Fourteen FREE (artificial) water play areas, plus two with a fee, that are open from Golden Week in Saitama Prefecture. Some of them will close after Golden Week and reopen in the summer, but there are at least ten on this list that will remain open now until Autumn. You will will also find even more water play areas in the free map in this post.
Waterplay includes paddling pools, wading streams, babbling brooks, wading rivers, splash pads, fountains and jets that are artificially or wo/man made. That is, it does NOT include natural rivers. It also doesn’t include pools, there is a separate post for the seasonal outdoor swimming pools and aqua parks. Most of the places listed in this post are commutable from Tokyo and FREE in. For further details on any park listed, please click on the link for full information on that park.
Water Play Areas currently open in Saitama Prefecture
Map of locations with Water Play in Saitama:
1. Ageo Maruyama Park 上尾丸山公園水遊び
Ageo Maruyama Park is one of our personal favorites. There is a lot to do in the park and in the month of June you can see beautiful hydrangea and iris flowers. Moreover, this wading river has a good bit of shade. The water play area, the park, the parking, even the (small) zoo are free at this park. It often features in the Walker magazine, it has been listed as the 3rd most recommended park for families in the Greater Tokyo area in the past.
Water play hours: this wading river is actually open all year round. During the summer months you can use it between 9 am and 5 pm. However, every month it closes for 3 days in a row, Tuesday to Thursday, in the middle of the month for cleaning.
Further information about the park on the Official website or in English on this website.
2. Kamihira Park 上平公園水遊び
Also in Ageo, Kamihira Park ‘s wading river and splash pool water play area is popular in Saitama. The water is graduated between ten and thirty centimeters. There is shade in some parts. The roses in the park are coming into bloom now. This park and its facilities, including the wading river, are for the most part free. There are times when the arena in the park has an entry charge. The park is approximately a one hour drive from Tokyo.
Water play hours: They have split it into two “seasons” this year. To what end I don’t know! But there are more random closure days in the first ‘season’ than the second. The first is from April 26th to July 18th. The second season starts July 19th until August 24th. The hours of use are 10 am to 3 pm only. There will be times that it closes suddenly due to weather or a large event at the park.
More information about the park on the Official website or in English on this blog.
3. Shiroyama Park 城山公園水遊び
Shiroyama Park in Okegawa city usually turn on the water in their wading river at the start of Golden Week, but this year they are starting it from May 1st. But they will have a special water play event in August this year. There is a really nice barbecue area in this park. They made quite a few improvements to the park a couple of years ago. The wading river and the park are free with free parking. Tennis courts and the barbecue area have charges. This park is also about one hour from Tokyo.
Water play hours: from May 1st to September from 8.30 am to 5 pm. There maybe times due to weather or other mitigating factors that the water play area closes.
More information on the official website or on this blog in English.
4. Kitamoto Children’s Park 北本子供公園水遊び
The excellent Kitamoto Children’s park start their water play area during Golden Week. Actually this year it was on during cherry blossom season too, as the weather was warmer than normal. This water area has some nice grass areas beside the wading river. The stream starts from a rocky fountain and ends in a small pool. The wading water is shallow, covering just your feet, but the small pool is deep enough to cover a child lying flat.
Water play housr: from April until the end of September. It is available from 9.30 am to 5 pm, except on the fourth Monday of the month when it is closed for cleaning. Again, there maybe times when they don’t turn the water on due to weather or other mitigating factors.
More information on the official website or on English on this blog.
You might also like – 15 things to do in June:
Water Play in Saitama, Golden Week and Beyond
5. Isanuma Park
The water play area at Isanuma Park was closed throughout the pandemic. It was sorely missed. It opened in 2023 for the first time in almost four years. This year they haven’t put the dates online like they usually do, but it opened sometime in the last week of April! The park is relatively small, but its much used. And the water play area is a nice one, with a babbling brook in the shade and the shallow splash pad in the sun.
Water play hours: Late April until the end of October. It closes on Tuesday and Friday mornings for cleaning.
More information on the official web page or on English on this blog.
6. Gyoda Suijo Park
The splash pad at Gyoda Suijo Park is quite basic, but it is free to use. Moreover, it does what it is supposed to: cool you down a bit on a hot day! A nice feature of this splash pad is that they light it up in the evenings on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Furthermore, it is located in front of the picturesque and child friendly Vert Cafe. Vert cafe is the green building in the background in the below video from Gyoda City.
Water play hours: According to Gyoda City, the “Jyabu Jyabu Ike” splash pad opens early May. It is on daily between 9 am and 4.30 pm. Light up on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays is from 6.30 pm to 9 pm.
Information in Japanese on the official website. And more information about Vert Cafe in English on this blog.
7. Aobadai Park
Asaka City usually opens the water play area in Aobadai park on the first public holiday of Golden Week, April 29th. The water play is closed four times a month for cleaning – usually on Mondays, but occasionally a Tuesday if the Monday is a public holiday. It is a very popular and busy water play area. It has some unusual playground equipment. There is actually some nice wisteria in this park too
Hours: As above, they close it most Mondays for cleaning. It operates from 10 am to 4.30 pm.
8. Piala City Central Park
The splash pad is quite small, but the jets of water will help keep children cool. It is beside the playground, which looks very nice. Unfortunately, this is one location I have not been to myself yet and I was unable to find much online in English to share. I have linked the official website, that has Japanese language only.
Hours: From Golden Week to the end of September. According to the official website it is open from 9 am to 6 pm except on bad weather days and days the center is closed.
Washinomiya popjet also open from April to early September.
9. Kamiya Comprehensive Park
Kamiya Comprehensive is a sports and general park. It has a nice skate park for young children. The playground is really nice too. We have actually been back since 2015, but the only photo I have of the water play area is this one from 2015, when it was under construction! Thankfully, since then they’ve put in a gazebo with shade. But the splash river is mostly in direct sunlight.
Hours: Usually from Golden Week to September 30th. It will close two to three days a month for cleaning and maintenance. They will announce the dates on the:
Official website, which is unfortunately a bit buggy at the moment. Hopefully they’ll fix it in the coming days. More information in English.
10. Wakaizumi Sports Park
Be careful with this one: it is only open for Golden Week and then closes again until around mid June. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you’ve probably noticed that I go to Honjo City a lot! Even though its a good hours drive from my home. But Honjo is so scenic, especially in spring. I was in this park briefly back in 2020, but it was out of season and I didn’t get any photos of the splash pad. In summer, they also spray mist in the park to help you keep cool! Since 2024, there’s a brand new playground too!
Hours: open Golden Week and then again from mid June 15th to mid September. From 9 am to 4.30 pm.
11. Matsubushi Midori no Oka
Matsubushi is a town in Eastern Saitama on the border of Noda City in Chiba. It is on a manmade hill. The Matsubushi Midori no Oka in the town is known for its seasonal flowers. In addition, before the pandemic, they held some really nice events for families. There is a really nice playground for kids too. The wading stream at Matsubushi Midori no Oka normally opens in early May annually. The cooling jets will be on from mid July to the end of summer.
Hours: Golden Week and then usually from July to September, but in 2026 it seems to be open daily since Golden Week. The cooling jets usually start mid July.
Official web page on the Matsubushi town website.
12. Shinrin Park Wading River
There are two completely different water play areas in Shinrin Park. This is the smaller of the two; a wading river near the central gate. It is called “Keiryu no Hiroba”. It is open almost daily from Golden Week, but will close one to two Thursdays a month for cleaning. This wading river is beside the park’s hydrangea which should bloom around mid June. There is a nice rest area beside it too.
Hours: from Golden week to end of September.
Official website. More information in English including which dates the wading river is closed for cleaning.
13. Tokorozawa Sakura Town
The water feature in front of the stunning Kadokawa Culture Museum is not just for aesthetics. It has a practical use too! In summer, they allow people use it as a wading pool. And this year it is open earlier than normal, from the start of Golden Week. Tokorozawa Sakura Town is a really good place to spend a day during the hot weather as they have so much on offer indoors. Then, outdoors they have this wading pool AND they blow cooling mist from the torii of the Cool Japan shrine in summer too.
Hours: from Saturday Golden Week to the end of September.
Official page on the Sakura Town Website. More information in English.
14. Seseragi Park
There is a scenic water play area in Konosu at Seseragi Park. The water play area is a manmade stream that leads to a wider splash pool area. There are some small bridges along the way, including a small moon bridge. There are two gazebo by the wading river, that offer shade, and another by the playground and at least one in the green area. If you’ve ever been to the Saitama Prefecture Driver’s License center, which is right across the road, you may have spotted the steam locomotive displayed in this park!
Hours: I read in a Konosu brochure that is open from early May to October, but I have seen it on outside those dates.
Official web page, which unfortunately doesn’t specify dates. More photos and information in English.
Bonus Content – (artificial) water play areas that have a cover charge / entrance fee. They relate to number 15 and number 16 on the map:
15. Museum of Rivers
The Museum of Rivers is open all year round. And their water athletic playground is open most of the year too. Their water athletic playground “Waku waku land” is a lot of fun, but there is a time limit and a charge. It is very reasonable though. However, they also have a “free” (included in the museum entrance fee) outdoor water play area with two splash pools, a splash pad and a little wading area.
Water play hours: The free water play area is open from 9 am to 5 pm, Tuesdays to Sundays. However, the times of the water play area “Waku Waku Land” are fixed. There are 7 sessions during the summer at 9.30, 10.40, 11.50, 13.00, 14.10, 15.20 and 16.30. However, during the pandemic the sessions are only 45 minutes long, that is 20 minutes shorter than normal. Please note the museum, thus the water play area, is closed on Mondays.
More information on the official website or in English on this blog.
16. Water fes at Sayama Ski Resort
Since 2021, Sayama Ski Resort has a “water fes” from around Golden Week until the end of the summer. If you are looking for somewhere indoors to play with water (that is not a pool) this event maybe of interest. However, you have to pay to enter the water play area. There are two giant indoor water sliders on the ski slopes. There is also a small water play area.
Water fes hours: from the end of April annually. However, after Golden Week and until summer holidays the resort is closed on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. During Golden Week and Summer holidays the water slider park is open daily. The base hours are from 10 am to 5 pm. There are dates when they will open later.
Information, including costs, on the official website or in English on this blog.
From June
- Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park.
- Yamazaki Park splash pond (Fujimi)
- ⇗Mizuhodai Park water play area (Fujimi)
Another feature with even more water play areas in Saitama will come later in the month. On the blog since around 2012 . Ref water-play-saitama/, republished annually during the pandemic due to all the changes. R1220520.
Hi Lynda,
Thank you very much for running the blog – I read it often, and all of your info is much appreciated by our family who are relatively new to Saitama.
Just some extra info for Toda/Kawaguchi. Kawaguchi Nishi park also have their river turned on now, which is good for small children to splash around in. Aeon Kawaguchi Maekawa has a small water fountain that recently opened (water sprays coming out of the floor – I guess the same as the pop jets at Cocoon city), and Warabi park will likely turn on their small river soon (if they haven’t already).
Here’s hoping that the children’s pools open up fully this summer!
Cheers!
Hi S, thank you so so much for that information and for your kind words. Your support really means a lot to me and all and any feedback are always welcome. I added the Kawaguchi spots to the map and a little note in the body of the post for readers to take a look at your comment. Things are looking good for summer pools this year too, hopefully they will open as planned, because pools are the only way I survive Japan in summer!! I hope you and the kiddies have lots of water fun this year. 🙂