Are you ready to enjoy summer festivals, fireworks, camping, and more this summer? For day-trip beaches from Tokyo, if you choose one of the standard Kanto beaches, you can expect crowds and few beaches that are so beautiful that you would want to swim. Here are some places with beautiful ocean and sandy beaches that can be reached by train and bus or cab.
1. Moriya Beach (Katsuura City, Chiba Prefecture)
Moriya Beach has been selected as one of the “100 best beaches in Japan” and “100 best bathing places” in the country too. The warm, clear waters and white sandy beaches are characteristic of the area, and the surrounding coastline is shaped by magnificent scenery, including cliffs sculpted by sea erosion. 150m offshore is Watarijima, with an eye-catching red torii gate. The fastest time from Tokyo Station to nearby Joso Okitsu Station is 1 hour and 34 minutes.
📍About 8 minutes walk from JR Sotobo Line Kamisou Okitsu Station.
2. Wadaura Beach (Minamiboso City, Chiba Prefecture)
Chiba’s Wadaura Beach is characterised by white sandy beaches mixed with seashells and gentle waves. This area has also been selected as one of the “100 Best Pleasant Bathing Spas” by the Ministry of the Environment. During the period when the beach is open, volunteers clean the beach every day, and sea turtles have been known to come here to lay eggs. The fastest time from Tokyo Station to Wadaura Station is 2 hours 17 minutes.
📍About 5 minutes walk from Wadaura Station on JR Uchibo Line
3. Okitsu Beach (Katsuura City, Chiba Prefecture)
Just along the coast from Moriya Beach, this beach faces Okitsu Port, which is designated as an evacuation port for small boats. The waves are quiet and children can safely spend time there. In June 2023, Okitsu Beach became the seventh location in Japan to receive the Blue Flag international environmental certification for beaches. The fastest time from Tokyo Station to Kamisou Okitsu is 1 hour and 38 minutes.
📍About 3 minutes walk from JR Sotobo line Kamisou Okitsu station.
4. Isshiki Beach (Hayama Town, Kanagawa Prefecture)
The beach in front of the Hayama Imperial Villa was selected as one of CNN’s “100 Selected Beaches of the World”. On the south side of Isshiki Beach, there is a cape called “Koiso no Hana” that juts out into Sagami Bay with a lawn on its upper surface, where visitors can enjoy playing on the shore when the tide is out. July sees the arrival of Hayama Coast Fireworks Festival, another great reason to visit. The fastest time from Tokyo Station to Zushi Station is 59 minutes.
📍20 minutes by bus from Zushi Station on the JR Yokosuka Line
5. Sarushima Beach (Yokosuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture)
A small uninhabited island in Tokyo Bay that was used as a military fortress in wartime, Sarushima also offers a golden beach. Many historical sites, such as gun emplacements, have been preserved, and the entire island has an adventurous atmosphere. The fastest time from Tokyo Station to Yokosuka Chuo Station is 1 hour and 1 minute, and from there it’s a quick ferry ride to the island.
📍About 15 minutes walk from Yokosuka Chuo Station on the Keikyu Line to Mikasa Terminal, about 10 minutes by boat.
6. Shirahama Central Beach (Shimoda City, Shizuoka Prefecture)
Located at the northernmost point of the Shirahama Coast, this beach is popular for its crystal clear waters and calm beaches. Gazing out to sea, the islands of Oshima, Toshima, Niijima, Shikinejima, and, if weather permits, Kozushima and Miyakejima can be seen. Shirahama Central Beach is the only beach in Shimoda where you can also enjoy barbecue. The fastest time from Tokyo Station to Izukyu Shimoda Station is 2 hours 39 minutes.
📍About 18 minutes by bus from Izukyu Shimoda Station
7. Sotoura Beach (Shimoda City, Shizuoka Prefecture)
At Sotoura Beach, the waves are calm and the beach is quiet. The white sand cove, which continues for 470 meters, is particularly clear. Many people enjoy windsurfing and sea kayaking here. The fastest time from Tokyo Station to Izukyu Shimoda Station is 2 hours 39 minutes.
📍10 minutes by bus from Izukyu Shimoda Station
8. Irita Beach (Shimoda City, Shizuoka Prefecture)
A row of sycamore trees along the shoreline creates a tropical mood at Irita Beach. The contrast between the blue of the sea and the whiteness of the sand is beautiful, and the area has been used as a filming location for commercials, TV shows, and movies. The fastest time from Tokyo Station to Izukyu Shimoda Station is 2 hours 39 minutes.
📍About 8 minutes by bus from Izukyu Shimoda Station
9. Ose Beach (Numazu City, Shizuoka Prefecture)
It is known as a mecca not only for swimming but also for scuba diving, which is one of the most popular activities in Japan. Because it can be enjoyed by both beginners and advanced divers, Ose Beach attracts many divers throughout the year. Views of Mount Fuji over the sea have long made this a place of scenic beauty, and you can also enjoy a walk that takes in a shrine and a Shinto pond. The fastest time from Tokyo Station to Numazu Station is 1 hour and 4 minutes.
📍 Approximately 80 minutes by bus from Numazu Station
10. Ishihama Beach (Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture)
Selected as one of the “100 best bathing beaches” and one of the “100 best white sand and green pine beaches in Japan,” Ishihama Beach is a beautiful beach with green pine forests and white sands along the coast. The surrounding area has long been known as a loggerhead turtle breeding ground. On the way home, it is recommended to drop in at the Urai-no-Yu, Juoh, a day-trip natural hot spring facility. The fastest time from Tokyo Station to Juoh Station is 1 hour and 55 minutes.
📍JR Joban Line Juoh Station, 5 minutes by cab