This Park in Nagaizumi, Japan, Is the Smallest in the World

"Measuring just about 2.58 square feet—roughly the size of four standard U.S. sheets of paper—this micro-park sits atop a square of bricks in a residential patch near the town hall of a small community about two hours southwest of Tokyo. Despite its minuscule footprint it features verdant grass, stone carvings and a tiny bench that locals often use and visitors photograph; the town had already been calling it the "world's smallest" before Guinness World Records officially certified it on Feb. 25 after professional surveyors verified the dimensions. The idea dates back to 1988, when a municipal staffer visited a celebrated tiny park in Portland and inspired the creation of an even smaller green space, and local officials say they plan to keep maintaining the site with community involvement while making the landscaping more social-media friendly." - Rachel Chang Rachel Chang Rachel Chang is a travel and pop culture journalist who contributes to Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines