(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi)
Neighboring Kamakura City is a popular summer spot perfect for cooling off in the hot sun. Zushi Kaigan stretches about half a mile and the sandy beach is where you’ll find city dwellers sunbathing, wind surfing and more on the weekends. The beach also has beach houses serving drinks, food and tunes to create the perfect ambiance during the season.
Though it is a great place to be in the summer, the winter here offers pristine views facing west and breathtaking golden sunsets in a less crowded, calm atmosphere.
Zushi Kaigan has been known as popular swimming beach since the end of the 19th century. But Shintaro Ishihara (novelist and ex-Tokyo Governor) made this beach even more popular with his novel “Taiyo-no-kisetsu” (Season of the Sun, 1955) prominently featuring this location. The novel was then cinematized with his younger brother Yujiro the following year, and the work made Yujiro to be one of Japan’s most successful movie stars. To commemorate the works, there is a stone monument at the left end of the beach.
The beach is only a short 20-minute drive from Yokosuka Naval Base. By train, it’s a straight shot on the JR from Yokosuka Station to Zushi Station followed by a pleasant 15-minute walk along the Tagoe River through the lively downtown.
Summer is a great time to visit, but don’t sleep on Zushi Kaigan’s amazing winter sunsets!
