Hello, this is _hiroyuki.ta. This time, we toured from central Tokyo to Yuigahama in Kanagawa Prefecture on his beloved Harley-Davidson FLSB Sport Glide. Yuigahama is a typical swimming beach in Kamakura, and is an attractive spot rich in history and culture. This time, I would like to introduce what kind of place Yuigahama is, how to get there, what kind of highlights there are, and where the motorcycle parking lot is.
Yuigahama is a sandy beach located in the southeastern part of Kamakura City, close to Yuigahama Station on the Enoshima Electric Railway. Yuigahama has been known as a song pillow since the Heian period, and has been visited by military commanders and aristocrats such as Minamoto no Yoritomo and Hojo Masako. It was also opened as Japan’s first beach during the Meiji period, and was loved by many writers and artists. Even today, it is crowded with people who enjoy swimming and surfing. Yuigahama Beach has been selected as one of Japan’s 100 Scenic Views and is also famous for its beautiful sunsets.
Route to Yuigahama
This time, I went from central Tokyo to Yuigahama using the Shuto Expressway. Transfer from Metropolitan Expressway No. 9 Fukagawa Line to Wangan Line, enter Yokohama-Yokosuka Road, and exit at Asahina IC. From there, we took Prefectural Routes 204 and 21 through Kamakura City and arrived at Yuigahama. Along the way, I enjoyed the scenery such as Sumida River Ohashi Bridge and Rainbow Bridge. Overall, there were many expressways and I was able to drive smoothly, but in Kamakura city there were a lot of traffic jams and traffic lights, so it took a while. The distance was approximately 70km and the journey time was approximately 1 and a half hours.
When we arrived at Yuigahama, we first went to a facility called Sakuraebinocho Yui along the coast. Here you can buy seafood and processed products such as sakura shrimp and whitebait sold directly by the Yui Port Fisheries Association. Sakura shrimp are a specialty of Yuigahama, and are small, cute, pink shrimp. There are also foods made with Sakura shrimp such as kakiage and Okizuke, but I bought Sakura shrimp rice crackers and Sakura shrimp dressing. The sakura shrimp rice crackers were crispy, fragrant, and delicious. Sakura shrimp dressing has a great flavor and is recommended on salads and pasta.
Next, I went to the coast of Yuigahama. The coast was wide and beautiful, and I could see the patterns of shells and sand on the waves. It was not the swimming season, so there were few people and it was quiet. The sea was blue and clear, and I could see Enoshima and Mt. Fuji in the distance. The sky was clear and the sun’s rays reflected glitteringly on the sea surface. There are benches and toilets on the shore, and there are also convenience stores and cafes nearby. I took a break while looking out at the ocean and eating sakura shrimp rice crackers.
I also went to a shopping street called Kamakura Yuigahama Shopping Street'', which is a short walk from Yuigahama. There are approximately 110 stores here, including clothing, miscellaneous goods, food, and restaurants. There are also galleries and antique shops. The atmosphere of the shopping street is both old and new, allowing you to feel the history and culture of Kamakura. I had matcha tea and Japanese sweets at a shop calledHikage Chaya Kamakura Komachi Branch” in the shopping district. The matcha was rich, fragrant, and delicious. The Japanese sweets were seasonal, including sakuramochi and kusamochi. The inside of the shop has a calm, Japanese-style atmosphere, and you can see the ocean of Yuigahama from the window.
There are several motorcycle parking lots at Yuigahama, but I parked at a place called “Yugahama Bicycle Parking.” This is a free motorcycle parking lot located about 5 minutes walk from Yuigahama Station. There are approximately 80 vehicles, and you can park them on a flat gravel lot. There are toilets, but there is no roof or caretaker. Since it was not the swimming season, there was plenty of space, but please be aware that it can get crowded in the summer.
summary
This time, I toured from Tokyo to Yuigahama on a Harley-Davidson FLSB Sport Glide. Yuigahama is a wonderful spot where you can not only enjoy swimming and surfing, but also history and culture. Specialty products such as sakura shrimp and matcha are also delicious and recommended. There are some bike parking lots that you can use for free, but it’s a good idea to check in advance when it’s crowded. Yuigahama is close to Tokyo and has good access, so it is an easy touring course. Please come and visit us at least once.
