Life’s a Beach

Summertime is beach time, but do you go Shirahama or Suma? What is the difference? Before options paralysis sets in, KS sorts the sand from the pebbles.

Some like it hot

It is not uncommon for temperatures to reach 35 Celsius in Japan during the summer months. Sporting a suntan is distasteful to some traditional Japanese. Whiter skin is a sign of refinement while a tan is often the preserve of wayward high school kids. Attitudes in the West to tanning underwent a dramatic shift after the Agrarian Revolution. In many countries a tan is still celebrated as the preserve of the wealthy few with time on their hands. Looking tanned cuts across age boundaries in spite of health warnings and the rising popularity of fake tan products. For those who prefer a bottle of sun protection cream to a parasol here is a pick of some of the nation’s best beaches.

Enoshima

Enoshima is a tiny offshoot of land connected to Kamakura by a rickety old train line that adds to its appeal as an urban bolthole. Reaching the volcanic sands by cable car will take pleasure cruisers to a height of 300 metres atop the island’s only mountain. From there, views of Fuji-san can be enjoyed on a clear day while the shallow waters lap against a typical Japanese shoreline. A claim refuted by the locals is that the water is highly polluted and unsafe for swimming. More seasoned visitors speak of discolouration that is due to the islands black, volcanic sand. Swap the fakely kitsch Iwaya caves nearby for a dose of culture by paying a visit to the famous Ryujin (dragon god) shrine where an impressive Torii (shrine gate) has marked its location since the Edo period. Languishing for the intrepid explorer is the naked Goddess Hadaka Benta. The statue is now enshrined in concrete and can be viewed from a nearby hall. According to Japanese folklore, this jealous singleton is the portent of a sticky end for courting couples.
Experience the breathtaking blue of ajisai (hydrangea) that bloom around the Ryuikin temple for a limited time throughout June. Check out nampa parties in the summer when young Tokyoites gather for firework frolickery on Shonan beach.

Getting there:
After arriving to Tokyo, take the JR Yokosuka Line from Tokyo Station to Kamakura Station (55 minutes). And than change to Enoden Line from Kamakura Station to Enoshima Station (25 minutes). Or take the Odakyu-Enoshima Line direct from Shinjuku Station. On your return you need to use the Katase-Enoshima Station to get back to the City.

Odaiba Beach

This famous beach is one to be visited, and is the foreground to the largest ferris wheel in Japan. Situated in Tokyo Bay, this man-made beach stretches for approximately 2km of white sand and is apparently safe from tsunami — not exactly an overriding concern for most bathers, but nice to know for the seismophobic. An impressive fringe of skyscrapers provides shelter from the elements and a dramatic backdrop at night. An artificial island, it was built five years ago to conceal millions of tonnes of waste. Expat Australians might like to know that the sand between their toes is little grains of home — the white sands of Odaiba were shipped from Australia’s Gold Coast. Young couples come here to escape the crowds and admire this ritzy bay-side location. Swimming is strictly prohibited but provision for water sports is plentiful. At night, this is a great place for star gazing, when the night sky competes with the impressive neon-lit skyline for space in the bay’s mirror-like surface.

Getting there:
After arriving to Tokyo, take the Yurikama monorail – close to the Ginza Exit of JR Shimbashi.

Setonaikai

Facing Shikoku on the main island of Fukoka, this collection of beaches is famous for a battle that took place over a thousand years ago. At that time land rights were decided on the basis that the claimant was in possession of three heirlooms; a fan, a glass ball and a mirror. The battle raged between the Genji family and the Heiken family over one of the priceless artefacts after it fell into the ocean. When it washed up on a nearby beach some years later, a challenge was staged to decide its rightful owner. These days the area is famous for the Heike crab which derives its name from the markings on its shell which are said to represent the etchings of a sad face. It is a much-celebrated delicacy in this steamy, sunlit corner of Kansai. The beach is a popular destination for bathers because of its shallow, gentle waters and nearby hot springs.

Getting there:
Shinkansen to Osaka – 6,100 yen daily from Chuo-dori . Call the New Tourist Office 087-851-2009 for the times in English.

Goza-Shirahama – Mie Prefecture

The Kii Peninsula is strung with beautiful pearl-white beaches that dip in and out of a pine-clad headland. Amu pearldivers descending into aqua depths can be spotted from a bus or train along a route that links many of these gorgeous beaches. Nearby Minshuku provide cheap overnight accommodation within easy reach of the beach. There are offshore pontoons so hop on to avoid the pull of the surf or just to bask in the sun’s rays. There is no threat from sea creatures here and dolphins and whales can occasionally be seen close to shore. Goza was recently voted one of Japan’s top 88 beaches because of the cleanliness of the beach and suitability of the water for bathing.
Minshuku operators arrange early morning visits to the nearby fish market where the freshest sashimi can be eaten on the beach or simply enjoyed for the spectacle that its demand creates. Top off your day with a visit to one of the open-air rotemburo nestling in rocks around the bay.

Getting there:
From Osaka three hours to south by JR Line. From Kushimoto, 40 mins to west by JR Line.

Text: Aimee Foy
Photos: Noriko Hasegawa, Stephen Russell