Odawara City Ocean Water Pool, Miyukinohama (‘beautiful fortune’ beach), Odawara, c. 1960.
By the turn of the 20th century, the Odawara area had become a famous holiday destination area known for its mild climate and scenic seashore beauty. But the offshore waters were not safe for swimming. There is a steep, sudden drop-off into deep water close to the sands at Miyukihama. So, in July 1931 Odawara City opened a sea-water pool on the beach and named it “Odawara City Ocean Pool”.
Renovated several times because of typhoon damage and beach erosion, the pool was relocated further inland in 1970. The swim park now includes an Olympic-size adult pool, a separate pool for grade school- and junior high school-age students, and an infant pool.