Ai Nishimura
Administrator of the blog "My Diary," which began in 2004. A writer who has traveled to all 47 prefectures and loves local culture and history.
Author of Shimane's "Geography, Place Names, and Maps" Mysteries (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha), My Town is the "Number One in Japan" Dictionary (PHP Institute), and Prefectures Explained in Neko Neko Japanese History (Jitsugyo no Nihonsha). Official blogger for Suntory Gourmet Guide, official top user for Retty, and official platinum blogger for Excite.
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In the morning, we board the Kumejima Escort Tours boat and head to Hatenohama Beach!
"Hate no Hama" is the biggest tourist and activity spot on Kumejima. The pure white beach surrounded by gradations of emerald green is a spectacular sight that captivates everyone.
Hate no Hama is 7km long and consists of three sandbars made of sand that has accumulated on a coral reef. The beach was created by the waves piling up the sand as the tides converged on the reef. The surrounding waters are very shallow, so the exposed sand has formed islands. It used to be called "Agarihama" by locals, but it has been called "Hate no Hama" since the 1980s.
There are six ferry companies operating on the island, only one of which can take you to the largest island, the furthest. The other five companies only take you to the middle island called "Nakanohama," and that's the island I decided to cross to this time.
Set off into a world of blue in every direction! Head for Hate no Hama.
This time I used "Kumejima Escort Tours". Each company operates a ferry to Hatenohama Beach, making use of their various features. Escort Tours will tell you the departure time the day before, and will include transportation to the hotel.
The departure time changes every day depending on the tides. This time, it was a half-day course that departed in the morning and stayed for 1.5 hours. Once we got to the port, we transferred to a glass bottom boat. On this day, we departed early at 8:30.
Glass boat. You can see how shallow this area is. There are lots of fish and seaweed. We also saw natural mozuku seaweed. After about 10 minutes of sailing, we can see branching coral. We head to the beach while feeling the richness of the sea.
We passed under the bridge that connects Kumejima to Ojima. We can also see various spots on Kumejima from the sea side. The Ojima report will be posted later!
You can see strange rocks and eroded rocks, and the seabed can be seen through the glass in the crystal clear water. The boat ride takes 30 minutes each way, and you'll arrive in no time.
When the sunlight shines on the white sandy seabed, it turns the color of bath salts! It's a turquoise blue, even more than emerald. In this area, natural mozuku seaweed is grown and cultivated.
Pure white sand and crystal clear blue waters. Relax at Hate no Hama, the most beautiful beach in the Orient.
At last we arrived at the long-awaited Hate no Hama Beach.
Once you disembark from the boat onto the soft sandy beach, you'll be given a few instructions and then have an hour and a half of free time!
Marine activities require reservations, but you can negotiate on the spot. However, it is expected to be quite crowded during the peak summer season, so it is better to plan ahead.
The UV rays are at their maximum, blowing away the forecast. It's best to take extra precautions against sunburn.
In the past, this beach was the subject of much discussion due to its unusual sight of just a toilet standing alone in the middle of a vast, pure white sandy beach. However, in recent years, rental parasols and rest areas have been built, making it easier to use.
You can spend your time however you like, doing things like snorkeling in the crystal clear waters, diving, enjoying jet skiing, taking leisurely strolls along the beach, or taking your camera and having a photo shoot like I did.
You can't talk about Kumejima without mentioning Hatenohama Beach!
This is a spot that is beyond words and is definitely worth a visit.
Finally, we arrived at Hate no Hama. It was so beautiful that I was at a loss for words.
Blue sea, white sand! The sand on the beach is made up of coral reefs. This sand is also made from coral, so it is truly white.
There are facilities available, including a rest area and rental of marine sports equipment.
Swimming is prohibited on the other side of the dock, but the water on this side is bluer and more beautiful!
Parasols require reservations. It's a good idea to make a reservation because the strong ultraviolet rays are pouring down. (There is a roof over the rest area.) At the peak, there are apparently even more parasols lined up.
The sea is shallow. Furthermore, it seems that we were able to go farther because of the low tide that day. Apparently there were a lot of fish when we dived! The sea is shallow, so we returned before the tide went out. An hour and a half went by in a flash. It will be under the scorching sun, so don't forget to bring water and a towel when you cross to Hatenohama (there is a shop at the port).
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
