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Japan’s excellent beaches are very much undervalued by the international community. Sure, Japan is no Maldives or Hawaii – but if you know where to look, it has some truly excellent places to catch some rays, splash about in the water, do a bit of snorkelling or scuba diving and just generally relax.
Anyway, without further ado: the following is a roundup of some of our favourite islands and other beachgoing destinations in Japan. As usual, these are in no particular order – we each have our own preference! If you find yourself in Japan during the summer, be sure to check them out.
18 great Japanese beach destinations
OKINAWA
No discussion of Japanese beaches could possibly be complete without recourse to Okinawa: a string of small islands which make up Japan’s southernmost prefecture. Though they do have a tendency to make much of their comparison with Hawaii, the Okinawan Islands do harbour many beautiful briny gems, and they are just a short (and cheap!) domestic flight from the mainland.
Located in the southerly Yaeyama group of the Okinawa Islands, Ishigaki is one of Japan’s most beautiful spots. For stunning views and dazzling white sand, head to Kabira Bay (unfortunately no swimming is allowed here); for swimming and sunbathing make your way to Yonehara Beach.
Next-door to Ishigaki is Iriomote Island, barely populated and covered in dense jungle and mangrove thickets. This island is home to the rare, endemic Iriomote wildcat, but you’re unlikely to spot one on your travels! We highly recommend taking a buffalo ride across the sand at low tide to Yubu Island, and heading to Hoshizuna Beach – where the grains of sand are shaped like stars!
In the same small group as Ishigaki and Iriomote, Taketomi is much smaller and boasts one of our favourite luxury beach hotels: the Hoshinoya. There are also some fabulous beaches here, blessed with the same star-shaped sand as Iriomote. Nishihama Beach and Kondoi Beach both come highly recommended.
Miyako Island
Leaving the Yaeyama and heading slightly north you’ll come to Miyako Island, another beautiful spot with some of Japan’s best beaches. The top spots to visit here are Maehama, Aragusuku, Yoshino, and Sunayama Beaches.
Zamami Island
Moving further northwards still to the Kerama Island group (still part of the Okinawa Islands), Zamami Island offers more island paradise just a stone’s throw (read: two-hour ferry ride) from Okinawa Main Island. Furuzamami Beach and Ama Beach are both good options – and we highly recommend seeking out one of the island’s observatories for great views over the area.
Tokashiki Island
Another gem in the Kerama Island group, Tokashiki Island is a little larger than Zamami – but still very small! Our favourite beach here is Aharen Beach.
Kumejima Island
About 90 kilometres west of Okinawa main island is Kumejima, part of the Okinawa Shoto Island group. Kumejima’s most famous beach is Hatenohama, a seven-kilometre, sparkling white sandbar which can only be accessed by joining a tour.
KYUSHU
Yakushima is a beautiful island off the coast of Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands, and is covered with primeval rainforest – including some of the world’s oldest trees! For any anime buffs among you, Yakushima also served as the inspiration for Hayao Miyazaki’s masterpiece, Princess Mononoke. The island is an important breeding ground for Loggerhead turtles, and if you visit at the right time of year, you can watch the mothers laying their eggs – or the babies hatching!
Ibusuki
Japan is famed for its seismic activity, which is responsible for one of the country’s favourite pastimes: soaking in volcanic hot spring baths. On a beach at Ibusuki, you can benefit from the heat in a different way – by being buried up to your neck in relaxing hot sand!
SHIKOKU
Naoshima Island
Located on the Seto Inland Sea just off the coast of Shikoku, Naoshima is one of our absolute favourite destinations in Japan. Famous for its art museums and installations, it also has some excellent beaches – where you can even spend the night in a yurt!
Top 3 art installations on Naoshima island
Kochi
Katsurahama Beach lies about 30 minutes’ drive away from Kochi on Shikoku, the smallest of Japan’s four main islands. Unfortunately you can’t swim here due to strong currents, but you are able to paddle and get in a bit of sunbathing.
Asakawa Ozuna
On Shikoku’s south coast is the lovely Asakawa Ozuna beach, generally rather quieter than Japan’s other popular beaches and great for swimming. Sea turtles come to lay their eggs here from May to August!
HONSHU
Tottori sand dunes
In the rural southwest of Japan’s main island is one of the country’s most impressive beachy sights: the Tottori sand dunes. Spanning 16 km of coast and rising up to 50 metres above sea level, here you can take camel and horse rides, go paragliding and sandboarding, and even visit the Sand Museum if you are feeling truly adventurous.
Kii Peninsula
The Kii Peninsula is Japan’s largest peninsula, and has some great coastline to be enjoyed – as well as the wonderful, forested pilgrimage network of the Kumano Kodo, one of our favourite rural escapes in Japan. Our top pick of the Kii beaches is Shirahama, which boasts white sand and good surfing conditions.
Noto Peninsula
The Noto Peninsula extends about 100 km into the Sea of Japan, and is known for its rugged coastal secenery. Chirihama Beach, which extends along the western base of the peninsula, is unique in Japan in that you can drive your car (or motorbike) directly onto the sand and along the 8 km stretch.
Driving in Japan on the Noto Peninsula
Kamakura
One of the best beach locations close to Tokyo, Kamakura is a small city that’s famous for its giant seated Buddha – as well as its pleasant beaches. The Shonnan Coast offers some of Japan’s best surfing conditions, whilst the beaches around Enoshima offer sand, sea and views of Mt Fuji on a good day….the area is promoted as the ‘Miami Beach of the East’..hmmm…Japan’s most beautiful coastline this is not, but it’s certainly more convenient than Okinawa!
Izu Peninsula
Another destination within easy reach of Tokyo, the Izu Peninsula boasts some great countryside and lovely beaches – the best of which is Yumigahama Beach. Slightly further along the southern tip, you’ll find popular beach resort of Shimoda. The white sands of Shirahama beach are a busy place during the ‘swimming season’ that runs from mid-July to the end of August, but the area has good beach weather from May through until September. The water is also renowned for some of the best temperate diving in Japan.
Ogasawara Islands
Last but not least, the Ogasawara Islands are technically part of Tokyo, but in actual fact are about 1,000 km away in the Pacific Ocean. This truly is undiscovered Japan, and you will find untouched nature, a subtropical climate, coral reefs, jungle and beautiful beaches. To find out more, read our tour leader David Lovejoy’s recent blog post.
That’s all folks! And sorry Hokkaido…
To start planning your trip to Japan, get in touch with our team of Japan travel experts.