Mini Resorts Just Outside Tokyo - 6 Beaches In Kanagawa And Chiba

Summers in Japan mean long, hot, humid days that just seem to last forever. For travelers to Japan, we recommend taking a break from the heat at one of Japan's many beaches! Today we would like to introduce to you our hand-picked selection of six beaches found in Kanagawa and Chiba, all located at convenient distances from Tokyo.

*Where mentioned, all dates/times for any firework festivals are for the 2015/2016 seasons, which change yearly.

Kanagawa Prefecture

1. Zushi Beach

Photo courtesy of: Zushi City Business Sightseeing Division

Located an hour and fifteen minutes from Tokyo Station, the gentle waves and shallow coastline of Zushi Beach make this an excellent and safe beach for families with small children. On clear days from this beach you can not only see well off into the distance over the ocean, but even as far away as to Mount Fuji - doesn't it sound lovely to enjoy both the sea and mountains at the same time?

*At Zushi Beach, other than in beach houses, drinking on the beach and playing loud music is forbidden. For people with tattoos, please cover or conceal your tattoos while on the beach. For more information please refer to the Zushi City website.

Swimming Season: June 24th - August 28th 2016
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2. Miurakaigan Swimming Area

About an hour and half away from Tokyo you will find the Miurakaigan Swimming Area. Easily reached from the station and having very gentle waves, this beach is very popular with families. Not only that but the nearby Umigyo Center fishing harbor holds a morning market every Sunday.
Doesn't it sound nice to take a dip in the ocean after enjoying some fresh seafood?

Swimming Season: July 6th - August 8th 2016

3. Isshiki Beach

Isshiki Beach is counted as part of the 88 best swimming beaches in Japan thanks to its beautiful and clean coastline. Surrounded by Sangaoka mountain and the Imperial villa, this beach has a quiet and calm atmosphere. It is also close to the Kamakura Museum of Modern Art, so you could also stop by at Isshiki Beach after visiting the museum. This beach is also located an hour and a half from Tokyo Station.

Swimming Season: July 2nd - August 28th 2016

Chiba Prefecture

4. Kujukurihama Beach

Photo courtesy of: Kujukurimachi

2 hours from Tokyo station will bring you to Kujukurihama - a beautiful beach that was selected as one of the top 100 Japanese white sand and pine tree beaches. While it goes without saying that you can swim here, you can also surf, paddleboard, horseback ride and even more at this amazing beach.

And, if you like driving along the coastline, the Kujukuri Beach Line highway is a wonderful place to refresh your senses.

Swimming Season: from the latter half of July to the end of August (varies yearly) For more information, please refer to the website.

5. Okinoshima Swimming Area

Photo courtesy of: Tateyama Commerce & Industry Tourism Division

Okinoshima Swimming Area is a beach that connects a sandbar with Okinoshima, one of the few remaining unpopulated islands and its virgin forests. With plenty of eroded rocks and ocean caverns to explore, this island is a great place for people who are seeking a little adventure to visit. It's also a popular place for snorkeling and underwater sightseeing, not to mention gather shells and other natural bits on the beach itself. It takes just under 2 hours to reach from Tokyo station, but to see a beautiful place like this, it's well worth the travel.

Swimming Season: July 16th - August 21st 2016

6. Choshi Marina Swimming Area

Choshi Marina Swimming Area is known as the Asian Dover, and as it runs along the back of Byubugaura (*2), is a famously calm and quiet swimming area. In mid-August each year, there are life guard demonstrations and beach flag tournaments, treasure hunts and plenty of other events for people to take part in. This beach is also about 2 hours away from Tokyo Station.

Swimming Season: July 16th - August 21st 2016

*2 Byubugaura: a sheer cliff or sea cliff extending along the coastline.