Toyama Prefectural Urban Parks Park-PFI Simultaneous 4-Park Offering — Prefecture-Led Business Design
Toyama Prefecture simultaneously implemented Park-PFI public offering in November 2023 for four prefectural parks (Jouganji River Park / Gofuku Park / Iwase Sports Park / Taikoyama Land) and decided operators on February 9, 2024 (Iwase Sports Park received no applications). Explains the prefecture-led business model deploying multiple parks simultaneously under Park-PFI.
TL;DR
- Toyama Prefecture ran simultaneous Park-PFI offerings (November 2023) for 4 prefectural parks (Jouganji River Park / Gofuku Park / Iwase Sports Park / Taikoyama Land)
- Selection committee on February 9, 2024 decided operators; Jouganji River Park's 'BBQ TERRACE' and Taikoyama Land's 'Adventure Garden Imizu' among the deployments, while Iwase Sports Park received no applications
- Simultaneous multi-park Park-PFI deployment led by prefecture represents a nationally new business pattern
Project Overview
Selection dates / certified plan submitters / business content for 4 parks
Simultaneous Offering
4 parks
Jouganji/Gofuku/Iwase/Taikoyama
Operator Decision
Feb 2024
committee Feb 9
No Applications
1 park
Iwase Sports Park
Toyama Prefecture implemented simultaneous Park-PFI (Public Offering Management System) offerings in November 2023 for four prefectural urban parks (Jouganji River Park / Gofuku Park / Iwase Sports Park / Taikoyama Land). On February 9, 2024, the selection committee convened; Jouganji River Park received 3 proposals, Gofuku Park received 1, and Taikoyama Land received 1, while Iwase Sports Park received no applications, and operators for the three parks with applicants were decided.
Following the decisions, "BBQ TERRACE" now operates at Jouganji River Park, Daiwa Lease Co., Ltd. (Toyama Branch) develops dining facilities + a wooded plaza + parking at Gofuku Park, and "Adventure Garden Imizu" (opened April 13, 2025) operates at Taikoyama Land (Prefectural Park).
Prefecture-Led Model
Institutional positioning and business design when prefecture serves as implementing entity
Under Park-PFI, the implementing entity can institutionally be national government, prefecture, or municipality. However, the majority of nationwide Park-PFI cases involve municipal parks (municipal entities), and prefectural park cases (prefectural entities) are relatively few.
The Toyama Prefecture case represents a landmark business model for prefecture-led Park-PFI. Prefecture-led implementation has three characteristics. First, target parks tend to be either wide-area (spanning multiple municipalities) or large-scale (over 10 ha). Second, business scheme approval requires prefectural assembly approval, tending to take longer than municipal entities. Third, business budget entity is the prefecture, and business scale can be larger than municipal parks.
Toyama Prefecture's choice of a large-scale model of simultaneous 4-park offering reflects intent for prefecture-led business efficiency. Between conducting 4 separate offerings versus 1 simultaneous offering, administrative costs differ significantly across offering design, selection committee, and operator briefing sessions. Simultaneous offering contributes to procedural efficiency.
Characteristics of Simultaneous 4-Park Offering
Business efficiency + wide operator acceptance + zero-application park risk
Beyond business efficiency, simultaneous 4-park offering yields two effects. First, expanded options for applicant operators. Operators can either specialize in the park with the highest anticipated business viability or apply to multiple parks. Second, prefecture gains a learning effect from comparing application status when making selection judgments.
However, simultaneous offering introduces the challenge of application variance. In Toyama, Iwase Sports Park received no applications, and its offering did not result in a selection.
| Park | Proposals | Selection Implication |
|---|---|---|
| Jouganji River Park | 3 proposals | Relative comparison possible in committee |
| Gofuku Park | 1 proposal | No relative comparison; standalone acceptance judgment needed |
| Taikoyama Land | 1 proposal | No relative comparison; standalone acceptance judgment needed |
| Iwase Sports Park | No applications | No operators applied; offering unsuccessful |
Explicitly clarifying acceptance criteria in advance for standalone proposals that meet business requirements is necessary.
Individual Business Schemes
Specifics of BBQ TERRACE (Jouganji River) + Gofuku Park (Daiwa Lease) + Adventure Garden Imizu (Taikoyama)
Jouganji River Park's "BBQ TERRACE" is an outdoor leisure-specialized business scheme centered on barbecue facilities. Leveraging the river park's location conditions, it captures day-trip and family visitor demand.
Gofuku Park's selected operator is Daiwa Lease Co., Ltd. (Toyama Branch), with a stay-oriented design developing dining facilities + a wooded plaza + parking that leverages the park's green location.
Taikoyama Land (Prefectural Park)'s "Adventure Garden Imizu" is a business scheme that regenerates the underused Red Roof Gallery with a self-service café + book-trade space + challenge shops (opened April 13, 2025). It utilizes existing prefectural park spatial resources as a complementary design.
Implications for Other Municipalities
Prefectural park Park-PFI applicability conditions and difference from municipal parks
Three points to consider by prefectures referencing the Toyama Prefecture business model.
First, while both prefectural and municipal parks fall under Park-PFI's target, prefectural parks have wide-area and large-scale characteristics, differing from municipal parks in business scheme selection and business budget design. When considering prefecture-led business models, explicitly recognize this characteristic.
Second, simultaneous multi-park offering contributes to business efficiency but bears the risk of application variance affecting selection accuracy. Clarify standalone proposal acceptance criteria in advance and prepare to prevent selection committee discussion confusion.
Third, prefecture-led Park-PFI often requires collaboration with municipalities as a precondition. Since prefectural park location and utilization deeply involve municipal residents, incorporate processes reflecting municipal opinions in offering design.
Park-PFI Complete Guide
Comprehensive explanation of the system, procedures, and cases
Hisaya-odori Park Independent-Accounting Park-PFI
The business scheme of Japan's largest-class Park-PFI
Park-PFI vs Designated Manager System
Differences, use cases, and combination patterns of the two systems