The Best Beach Spots Beyond Tokyo, where to Head in Enoshima

Widely considered as some of the most beautiful beaches in Japan, every year Higashihama and Nishihama in Enoshima attracts a fine crowd looking to make the most of all the sea has to offer: swimming, surfing, sailing and seafood. Just an hour from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo, each beach has its specificities; Higashihama is an important historical site in Japan and also more tranquil and chilled out than its smaller counterpart Nishihama, for its part, a small paradise for sports fans.

Over the summer, in addition to the number of water-side activities, a number of small beach houses open up throughout the months of July and August. These spaces allow visitors to take a shower, have somewhere to eat, leave their bags and take a rest. It is forbidden to drink, smoke or barbeque on the beaches, but on clear days, you are able to see Mount Fuji which seems like a fair trade off. For those who aren’t fond of tanning, the island’s aquarium is well loved, and there are also two temples as well as the sumptuous caves of Iwaya that one can visit.