Hot and humid summers make me want to go for a swim. Days of rain and cold weather in early spring keep me indoors too long and yearning for somewhere bright, big and airy where I can exercise freely. Dream Pool Kawachi fits the bill. It is indoors, under a dome roof, half-encircled by glass. Between the glass and a donut-shaped pool, some deck chairs are set up like at a beach resort. Dream Pool Kawachi is as much for play as it is for exercise. Indeed, it is a great family-friendly city pool.
The facility includes a 25 meter pool with 8 lanes free swim area and walking area (1.4 meters deep), the 55 meter round donut-shaped pool with a current, a curving tunnel waterslide, two children's paddling pools; the deeper of the two (60 cm) also has a child's water slide, a sauna and a hot tub.
Water wings and kick boards may be borrowed freely. ,The pool water is tepid for the indoor pools and although the indoor area is expansive, and under a dome, even on the coldest winter day, the air is not chilly. Perhaps all the sunlight that comes in warms the place up. If you like hot, perhaps during a break when the life guards ask everybody get out of the pools, you can warm up in a Jacuzzi hot tub or sauna. I like the large waiting area from which you can easily view the entire swimming complex. Chose your refreshment from assortment of vending machines either in that room or in the adjacent vending machine area.
You will need to remove all jewelry and make up before entering the pool area, and be sure to wear a swim cap. If you forget to bring one, you can buy one at the reception desk.
The changing area has many lockers, benches, free hair-driers, a machine to take the moisture out of your wet swimwear and hot showers in stalls (bring your own soap and shampoo.
Affordable!
Children Junior High school age and younger residing or studying in Utsunomiya are free, and adults are just Y510 for up to two hours with each additional hour costing Y200. Tickets are sold through a vending machine and if don't read Japanese, , the staff at the reception area can help.
Once you have your tiny paper ticket in hand, scan it to get through a gate, then you will reach a step where you must remove your shoes. You will need your ticket once more to use a locker. Slip it in a slot, and the key will come out. Don't forget to take your ticket out of that slot upon leaving, as you will need the ticket to get out the gate.
Getting there could be half the fun!
Weather permitting, the pool would make for a pleasant cycling destination, pleasant in that there are no hills to climb, the roads are wide, and near the pool you can see some sweeping views of fields and the mountains to the north; rental bicycles are available at Utsunomiya Station. On the way back, I passed #71 bus, so it appears you could get there by bus from JR Utsunomiya Station. By car, the pool is about a thirty minute drive north of Utsunomiya Station. The parking lot is huge. The pool itself is in an athletic park, so in nice weather you may go for a pleasant walk as well as swim. One hot day a few years ago, I took my toddler to this pool one summer day only to find that toddlers in diapers cannot enter; I have a fond memory of playing in the water fountain outside, near the entrance in a shaded area with benches.
Open late, but don't go on Monday!
The pool is open Tuesday through Saturday 10 am til 9 pm, on Sundays and holidays 10 am til 6 pm, and closed on Monday. On weekdays, when most kids are at school, older adults take up half of the largest pool doing aqua-aerobics. On the occasions when I visited, even on weekends, it was never so crowded that I couldn't enjoy the facilities
