Girls just wanna have fun and play in the sun! Join us on our Tokyo Day Trip: Living It Up In Hayama’s Isshiki Kaigan, a family-oriented beach in Kanagawa.
t’s not quite yet summer, but that didn’t stop the monster and me from enjoying a day in the sun at Isshiki Beach in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture.
It was another cross-prefecture journey that took us beyond the boundaries of Tokyo and into the heart of Kanagawa Prefecture and its famed Shonan shoreline.
As with our trip to HUGHUG, getting there was an adventure in itself, but we were very fortunate that ours was a direct ride on the JR Sobu Rapid Line to Zushi Station with no transfers.
Hayama
After arriving at Zushi Station, we took a 30 minute bus ride to Hayama.
One of my favorite things about riding the bus is sightseeing, and eyeing all the quaint bakeries, vegan eateries, sprinkled with views of the ocean made it a scenic bus ride.
Hayama is an upscale beach town with two attractive beaches, Morito Beach and Isshiki Beach, right on Tokyo’s doorstep.
The area is perhaps best known for being home of one of the Imperial Villas as well as home to Japan’s rich and famous. Despite this, Hayama has a wonderful vibe that makes it a very family friendly destination.
The reason why we made it all the way to Hayma is because we were invited to participate in Alfa Romeo’s “Be Yourself” photoshoot featuring diversity.
The icing on the cake was having acclaimed photographer Leslie Kee take our portraits!
Obviously NOT taken by Leslie Kee! But you can see the final results and some of the “Be Yourself” exhibition here:
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After we took out portraits, it was time to explore.
Isshiki Kaigan
Isshiki Kaigan, or Isshiki Beach, is nearly 1 km long, and its main feature is its the ash grey volcanic sand and grassy hill with a torii.
Apparently, CNN even chose Isshiki Beach as one of its “Best 100 Beaches in the World” feature back in 2013!
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The waters are much calmer here compared to other spots on the Shonan coast, making it a very nice choice for families to relax.
We didn’t explore the entire length of the beach, but I found one restroom, behind the lifeguard station. There’s no changing table in the multipurpose toilet, but there is a seat for babies and toddlers. You’re also expected to take your trash home with you (including diapers).
Hayama might be overlooked for popular Kanagawa beach destinations like Kamakura and Enoshima, but it’s definitely worth a visit.
It might be difficult to do both Kamakura/Enoshima and Hayama in a day if you have younger ones, so I’d recommend staying overnight in the area. (It’s something that I personally plan to do once I find a dog-friendly place!)
How To Get There:
You can get to Hayama via Zushi Station on the JR Sobu Rapid or JR Yokosuka Lines. From there, take any bus bound for Hayama (葉山). Get off at Isshiki Kaigan (一色海岸) and the beach is just 3 minutes away!
Such a beautiful location. And wow to the portrait photo, stunning. – Lynda aka In Saitama 🙂
Hi Lynda!
Thanks for stopping by! We were hoping to do another train ride to Hayama this summer… maybe we’ll have better luck in the fall!