban Parks

Classification of Parks

Generally, what is called a "park" can be broadly classified into constructed parks and regional parks. Constructed parks are represented by urban parks based on the Urban Park Law. Constructed parks are facilities created and publicly opened by the national or local governments after acquiring land rights within a certain area, tailored to specific purposes. Regional parks are represented by natural parks based on the Natural Parks Law. Regardless of land rights within a certain area, the national or local governments designate that area as a park, with the main purpose of preserving the natural landscape through land use restrictions and prohibitions or limitations on certain activities.
The classification of "parks" is summarized in the table below.

Role of Urban Parks

Urban parks are fundamental facilities of the city that serve various functions, including providing recreational spaces for people, forming a good urban landscape, improving the urban environment, enhancing urban disaster resilience, ensuring biodiversity, and creating rich community interaction spaces.

Types of Urban Parks

Urban parks vary in scale and type, ranging from those for local residents to those for broader use. They are categorized according to their functions, purposes, and target users, as shown in the following table.

Community Core Park

Type	Contents
Neighborhood Park	A park intended primarily for the use of residents living within the block, with a standard area of 0.25 hectares for each location within a radius of 250 meters.
Nearby Parks	This park is intended for use primarily by residents of the nearby area, with one park designated for each neighborhood within a 500-meter radius, and a standard area of 2 hectares per park.
District Park	This park is intended for use primarily by residents living within walking distance, with a standard area of 4 hectares allocated for each location within a 1-kilometer radius.
Designated District Park	Parks (country parks) aimed at improving the living environment in certain towns and villages outside the urban planning area, with a standard area of 4 hectares or more per location.

Urban Core Park

Type	Contents
Comprehensive Park	A park intended for the comprehensive use of urban residents for rest, appreciation, walking, recreation, and exercise, with a standard area of 10 to 50 hectares per location, depending on the size of the city.
Sports Park	Parks primarily intended for the use of urban residents for exercise, with a standard area of 15 to 75 hectares per location, depending on the size of the city.

Large Park

Type	Contents
Wide Area Park	A park aimed primarily at meeting the wide-area recreational needs that extend beyond the boundaries of a single municipality, with a standard area of 50 hectares or more per location based on broad regional units such as local living areas.
Recreation City	This area is designed to meet the diverse and selective demand for wide-area recreation arising from large cities and other urban areas. Based on comprehensive urban planning, it focuses on regions with a good natural environment, with large parks as the core, where various recreational facilities are arranged. It is located in a place that is easily accessible from large urban areas and other urban regions, with a standard overall size of 1,000 hectares.

National Park

Type	Contents
National Park	For large-scale parks established by the national government for the purpose of providing broad regional use that primarily exceeds the boundaries of a single prefecture, a standard area of approximately 300 hectares or more should be allocated per location. For those established as national memorial projects, they should be set up with content appropriate to their purpose.

Buffer Green Spaces, etc.

Type	Contents
Special Park	Special parks such as scenic parks, botanical and zoological parks, historical parks, and cemeteries are arranged according to their purposes.
Buffer Green Space	This green space aims to prevent and mitigate pollution such as air pollution, noise, vibration, and unpleasant odors, as well as to prevent disasters in industrial areas. It is necessary to position it in locations that separate and block pollution and disaster source areas from residential and commercial areas, according to the situation of pollution and disasters.
Urban Green Spaces	This green space is established primarily for the conservation and improvement of the urban natural environment and the enhancement of urban landscapes, with a standard area of 0.1 hectares or more per location. However, in cases where there are good forested areas in existing urban areas or when green spaces are created to increase or restore greenery in the city through planting, the scale shall be set at 0.05 hectares or more. (This includes those developed on leased land without urban planning decisions and designated as urban parks.)
Greenway	To ensure evacuation routes during disasters, as well as the safety and comfort of urban life in city areas, green belts will be established to connect neighboring residential areas or neighboring residential areas with each other, primarily consisting of pedestrian paths or bicycle paths. These green spaces will typically have a width of 10 to 20 meters and will be arranged to connect parks, schools, shopping centers, and station squares.

Urban Forest

Type	Contents
Urban Forest	In urban areas and their surrounding regions, sufficient consideration will be given to the protection, conservation, and restoration of the natural environment in areas with substantial forested land, and facilities for activities such as nature observation and walking will be provided as necessary.

Square Park

Type	Contents
Square Park	Facilities for users to rest in areas where commercial and business land use is concentrated in the city center, as well as landscaping facilities that contribute to the improvement of the urban landscape, will be primarily arranged.