Jul 28
Japan may be famous for neon-lit Tokyo, historic Kyoto, and snowcapped Mount Fuji, but some of the country’s most memorable destinations sit right at the water’s edge. With thousands of miles of coastline, Japan is filled with seaside communities where beaches, fishing traditions, historic temples, hot springs, and spectacular ocean scenery come together. The best …
Feb 24
Texas has more beach-town variety than many travelers realize. Stretching from the upper Gulf Coast near Galveston all the way south to the Mexican border, the Texas coast includes lively resort islands, quiet fishing villages, family-friendly bay beaches, wild barrier islands, and laid-back communities where driving onto the sand is part of the experience. The …
Jun 28
Kochi is the kind of Japanese seaside city that rewards travelers who are willing to look beyond the country’s most famous routes. Set on the southern side of Shikoku and facing the Pacific Ocean, Kochi combines a remarkably intact feudal castle, lively food markets, historic shopping streets, regional cuisine, subtropical greenery, and a dramatic coast …
Jun 18
Atami is one of Japan’s classic seaside escapes, where sandy beaches, steaming hot springs, mountain slopes, traditional inns, and sweeping views of Sagami Bay come together in one compact resort city. Located in Shizuoka Prefecture at the northern edge of the Izu Peninsula, Atami has been drawing visitors to its mineral-rich waters for centuries. Today, …
Jun 15
Katsuura is the kind of Japanese seaside town that can make you wonder why more travelers do not leave Tokyo behind for a day or two and head straight for the coast. Set along the Pacific Ocean on southeastern Chiba Prefecture’s Boso Peninsula, Katsuura combines clear-water beaches, rocky headlands, a working fishing port, centuries-old traditions, …
May 31
Only about an hour from central Tokyo, Zushi offers something that can feel surprisingly difficult to find near one of the world’s largest metropolitan areas: a genuinely relaxed seaside escape. This compact coastal city in Kanagawa Prefecture sits on Sagami Bay at the northern end of the Miura Peninsula, tucked between Kamakura and Hayama. Its …
May 31
Fukuoka proves that a great Japanese seaside destination does not have to be a sleepy little beach town. Sitting on the northern coast of Kyushu, this energetic port city combines sandy beaches, islands, waterfront parks, historic neighborhoods, an outstanding food culture, and one of the most convenient urban layouts in Japan. You can spend the …
May 29
Matsushima is one of those places where the landscape seems almost too carefully arranged to be natural. Hundreds of small islands rise from calm blue water, their rocky shores topped with windswept pine trees, while temple roofs, vermilion bridges, fishing boats, and distant hills frame the shoreline. Located on the Pacific coast of Miyagi Prefecture …
May 29
With brilliant white sand, turquoise water, steaming oceanfront hot springs, dramatic cliffs, seafood markets, and sunsets framed by a natural rock arch, Shirahama feels surprisingly tropical for a destination on Japan’s main island of Honshu. Located on the Kii Peninsula in Wakayama Prefecture, south of Osaka, Shirahama has been attracting travelers for centuries. Long before …
May 27
Just south of Tokyo, Kamakura combines two sides of Japan that travelers often experience separately: centuries-old temples and shrines tucked among forested hills, and a relaxed seaside culture centered around sandy beaches, surfing, seafood, and sunsets. Once the political center of medieval Japan, Kamakura is filled with reminders of the samurai era. Tsurugaoka Hachimangu stands …
