Summer is here and what could be the best way to cool off the summer heat than to go swimming and enjoy the water. Fortunately, Tokyo offers abundant water parks where family and friends can go for a refreshingly cool getaways. Here are some of the water parks accessible from central Tokyo:
Tokyo Summerland 
This is a 100-acres amusement park which is both water & theme park. It is less than 2 hours away from the city center and located in western Tokyo in the city of Akiruno.
The amusement park includes roller coaster, free fall, viking, Ferris wheel, haunted house, wave swinger, merry-go-round, ice cave, and many more.
The water-park area has both outdoor and indoor sections, with various water slides, fountains, and pools that can keep visitors entertained for the whole day. The longest lazy river is also located here where visitors can float over 2,132 winding feet. The park also has an onsen hot spring with a cave ambiance (swimwear required).
Lodging and accommodation is also available at the resort.
Water park schedule:
Tokyo Summerland is open almost all-year round, except during the winter season – from December through February.
Ticket Prices:
| Admission Fee | Free Pass | |||
| Regular Price | Summer Price | Regular Price | Summer Price | |
| Adults (Ages 13-60) | ¥2,000 | ¥3,500 | ¥3,000 | ¥4,500 |
| Children (Ages 7-12) | ¥1,000 | ¥2,500 | ¥2,000 | ¥3,000 |
| Infants/Senior Citizens (Ages 2‐6 / 61 and over) |
¥1,000 | ¥1,800 | ¥1,500 | ¥2,000 |
※ Regular Period: March to June | October to November | Summer Period: July 1 – September 30
※ Admission Ticket: This ticket includes Admission + use of Adventure Dome (Indoor Pool) +Adventure Lagoon (Outside Pool, opens during summer season only) + Water slides (excluding DEKASLA).
※ Free Pass Ticket: This ticket includes use of facility available with the Admission ticket + use of DEKASLA (opens during summer season only) + unlimited ride on rides (excluding some part of rides, coin-operated rides).
Access:
■ From Shinjuku Station take Chuo line for Ome or Okutama Station. Get off at Haijima Station (About 40 mins).
> From Haijima Station transfer to Itsukaichi line for Akigawa Station (3rd stop about 10 mins).
> From Akigawa Station public transportation is available by bus or taxi.
> By bus take the bus bound for Tokyo Summerland (About 10 mins).
Additional Information:
Address: 600 Kamiyotsugi, Akiruno-shi, Tōkyō-to 197-0832
Phone：042-558-6511
Website: www.summerland.co.jp
Yomiuri Land Water Amusement Island 
よみうりランド (Yomiurirando) located on the hillsides of Inagi City, which is about an hour away from central Tokyo is one of the larger and well-known Japanese amusement parks. The park offers over 25 types of attractions including modern thrill rides and water fumes as well as kid-friendly rides.
The park also opens its water park in the summer time. The water amusement island which is also know to locals as WAI offers several pools including an Anpanman-themed kids’ pool and various sliders featuring the Giant Sky River which stands at 24.5 meters and has a 386 meters downhill runway, navigable only with the use of a four-seater inflatable ring.
Special Events are also held throughout the summer including various shows, synchronize swimming performances, and summer water races.
Water park schedule:
July 01 to September 11, 2016 | 9:00 – 17:00.
Ticket Prices:
| Pool admission ( Amusement park + Pool admission) |
1-Day pass with pool (Amusement park + Pool admission + unlimited rides) |
|
| Adults (ages 18 – 64) | ¥3,200 | ¥6,000 |
| Junior and senior high school students | ¥2,500 | ¥5,300 |
| Children (ages 3 – elementary school) | ¥2,100 | ¥5,000 |
| Silver (ages 65 & above) | ¥2,000 | ¥5,300 |
Access:
■ Keio Line
> From Shinjuku Station, it takes about 32 minutes to Keio-Yomiuri-Land Station
> It It takes about 5 min by ropeway “Gondola Sky Shuttle” from Keio Yomiuriland Station to the park gate.
※ Gondola Sky Shuttle : 300 yen (one way)
■ Odakyu Line
> From Shinjuku Station, it takes about 28 minutes to Yomiuri Land-Mae Station.
> From Yomiuriland-mae Station public transportation is available by bus.
Additional Information:
Address: 4015-1 Yanokuchi, Inagi-shi, Tokyo 206-8725
Phone：044-966-1111
Website: www.yomiuriland.com
Toshimaen Water Park 
This amusement park is located in northern Tokyo, in Nerima, is owned by the Seibu Group and boasts both a full scale theme park and waterpark.
The amusement park includes carousel, flying pirates, flying carpet, flume ride, bump cars, roller coasters, train rides, and many more. There is also an arcade and an insect museum for visitors who is not a fan of rides.
The water park, which is open during the summer season, has 26 water slides and 6 different pools of various sizes for various ages. A unique attraction is the Nautic Jet water slide, where visitors ride in a boat and then lands with a splash in the pool.
The park also includes a luxury day spa facility, Niwanoyu (different admission fee from the amusement park).
Water park schedule:
July 02 to August 31, 2016 | 9:00 – 17:00.
Ticket Prices:
| Admission | Admission + Rides |
Admission + Kids Rides |
Water Park | |
| Adult (more than junior high school students) | ¥1,000 | ¥4,200 | ¥2,900 | ¥4,000 |
| Children A (height more than 110cm) | ¥500 | ¥3,200 | ¥3,000 | |
| Children B (height less than 110cm) | ¥2,400 | ¥2,000 |
※ Children B (less than height 110Cm) should be accompanied by an adult (20 years old or more).
※ Available play facility in the Kids Rides includes: Carousel Eldorado | model train | Mystery zone | Anne Chick Car | Children’s Forest | Car merry-go-round | haunted house | Sky Train | Jungle House | mirror House | Anpanman Happy Sky |Animal Cup | snappy | ☆ mini flume ride | ☆ mini cyclone | ☆ Frog hopper | ☆ Rockin tag | ☆ butterfly Zehnder | ☆ mini Eagle
※ ☆ mark of the facility will be available from more than height 90cm
Access:
■ Seibu Ikebukuro Line
> From Ikebukuro Station, about 14 minutes to Toshimaen Station
> About 1-minute walk from the station.
■ Toei Oedo Line
> From Shinjuku Station, about 20 minutes to Toshimaen Station.
> About 1-minute walk from the station.
■ Seibu Yurakucho Line
> From Nerima Station, about 2 minutes to Toshimaen Station
> About 1-minute walk from the station.
Additional Information:
Address: 3−25−1 Koyama, Nerima-ku, Tōkyō-to 176-8531
Phone：03-3990-8800 | 03-3990-4126 (Toshima Hotspring)
Website: www.toshimaen.co.jp
Tobu Super Pool 
The Tobu Zoo is a hybrid amusement park located about an hour away from central Tokyo, in the city of Saitama. The park consists of an amusement park, a zoo area, and leisure pool complex which is open during the summer season.
The amusement park is situated on the east side of the park is sectioned into three areas: Liberty Land, Pleasure Land, and Heartful Land. The theme park attractions cater to visitors of all ages.
The zoo makes up most of the west side of the park and comprises of different animal worlds such as Monkey World, Cat World, Bird Dome, and petting zoo forest among others.
The Tobu Super Pool can also be found on the west side of the park near the Doggy Village. The water park includes various pools and sliders. It also has a lazy river and a wave pool with giant jets that spew water high into the air and in the direction of bathers.
Water park schedule:
July 16 to September 04, 2016 | 9:30 – 17:00.
Ticket Prices:
| Admission Fee | Pool Admission (Admission + Pool) |
1-Day Pass (Admission + Unlimited Rides + Pool) |
|
| Adults (Junior high & above) | ¥1,700 | ¥2,400 | ¥4,800 |
| Children (ages 3 & up) | ¥700 | ¥1,100 | ¥3,700 |
| Seniors (ages 60 & above) | ¥1,000 | ¥1,700 | ¥3,700 |
| Ride Ticket (1 ride) | ¥300 – ¥1,000 |
Access:
■ From Shibuya
> Take the direct express train on the Hanzomon Line at Shibuya Station to Tobu-Dobutsukoen Station. (About 80 mins)
> From Tobu-Dobutsukoen Station, walk about 24 minutes (2 kilometers).
■ From Tochigi
> Take the express train on the Tobu Nikko Line at Tochigi Station and get off at Minamikurihashi Station. (About 40 mins)
> From Minamikurihashi Station transfer to the Tobu Nikko Line for Tobu-Dobutsukoen Station. to the Tobu Nikko Line. (About 10 mins)
> From Tobu-Dobutsukoen Station, walk about 24 minutes (2 kilometers).
Additional Information:
Address: 110 Suka, Miyashiro-machi, Minami Saitama-gun, Saitama
Phone：048-093-1200
Website: www.tobuzoo.com
Showa Kinen Park: Rainbow Pool and Water Playland 
国営昭和記念公園 Kokuei Shōwa Kinen Kōen in the city of Tachikawa is located in the western suburbs of Tokyo is about 60 minutes away from the city center. It is a massive 163 hectares park and is considered as a paradise for families as it offers a wide range of activities to choose from – cycling, boating, playing sports, picnicking, flower and plants viewing, or just simply relaxing.
During the summer season, the park also offers a refreshing deep into its outdoor pool. The Rainbow Pool and Water Playland is located in Zone C which is near the Waterfowl Lake and the Nishi-Tachikawa Gate. There are nine different kinds of pool as well as an impressive selection of water slides and wave machines in the Rainbow Pool while the Water Playland houses five shallower pools which are best suited for small children.
Water park schedule:
July 16 to September 04, 2016 | 9:30 – 18:00.
Ticket Prices:
| Pool Rates | Group Rates | Sunset (entry after 14:00) | Pool Passport | |
| Adult (ages 15 or older) | ¥2,300 | ¥1,900 | ¥1,150 | ¥6,200 |
| Children (elementary & junior high school) | ¥1,200 | ¥900 | ¥600 | ¥3,100 |
| Young children (ages 4 & older preschool) | ¥300 | ¥200 | ¥150 | ¥700 |
| Maternity (Pregnant Women) | ¥500 | ※ Maternity – please present Mother & Child Handbook ※ Silver – please present ID confirming age |
||
| Silver (ages 65 or older) | ¥500 | |||
※ Rates includes park entrance.
Access:
■ Nishi-tachikawa Gate
> From Tokyo/Shinjuku Station, take Chuo Line bound for Ome and alight at Nishi-tachikawa Station. (About 35 mins)
– Walk for about 3 minutes (200 meters).
> From Tokyo/Shinjuku Station, take Chuo Line bound for Takao and alight at Tachikawa Station. (About 30 mins)
– At Tachikawa Station, transfer to Chuo Line bound for Ome and alight at Nishi-tachikawa Station. (About 3 mins)
– Walk for about 3 minutes (200 meters).
■ Tachikawa Gate
> From Tokyo/Shinjuku Station, take Chuo Line bound for Takao/Ome and alight at Tachikawa Station. (About 40 mins)
– Walk for about 15 minutes (1.2 kilometers)
Additional Information:
Address: 3173 Midori-cho Tachikawa City, Tokyo 〒190-0014
Phone：042-528-1751
Website: www.showakinen-koen.jp