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Wakayama Prefecture has a reputation for lovely beaches and unique geological formations. In particular, the rocky Enjugahama Coast is a delight. Though you cannot swim here, this crescent-shaped beach framed by a line of lush pine trees and bright blue water, is a fun place to walk and experience great ocean views.
Enjugahama Coast
The Enjugahama Coast is 20 minutes away from Nishi Gobo Station, the final stop of the Kishu Railway. The coast spans around 6km from the mouth of the Hidakagawa River and includes Enju Kaigan Prefectural Park. If the coastline feels somehow familiar to you, you might be thinking of the anime “AIR” (2005, Toei Animation) which was set in this town.
As beautiful as the Enjugahama Coast is, you might assume that it is often crowded, especially in the summertime. But in truth, there is hardly anyone here! Since swimming is prohibited, most people are eager to seek out calmer waters. The surf is usually pretty rough, and the ocean bed drops off quickly in several areas. I also believe rip tides are a common occurrence there. Indeed, the Enjugahama Coast has a reputation for strong currents and high tides. If a typhoon hits, the waves can be as high as 5m.
The Pine Forest of Enjugahama Coast
Still, while the water might be off-limits, one of the greatest charms of this beach is its pine tree forest. This is the biggest pine tree forest in the Kansai region! The trees here are hundreds of years old and span almost the entire beach (5km).
It is nice to walk along the coast but also it is quite nice to walk in the pine forests. Not to mention, walking over the rocky shore can get uncomfortable after a while.
Smoke Trees
Enju means “smoke tree” as people said that when you saw the waves between trees was as if smoke was coming out of the trees. These days however the presence of ocean walls makes it hard to find places where you can see this effect. Even still the line of crisp green trees against the turquoise blue water is a lovely sight.
Blowhole
At the tip of Enjugahama is a blowhole. If you are lucky enough to come at high tide, you can see the water rushing out from the blowhole (Unfortunately, we were not lucky enough). Amazingly, we saw several groups of people fishing on the nearby rocks despite the high waves!
Though it might be a little far for some, a trip to the Enjugahama Coast is a really fun day trip if you’re feeling like a change of pace!
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