Tips for Kyoto/Tokyo area

I'm on a few month trip to Japan, and will spend a bit over a month in Kyoto and about two weeks in Tokyo area. Does anyone know, what would be reasonable places to do some gymnastics -related training in these cities? Hopefully places that would have rings, parallel bars and such.

Thanks!

I highly recommend Chikara CrossFit in Tokyo.  They are excellent and will most certainly make you feel welcome.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

I actually found a park in Tokyo that had rings and parallel bars.  A bunch of older guys worked out there every morning.

Also, Chikara Crossfit is a sweet name.

mark said:

I actually found a park in Tokyo that had rings and parallel bars.  A bunch of older guys worked out there every morning.

Really? Where was that?

I've also been to Tokyo and I havent found any place like that. oO

Same question, where?

I have been living in Japan for almost 12 years and I've found maybe 2 parks that have high bars. I train currently in one of them, where I can also hang my rings. Children sized low bars are everywhere though, since all children practice gymnastics elements at school and many can do pullovers, naners, etc. but they usually don't consider it an adult thing, unfortunately.

Parallel bars are even more rare. I find it ridiculous and in Brazil at least "the bread and butter" of high bars and parallel bars are everywhere.

I live in Nagoya which is the third biggest city in Japan and still, I haven't found good parks with bars. I wish we had a gym like Chikara crossfit here. Despite of being an advanced country, Japan is quite outdated concerning to fitness and A LOT of adults are extremely sedentary, so I often " own" the bars in the park I train, since usually nobody else is there exercising . Also, most of the young generation is extremelly weak, so I hope Coach can divulgate GST more and more here.

Thanks for the Chikara tip, coach! And Mark, would love to hear the location of that park you mentioned!

I found it while jogging through higashi-ginza on a business trip.  I'll google map it and see if I can find it.  The rings were metal, and smaller in diameter than normal.  But I did a couple muscle-ups and some dips, chatted with the old guys.

Might have been that park south of the Imperial Palace.

One great thing about Japan is the many playgrounds and parks everywhere. I lived in Funabashi for 4 months, and I had park with an exercise track on my way to school.

I really miss many things about Japan. But not the humid summers, their horrible bicycles (lol) and traffic.

Chikara CF has a $35 drop in fee after the initial free. Yikes.

I've been looking for a gymnastics place near Yokosuka, Yokohama and Tokyo. Bummed out. Nothing really.