Don’t Sweat it in Summer! Head to Sawamura Public Pool!
Everyone knows that summer in Japan is hot. Very hot. Sitting in a valley between two mountain ranges, Matsumoto is certainly not spared the summer heat with the daytime temperature sometimes rising over 40°C or 104°F and above. Thankfully, evenings typically bring a refreshing breeze and the city is surrounded by a beautiful landscape blessed with pristine rivers and waterways, should you wish to take a dip. Alternatively, you can do as the Japanese do and escape the heat by going to the local Sawamura Public Pool.
Matsumoto City Sawamura Pool
Located to the north of Matsumoto Station, around 25-minutes walk from Matsumoto Castle, Sawamura Public Pool is open daily during summer. The main 25-meter outdoor pool has a depth of 120 to 135 centimeters while the children’s pool is only 50 centimeters in depth. The pool is popular with families and children are allowed to bring tubes and other floating devices with them.
Sawamura Public Pool is open daily during summer
Visitors are requested to shower upon entering and exiting the pool. The showers are very cold and strikingly refreshing in their own right! – while vending machines are also on hand selling drinks. Coin lockers are available for JPY50 per use, which is returned to you upon return on the key.
Coin lockers are available for JPY50
Admission Fees & Opening Hours
The outdoor pool is suitable for visitors of all ages, with admission costing JPY200 for adults and JPY100 for children (aged 6 to 16). Children aged 6 and under can use the facilities free of charge. The pool is open from June until September from 11:00 to 17:00, with extended hours of 09:00 to 19:00 in July and August. Visitors can also take advantage of multiple use deals including 12 tickets for JPY2000 (adults) and JPY1000 (children).
JPY200 for adults and JPY100 for children (aged 6 to 16)
Explore the Surrounding Area or Join a Tour!
The Sawamura Public Pool is located next to Sawamura Park and tennis courts. Just to the north of this area, you’ll find rice fields, orchards and gardens as you transition out of the central city and into more rural areas. Under 5-minutes drive or a 20-minute walk from the pool, Satoyama Doors offers joint accommodation and a café serving good coffee, meals and snacks. Well-suited to families with children, Satoyama Doors includes a play area for young children.
Okada District located to the north of the swimming pool
The hot spring area of Asama Onsen is also nearby. This historic area includes multiple hotels with in-house “onsen” (hot springs) with cafes and art galleries dotted through the neighborhood. Should you be interested in exploring the precinct, our “Handmade Soba-making & Fresh Wasabi Lunch” experience takes place here. In the heat of summer, making your known soba (buckwheat) noodles by hand is a great way to take yourself indoors and substitute the sting of the summer sun with the zing of freshly grated wasabi served with your handmade noodles!
Place Yourself in the Shoes of a Japanese Soba Master