Seagaia Ocean Dome (Japan)

The Seagaia Ocean Dome was the world's largest indoor waterpark, located in Miyazaki, Japan. The Ocean Dome, which was a part of the Sheraton Seagaia Resort, measured 300 metres in length and 100 metres in width, and was listed on the Guinness World Records. It opened in 1993, and visitor numbers peaked in 1995 at 1.25 million a year. Entrance cost was ¥2600 per adult and ¥1600 for children (roughly 30 and 20 USD in 1995 respectively) Japanese yen, depending on the season. The roof of the structure was retractable in four sections.

The Ocean Dome sported a fake flame-spitting volcano, artificial sand and the world's largest retractable roof, which provided a permanently blue sky even on a rainy day. The air temperature was always held at around 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) and the water at around 28 (82 degrees Fahrenheit).

There are quite a few differences between the Ocean Dome and the ocean, among them the heated indoor pool, the kids’ pool, the floating pool, and the three fast and thrilling water slides. Everyone feels like a child when playing in the water.

Within the dome, there are shops where you can rent the latest in swimsuit fashions or whet your appetite with drinks, fast food, light snacks, or full-scale restaurants that serve up the best in local Miyazaki cuisine.

The Ocean Dome is only one part of the Sheraton Seagaia Resort, which except for the obvious hotel (Sheraton Grande Ocean Resort), also has tennis courts as well as golf courses on the premises, and there is even a zoo nearby. The zoo does keep an impressive collection of animals, ranging from ring-tailed lemurs to indian wood storks.

Miyazaki is only a breath away by plane, 1 hour 30 minutes from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport and 1 hour 5 minutes from Kansai International Airport. Buses to Seagaia leave from Miyazaki Airport as well as from the JR Miyazaki station, and take less than 30 minutes. The company official website is http://www.seagaia.co.jp/english/activity/index.html