Guinness World Records awards designation to Shizuoka town after thorough measuring of dimensions.

Thee aren’t too many more obvious examples of dreaming big than trying to set a world record. For the town of Nagaizumi in Shizuoka Prefecture, though, their entry into the list of world record holders was achieved by thinking small.

On February 25, a representative of the Guinness World Records organization visited Nagaizumi and certified that the smallest park in the world is located within the town. Just how small is it? Well, you can see the park in the Google Streetview image below.

And no, you don’t have to change the viewing angle to see the park. Still having trouble spotting it? It’s right here!

▼ A video visit to the park

https://twitter.com/GWRJapan/status/1894295145870495890

Yes, this tiny little green space is officially designated a park by the Nagaizumi municipal government. Its total area of just 0.24 square meters (2.59 square feet), which, Guiness helpfully explains, is less than two A3-size sheets of paper. So basically the park takes up less space than an unfolded newspaper. Guiness points out, however, that it has an entrance, grass, and even a “bench,” though you could make the argument that a bench that only seats one person and has no backrest is really more of a stool.

https://twitter.com/GWR/status/1894394245319987679

Guiness does everything by the book, so its representatives had to perform an official survey of the park, which required only a tape measure, and less than 50 centimeters of its length at that.

▼ “Following a strict examination, the Guiness World Records organization recognizes Nagaizumi’s park, with an area of 0.24 square meters, as the smallest in the world,” the representative said.

Nagaizumi’s park was originally constructed in 1988, but it wasn’t until December of last year that was officially designated a park by the city government, under the logic that it’s a green space where people (or a person, at least) can rest and relax. That governmental designation seems to have been a prerequisite for eligibility for the world’s record, though some Japanese online reactions still aren’t sure they’d call it a park.

“Oh, wow, this is close to my house. I’ve seen it, but I didn’t know it was a park.”
“So it’s a park that only the person who shows up first can use?”
“That aint no park.”
“It’s so cute.”
“It looks like a really luxurious hamster grave.”
“I wanna have a picnic there.”

If you too would like to hit the park up for a picnic, here’s where to find it on Google Maps…

…and there’s even a gelato shop just a little up the street, if you want to pick up dessert on your way.

Just remember that if you’re picnicking with a friend, you’ll need to take turns sitting down.

Source: Guinness World Records via Hachima Kiko, Twitter/@GWRJapan, Daiichi TV
Images: Guinness World Records
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