Inage Seaside Park Pool

Lots of water attractions, but beware the extra costs!

Inage Seaside Park Pool actually goes by a few names. There's Sunset Beach Park Inage, 稲毛海岸公園プール (Inage Kaigan Koen Pool), and "Inapoo" which is a very typical way of combining words in Japanese (Inage + pool) but looks quite concerning in English. Anway, it is a large water park on the shore of Tokyo Bay in Inage, part of Chiba City. Built right next to the beach, it features a range of pools and water-based attractions to play in. Unsurprisingly, it is very popular in the summer. It is quite spacious given its urban location and the attractions are both impressive and fun. My kids and I enjoyed the pool with a waterfall gushing in, the widespread kid pools, the large water playground for kids with a giant bucket of water that tipped on us, and the copious sprinklers. The wave pool was also pretty fun, though the waves aren’t actually “on” all the time.  A DJ playing songs to match the rhythm of the waves during the windows the waves roll is actually genuinely entertaining. All of those occupied us enough that we didn't end up seeking out the large water slide (my youngest wasn't quite tall enough for the 120cm requirement) or the current inflatable slide that costs extra to use anyway. All in all, the attractions are a lot of fun and well worth trying out if you're a water lover. There were some downsides that potential visitors should be aware of, however. The entrance fee to the park is not unreasonable, but the “extras” are very overpriced, often absurdly. The food is unimpressive, and the vendors vary in their level of politeness. There is no shade to speak of, though you are allowed to set up tents and/or leisure sheets in the clear spaces designated. Shaded chairs are available to rent, though with prices starting at 3000 yen, it’s probably cheaper to actually buy your own tent.The main thing my children objected to was the mandatory 30 minute break at 12:00pm; while the usual 10 minute breaks on the hour are just a part of Japanese pool etiquette, the extended one felt a bit much. The toilets were also surprisingly filthy, and weirdly separate from the locker rooms. We had a solid 2-3 hours of fun and probably could have stayed longer. We went on a weekday morning in July and it was still pretty bustling, though it was very straightforward finding space for ourselves, whether that be in the car park, the locker rooms, or to sit. The crowds in August, particularly on weekends, are meant to be quite formidable. Pack sunscreen, and bring as much of your own stuff as you can. Happy splashing!