Japan's an island nation yet very few people actually visit a beach. It's understandable - with so much to see and do taking a day to reach a non-Shinkansen connected beach may not fit in an already busy schedule. During my time in Japan I wanted to see how the Japanese unwind and took two day beach day trips. The first trip was to Shirahama, a beach "resort" 2.5 hours southeast of Osaka. The second trip was to Enoshima, a beach "community" an hour south of Tokyo.
SHIRAHAMA
Shirahama is a "resort" beach probably best visited as an overnight trip instead of the marathon single day trip from Kyoto that I pulled off. I put resort in quotes because while there are hotels on the beach the area has few restaurants and nightlife activities. The lack of a build up of such facilities reflects Shiraham's out-of-the-way location.
From the Shirahama Train Station you'll need to take a bus to the beach area, however, first continuing a few miles farther north on the bus takes you to two rock landscape areas: Sandanbeki and Senjojiki. Sandanbeki is several jagged outcrops and cliffs that rise above the ocean below. Senjojiki is a weathered, stacked stone formation ten minutes walk from Sandanbeki.
From the Shirahama Train Station you'll need to take a bus to the beach area, however, first continuing a few miles farther north on the bus takes you to two rock landscape areas: Sandanbeki and Senjojiki. Sandanbeki is several jagged outcrops and cliffs that rise above the ocean below. Senjojiki is a weathered, stacked stone formation ten minutes walk from Sandanbeki.
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From Senjojiki its a quick bus ride back to the Shirahama Resort area. There's a recently constructed fish "market" that's more a fancy, upmarket store then market but you can get some excellent freshly caught sushi here.
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Shiraham's crescent shaped beach is resort worthy. All points along the pathway that surrounds the beach offers perfect views of the calm, lake-like ocean. I tossed my things in a locker and joined everyone else on the beach. Later in the afternoon I spent time in an open air onsen located right on the beach - it was at that point when I was relaxing in the hot tub with a beach view that I started to wonder if I should have spent the night. Then it started to rain and I was on my way back to Kyoto.
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ENOSHIMA
Enoshima is billed as a beach escape from Tokyo with a quasi Southern California vibe. After living in Manhattan Beach, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, I developed an affinity for beach life near major urban centers. Sand and skyscrapers - it's an unbeatable combination. Expecting the best I hopped on a train and headed south.
Before reaching Enoshima, I needed to transfer trains in Kamakura. Kamakura is home to the Great Buddha of Kotokuin, a forty foot tall, sitting bronze Buddha. The complex is unique because a tsunami washed away the original structure that housed the Buddha and now the Buddha sits in an open area. After a quick visit I walked to Hasa Train Station which was ten minutes away instead of backtracking to Kamakura Station which was thirty minutes away.
Before reaching Enoshima, I needed to transfer trains in Kamakura. Kamakura is home to the Great Buddha of Kotokuin, a forty foot tall, sitting bronze Buddha. The complex is unique because a tsunami washed away the original structure that housed the Buddha and now the Buddha sits in an open area. After a quick visit I walked to Hasa Train Station which was ten minutes away instead of backtracking to Kamakura Station which was thirty minutes away.
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There's an electric train that leads to Enoshima. The track hugs the ocean and in other areas winds through commercial and residential areas. Along the coast line people were windsurfing and stand up paddle boarding - I was beginning to feel the Southern Califonia vibe before even disembarking from the train. Enoshima was two parts: mainland and an "island" connected to the mainland via a land bridge. The walkway from the train station to the island area is lined with boutique restaurants offering gourmet pizzas, vegetarian dishes...everything you'd expect in Southern California. People did not seem to be overly concerned with big city life and more laid back then there Tokyo counterparts.
The island area lost some of the Southern California beach resident vibe. The activities on the island felt to be more dedicated to Tokyo day trippers than local residents. That didn't stop me from grabbing a local micro brew (this was the first place I've been with a proliferation of micro brews), ordering a plate of squid, and sitting a community table to enjoy a lunch in the shade.
The island area lost some of the Southern California beach resident vibe. The activities on the island felt to be more dedicated to Tokyo day trippers than local residents. That didn't stop me from grabbing a local micro brew (this was the first place I've been with a proliferation of micro brews), ordering a plate of squid, and sitting a community table to enjoy a lunch in the shade.
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I took a different route back to the train station walking along Enoshima's black sand beach and a street lined with food stalls. Instead of taking the train back to Kamakura I rode a suspended monorail - a highly recommended experience - to Ofuna. Ofuna is two stops ahead of Kamakura on the way back to Japan - these two towns combined with Enoshima effectively make an equilateral triangle. Ofuna has a large Buddha statue itself. A giant head can be seen emerging from trees on a hilltop near the train station.
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