From the thrilling cliffs of Sandanbeki, I walked down the road towards Shirahama Beach. Buses are available at regular intervals but the intervals are spread out during the afternoon. The next one was not scheduled to come soon, so, I decided to walk down to the beach. We had passed it while coming down from the station and it didn’t feel very far away.
Shirahama in Wakayama is known for its Onsen resorts and the beautiful white sand beach. It is not very far from Osaka and makes for a nice day trip. There are other places in Japan called “Shirahama” which can easily lead to confusion. The Shirahama beach in Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture is also very popular and easily confused with.
I was the lone person walking on the road. After a few minutes I reached the Under Sea Observation Tower. I hadn’t planned on visiting it since my main goal was to get to Engetsu Island to capture the iconic sunset.
The Undersea Observation Tower boasts of a submerged viewing room with windows facing all directions creating a feeling of being in a submarine
The road goes downhill towards the beach. As I walked past the Observation Tower, I noticed some fishing boats moored to the pier. Near the pier there is a fisherman’s market stocked with unlimited marine delicacies. I am sure Mani would have gone crazy seeing the delicious spread.
Some fishing boats were docked at the pier
I rested for a bit at the market and the n started back on the road towards the beach. Within a few minutes I was at the lovely beach.
One can find every marine delicacy you know of at Shirahama's recently opened pier-side Fisherman's Wharf
Shirahama Beach is located in Kanayama Bay. The left side of the beach has been landscaped with some rocks possibly to keep the waves in check. The white powdery sands were like none I have witnessed before. I hear they have been imported from Australia. The wind was not strong, but As I walked, my footsteps were blown away in the light sand.
The white sands on the beach is said to have been imported from Australia
The beach itself is not very huge and there weren’t many tourists around. A group of kids were on the beach, possibly on a tour from their school. I walked along the crescent-shaped beach thinking of Mani. It was so beautiful out there.
Viki at Shirahama Beach
The sparkling transparent waters were inviting me to take a dip, but I had come unprepared.
The transparent aqua green water is so inviting
The beach is quite small and I was at the other end in just a few minutes. On the other side of the beach there’s a small shrine. I wandered around for some time going to the edge of the beach where some boulders were lying on the path. They keep falling from the edge of the sandstone cliffs so I didn’t go further.
The lovely crescent-shaped, white-sand Shirahama Beach
It was 3 pm when I brought myself to leave the enchanting beach for Engetsu. Time flows quickly in these beautiful places. Buses are relatively scarce along this route, so I had to walk down the coastline.
The road towards Engetsu is lined with sandstone cliffs held together by metal nets
Shirahama Beach in Wakayama is one of the most beautiful beaches I have seen. The soft white sands and the blue green waters are enchanting. I would love to come back to Shirahama with my lovely wife someday.
Thanks for reading. Leave me a comment if you like the post or follow my story as I hurry towards Engetsu Island to capture the iconic sunset that makes Shirahama a photographers delight.
Disclaimer: The information presented in this article is based on the time I visited the premises. Note that there might be changes in the prices of merchandise and admission fees that might have occurred after this article was published. At times the facility might also be closed for repairs or for variety of other reasons. Kindly contact the facility or facilities mentioned in this article directly before visiting.
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Credits: The historical information presented herein is gathered mostly from local guides that were re-inforced via historical writings.
