Katsuyama Port Beach, Chiba

Katsuyama Port Beach is a quiet beach located a 1.5 hour drive from central Tokyo. It has a good stretch of sand, a dock for fishing, a few cement breakers, clean shower / restroom facilities, and on a clear day, a view of Mt. Fuji.

We took a day trip to the beach over the long weekend; post summer season. The beach was deserted. By August 31st beach businesses in Japan close, kids are back in school, and out come the jellyfish. Luckily, we didn`t see any jellyfish on the beach or bay when we visited. There were a handful of men fishing off the cement breakers, another fishing off the beach and a few beach goers arrived post lunch.

The section of the beach we were in had a number of sea shells and bits of painted ceramic pieces washed up from the bay. The kids loved it. Further down the beach we could see areas with mostly sand. Our kids preferred to stay in the area to collect sea shells and bits of “little treasures”. I recommend beach shoes for little ones with sensitive feet. My 3 and 5 year old were fine.

We grabbed a quick bite at a small beach restaurant, Beach Cafe Sea Berth located directly across from the beach with beautiful views of the bay. The menu is entirely in Japanese however they have photos of their main dishes. The kids loved their ichigo milk kakigori (shaved milk ice with strawberry syrup) dessert. There is also a Family Mart convenience store located a 2 min drive from the beach.

The kids loved bringing home their little treasures. We used them to decorate a 99 yen frame from IKEA. They could not wait to get their summer photos printed to place in the frame. If you don`t have a photo printer at home we recommend visiting Palette Plaza or 55 DPE & Digital Station to get your photos printed. There are locations throughout Tokyo and Japan. It`s fast, affordable and easy.

Things to know before heading to the Beach post summer season:
– Shower fixtures are removed from showers to rinse sand from the body and feet. If you`re not located near a restroom we recommend getting a liter of water from the konbini (convenience store) to rinse sand off from the feet.
– September marks jellyfish season in Japan. If you get stung by a jellyfish please read How to Treat Jellyfish Stings.
– Lifeguards are not present. Please watch over your children.

Katsuyama Port Beach Details:

Address: Shimosakuma, Kyonan-machi, Awa-gun, Chiba-ken (〒299-2115 千葉県安房郡鋸南町下佐久間戸飛地)
Phone: 0470-55-0115
Hours: 9:00-16:30
Access: A 10-minute walk from JR Uchibo Awa Katsuyama Station; A 1.5 hour drive from central Tokyo. Take the Aqualine to the Tateyama Expressway. Take the Futtsu Tateyama Road Exit and head to Route 184. Continue on Route 184 and look for the signs for Katsuyama Beach.

P.S. Looking for another get-away? Take a look at our Japan Weekend Trip. Staying in Tokyo? Don`t miss out on our Family-friendly Tokyo Weekend Events.

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