Mottainai Japan: Abandoned pools

With the start of the summer outdoor pool season in Japan, I am lamenting the loss of one or our local outdoor pools / water (aqua) parks. It is just one of many abandoned pools in Japan. For many of those pools, it started with the pandemic. They couldn't open in 2020 due to a stay-at-home directive. But then one by one they announced they would never open again.

Many cited the old age of the pools. In my opinion, the pandemic would have been a great opportunity to spruce up some of the older pools. But instead they decided to abandon them. There were a couple of places who did use the pandemic time to improve their facilities. But unfortunately far more decided to call it quits. Adding to the already abundant numbers of abandoned pools and / or water parks in Japan.

That I am aware of EIGHT outdoor pools or water (aqua) parks closed permanently in Saitama Prefecture during the pandemic. A further three haven't officially announced that they are closing permanently, but they haven't been open since 2019. Of the eight that were closed, one was the principal Prefectural pool, that was located in Ageo. They started to tear it down a couple of years ago.

But not all of them are torn down. Some towns and cities have repurposed their pools. For example, in Moroyama, their old public outdoor pool is now a lotus flower colony! But the vast majority are left standing idly, teasing us, reminding us of wealthier and more populous days in Japan! It feels like such a regrettable waste; 'mottainai' as they say in Japan.