Enjoy Picturesque Scenery At Kansai's Top 5 Recommended Beaches

Summer means "going to the beach"! Today let's head to the Kansai region and look at five of the best beaches with the most gorgeous transparent blue waters.

*Dates included in this article are for the 2015/2016 season and are subject to change annually.

1. Nishikinohama Beach (Kaizuka city, Osaka)

Photo courtesy of: Nishikinohama Tourism Association

The first beach on our list, Nishiki Beach, gets its name from the two colors that dominate this area (nishiki meaning "two colors" in Japanese); the white sandy coastline and the vivid green of the pine forests nearby. The beauty of these trees, interwoven with white sandy beaches, has been celebrated since long ago. This picturesque view was also chosen as one of the best 100 examples of greenery in Osaka.

At about an hour away from Umeda Station, another reason people flock to this beach is the chance to enjoy a barbecue while admiring the scenery.

Swimming Season: July 8th - August 31st 2016

2. Tarui Southern Beach (Sennan city, Osaka)

Photo courtesy of: Tarui Fishery Co-operative Association

Tarui Southern Beach, about an hour from Umeda Station, is a famously recognizable sight for those arriving at and departing from the airport. While it is also a trendy location for windsurfing, beach soccer and other marine sports, it is considered a must-visit location for fishing aficionados.

Furthermore, with both outlet and regular shopping malls in the nearby vicinity, it's easy to drop buy for some retail therapy after a swim in the ocean.

Swimming Season: July 9th - August 21st 2016

3. Kotobikihama Kakedzu Beach (Kyotango city, Kyoto)

Photo courtesy of: Kyotango City

Kotobikihama Kakedzu Beach maintains a high degree of clear visibility 10 meters out into the water, and has been chosen as one of the top 100 must-see shorelines in Japan.

The sand on this beach is known as singing sand because of the squeaking sound that it makes underfoot. One section of the beach thrums in a tone similar to a drum, which makes for a very unique experience. It takes about three hours from Kyoto Station to reach this beach.

Swimming Season: July 9th - August 28th 2016

4. Keinomatsubara Beach (Minami Awaji city, Hyogo)

Photo courtesy of: Minami Awaji City Tourism Association

Approximately an hour from Sannomiya Station, Keinomatsubara Beach is known for its gorgeous sunsets. The sight of the sun sinking below the horizon on the beaches of Harimanada(*1) has been selected as one of the best 100 sunset views in Japan.

Nicknamed "The Proposal Highway", the path to the beach features a splendid display of the area's most famous product, Awaji roof tiles. Why not get swept up in the romance of the painted sky as the sun hits the horizon over the ocean?

*1 Harimanada: an area of the Seto Inland Sea.

Swimming Season: July 9th - August 21st 2016

5. Jinoshima Beach (Arida city, Wakayama)

Photo courtesy of: Arida City Tourism Association

Jinoshima Beach is a swimming area located on the Kiisuido Strait, an area of about 3.2 kilometers in size. A leisurely ten minute walk from Hatsushima Station on the JR Kinokuni line,you'll find Hatsushima harbor. From there, you can take a ferry over to the island. The swimming area is easily accessible, as it is only about 30 minutes from Wakayama Station to Hatsushima Station.

A leisurely ten minute walk from Hatsushima Station on the JR Kinokuni line, you'll find Hatsushima harbor. From there, you can take a ferry over to the island. The swimming area is easily accessible, as it is only about 30 minutes from Wakayama Station to Hatsushima Station.

Swimming Season: July 9th - August 21st 2016

If you're in the Kansai area during the summer, you should definitely head to one of these amazingly beautiful beaches.