Tokyo is a landlocked-feeling megacity, but the sea is closer than you think. An hour south along the Shonan coast lie the beaches of Kamakura, Enoshima, Zushi and Hayama — an easy combination of sand, surf, temples and, on clear days, Mount Fuji on the horizon. Add the laid-back surf town of Chigasaki, the in-city bayfront of Odaiba, and the paradise-white sands of the Izu Peninsula, and there is a beach day to suit every mood, all reachable by train.
Yuigahama Beach
Area
Kamakura (55 min)
Facilities
Beach huts, showers, food
“Combine a morning at Kamakura's temples with an afternoon swim here — the beach huts serve food and drinks all summer.”
Enoshima Beach
Area
Fujisawa (70 min)
Facilities
Island, shrine, aquarium, food
“Cross the bridge to Enoshima island for the shrine, sea caves and the Sea Candle observation tower with Fuji views.”
Zushi Beach
Area
Zushi (60 min)
Facilities
Calm bay, family-friendly, cafés
“One of the calmest, most family-friendly bays near Tokyo — quieter and more stylish than Yuigahama next door.”
Hayama Beach
Area
Hayama (70 min)
Facilities
Upscale, sunsets, sailing
“This is where Tokyo's smart set have their beach villas — come for the beautiful sunsets and calmer, cleaner water.”
Chigasaki (Southern Beach)
Area
Chigasaki (70 min)
Facilities
Surf, laid-back, live music
“The heart of Japan's surf culture — rent a board, watch the surfers off Southern Beach and soak up the mellow, Californian vibe.”
Odaiba Seaside Park
Area
Odaiba (in Tokyo)
Facilities
In-city, skyline & bridge views, no swimming
“You can't really swim here, but it's the easiest 'beach' in Tokyo — perfect for a sunset stroll with Rainbow Bridge views.”
Shirahama Beach (Izu)
Area
Shimoda, Izu (2.5 hr)
Facilities
White sand, clear water, snorkelling
“The most beautiful beach near Tokyo but a real journey — best as an overnight trip to enjoy the white sand and turquoise water.”
Tokyo beaches in detail
1.Yuigahama Beach
Yuigahama is Kamakura's principal beach and the most convenient stretch of coast for a day trip from Tokyo, a broad, gently sloping band of grey-gold sand set right below the historic town. In July and August it comes alive with the summer 'umi no ie' — temporary beach huts that spring up along the shore serving food, drinks, showers and deckchairs — giving it a lively, festive holiday atmosphere, and lifeguards patrol during the season. The waves are usually gentle enough for families and swimmers, while the adjacent breaks draw beginner surfers and bodyboarders, with rental and school options nearby. What makes Yuigahama special is how easily it pairs with sightseeing: you can spend the morning among Kamakura's temples and the Great Buddha, then walk or take the charming Enoden tram down to the beach for an afternoon swim and a seafront sunset, sometimes with Mount Fuji visible across the bay. Outside the summer season it reverts to a peaceful, wide-open beach popular with walkers, surfers and dog-owners. Just an hour from the capital, it offers Tokyoites and visitors alike the easiest taste of sun, sand and sea combined with genuine culture.
Hours
Always open; summer lifeguards & beach huts Jul–Aug
Price
Free
Getting there
JR to Kamakura, then a short walk or the Enoden tram to Yuigahama
Insider tip: Combine a morning at Kamakura's temples with an afternoon swim here — the beach huts serve food and drinks all summer.
2.Enoshima Beach
Enoshima combines a lively beach with one of the most enjoyable little sightseeing islands near Tokyo, making it a favourite summer escape for city dwellers. The mainland beaches around Katase are broad and sandy, packed in high summer with swimmers, sunbathers, beach huts and a young, upbeat crowd, and they enjoy a scenic backdrop with Mount Fuji sometimes visible across the water at sunset. But the real draw is the sacred islet of Enoshima itself, reached by a footbridge: a hill crowned with an ancient shrine dedicated to the goddess Benten, a network of atmospheric sea caves (the Iwaya caves) carved by the waves, pretty botanical gardens, and the Sea Candle observation lighthouse offering sweeping views over Sagami Bay to Fuji. Escalators help you up the steep slopes, and the island's lanes are lined with seafood restaurants famous for shirasu (whitebait) and grilled shellfish. Add a good aquarium (Enoshima Aquarium) back on the mainland, and you have a full, varied seaside day of swimming, walking, sightseeing and eating. Reachable in around 70 minutes and linked to Kamakura by the nostalgic Enoden tram, Enoshima is one of the best coastal outings from the capital.
Hours
Beach always open; island attractions ~09:00–17:00/20:00
Price
Free beach; island escalator/tower/caves have small fees
Getting there
Odakyu 'Enoshima' line or Enoden tram to Enoshima; ~70 min from Shinjuku
Insider tip: Cross the bridge to Enoshima island for the shrine, sea caves and the Sea Candle observation tower with Fuji views.
3.Zushi Beach
Zushi Beach, just around the headland from Kamakura, is one of the most relaxed and family-friendly beaches within easy reach of Tokyo, curving in a sheltered crescent that keeps the water calm and gentle — ideal for swimming with young children. It has long had a slightly stylish, affluent reputation, and in recent years its summer beach houses have leaned upmarket, offering good food, drinks and a laid-back, sociable atmosphere without the crush of the busiest resort beaches. Watersports are popular in the bay, from stand-up paddleboarding and windsurfing to sailing, and the calm conditions make it a good place to learn. The setting is lovely, with green hills framing the bay and, on clear days, views out toward Mount Fuji and the Miura Peninsula, especially at sunset. Because it is a little less famous than Kamakura's Yuigahama, it can feel more spacious and local, particularly outside the peak summer weekends. The pleasant town of Zushi behind the beach has cafés and restaurants for a leisurely lunch. Around an hour from central Tokyo by direct train, Zushi is a smart choice for families and anyone seeking a calmer, more refined day by the sea.
Hours
Always open; summer lifeguards & beach houses
Price
Free
Getting there
JR Yokosuka Line to Zushi (~60 min from Tokyo), then a short walk or bus
Insider tip: One of the calmest, most family-friendly bays near Tokyo — quieter and more stylish than Yuigahama next door.
4.Hayama Beach
Hayama, on the Miura Peninsula just beyond Zushi, is the most refined and exclusive of the beach areas within day-trip range of Tokyo, long favoured by the country's elite — the imperial family have a summer villa here — which lends the town a genteel, upmarket, resort-village character. Its beaches, chiefly Isshiki and Morito, are among the cleaner and calmer stretches of the region's coast, with soft sand, gentle water good for families, and a relaxed atmosphere far removed from the crowds of the busier beaches. Hayama is celebrated for two things above all: sailing, as one of the birthplaces of yachting in Japan, so the bay is often dotted with white sails; and its sunsets, when the sun sinks behind the silhouette of Mount Fuji and the small torii-gate islet off Morito Beach, producing some of the most beautiful evening views on the whole coast. The town has a scattering of stylish cafés, bakeries and restaurants catering to its well-heeled visitors and weekenders. Reached by train to Zushi and then a short bus, Hayama rewards those seeking a quieter, prettier and more sophisticated day by the sea, especially timed for that golden-hour Fuji sunset.
Hours
Always open; summer lifeguards
Price
Free
Getting there
JR to Zushi, then bus to Hayama (~70 min total from Tokyo)
Insider tip: This is where Tokyo's smart set have their beach villas — come for the beautiful sunsets and calmer, cleaner water.
5.Chigasaki (Southern Beach)
Chigasaki is the spiritual home of Japanese surf culture, a relaxed coastal town along the Shonan coast that radiates an easy, sun-bleached, almost Californian atmosphere quite unlike anywhere else near Tokyo. Its Southern Beach is a long, open stretch of sand where surfers bob in the waves from dawn, beginners take lessons, and locals cruise the seafront on bikes and skateboards; a landmark white 'C'-shaped monument frames photos and, on clear days, the sacred surfing islet of Eboshi Rock and Mount Fuji sit out on the horizon. The town is closely tied to the beloved Japanese band Southern All Stars, whose founder hails from here, giving Chigasaki a strong music-and-beach identity celebrated in summer festivals. Away from the sand, the town has a mellow scene of surf shops, Hawaiian and Californian-style cafés, taco joints and bars that keep the coastal-town vibe going year-round. While the waves and undertow mean swimmers should take care and heed the lifeguards, the beach is popular with families and sunbathers as well as surfers. About 70 minutes from central Tokyo by train, Chigasaki offers a genuinely different, wonderfully laid-back flavour of the Japanese coast, best enjoyed at a slow, salty, unhurried pace.
Hours
Always open; summer lifeguards
Price
Free
Getting there
JR Tokaido Line to Chigasaki (~65 min from Tokyo), then a short walk/bus
Insider tip: The heart of Japan's surf culture — rent a board, watch the surfers off Southern Beach and soak up the mellow, Californian vibe.
6.Odaiba Seaside Park
For anyone who wants a taste of the seaside without leaving the city, Odaiba Seaside Park offers Tokyo's most accessible 'beach', a crescent of imported sand on the shore of the man-made island of Odaiba in Tokyo Bay. It is important to set expectations: the water quality means swimming is generally not permitted, so this is a beach for strolling, sunbathing, paddling, picnicking and, above all, taking in the views rather than serious sea-swimming. And the views are the point — the beach looks straight across the bay to the elegant, illuminated Rainbow Bridge and the glittering skyline of central Tokyo, with a replica Statue of Liberty nearby framing photos, making it one of the most romantic and photogenic spots in the city, particularly at sunset and after dark. The surrounding park has promenades, lawns and boardwalks perfect for a leisurely walk, and it sits amid Odaiba's family-friendly attractions — shopping malls, museums, the giant Gundam statue and more — so you can easily combine a bayside stroll with a full day of indoor entertainment. Reached in minutes on the driverless Yurikamome monorail across the Rainbow Bridge, Odaiba's beach is the ideal low-effort seaside interlude for visitors short on time or travelling with children.
Hours
Park always open; no designated swimming
Price
Free
Getting there
Yurikamome Line to Odaiba-Kaihinkoen or Daiba Station
Insider tip: You can't really swim here, but it's the easiest 'beach' in Tokyo — perfect for a sunset stroll with Rainbow Bridge views.
7.Shirahama Beach (Izu)
Shirahama Ohama, near the town of Shimoda at the southern tip of the Izu Peninsula, is widely considered the most beautiful beach within reach of Tokyo, a genuinely stunning 800-metre sweep of fine white sand lapped by clear, turquoise water that looks more tropical than temperate. Backed by a red torii gate and a small shrine on the rocks at one end, it has a resort-island quality that feels a world away from the grey-sand city beaches closer to the capital. In summer it is a popular and lively destination, with beach houses, lifeguards and a holiday buzz, while the clean water and rocky fringes make it good for swimming, snorkelling and, when the swell is up, surfing. The catch is the distance: reaching Shirahama takes around two and a half to three hours by limited-express train to Shimoda and then a bus, which makes it a stretch for a single day and far better enjoyed as an overnight trip. Staying over lets you appreciate the wider charms of the Izu Peninsula — hot-spring onsen resorts, the historic port town of Shimoda, dramatic coastline and fresh seafood — at a relaxed pace. For those willing to travel, it is the closest thing to a paradise beach that the Tokyo region offers.
Hours
Always open; summer lifeguards
Price
Free
Getting there
JR/Izu Kyuko limited express to Izukyu-Shimoda (~2.5 hr), then bus to Shirahama
Insider tip: The most beautiful beach near Tokyo but a real journey — best as an overnight trip to enjoy the white sand and turquoise water.