Tokyo Day Trips

As the summer heat rises, retiring to your air-conditioned room with your necktie fan on full blast is tempting. However, Japan is an island nation, so we are surrounded by the sea and, thus, beaches. So leave that darkened room and head for the coast and the beach. Beaches in Japan may seem like an alien experience on the first encounter. Very few people actually enter the water, no matter how inviting it is. The water is predominantly reserved for children and flirting students. Those who do make it into the water generally find it shallow – particularly at the artificial beaches – which makes the mass preponderance of floating devices somewhat confusing. Most people prefer to stay on the shore under parasols or tents that are rented or brought from home (sunbathing is unusual), while for the more energetic, there are often rigorous beach games such as volleyball. Most beaches have small restaurants or huts selling food, snacks, and drinks (it is usually accepted to drink alcohol on Japanese beaches), and some places even have barbecue sections where you can grill your food. There is usually a lifeguard on duty and a beach house (umi no, i.e.) where you…