HokkaidoTravel

Shimotai Beach (島武意海岸)

Flow of the course

Previous stop: Popular Lunch at a Queue-Drawing Restaurant Near Yoichi Station; Head to the Seafood Workshop on the 2nd Floor

About 60 min from the previous stop

About 50 min here

About 30 min to the next stop

Next stop: Walk the Charerenka Trail to the Cape's Tip; 300-Degree Shakotan Blue Panorama

About this spot

Selected as one of Japan's Top 100 Scenic Shores, this is a representative scenic spot of Shakotan Peninsula. Pass through a dark, hand-carved tunnel from the parking lot barely wide enough for one person to squeeze through, and the entire vista opens to a cove with exceptional transparency—this dramatic curtain-raising is the essence of Shimotai Beach. The sea viewed from the observation platform displays a stunning gradient, shifting from emerald shallow waters to deep indigo depths, instantly making clear what the term "Shakotan Blue" means. Descending a steep path leads to a beach strewn with round stones, and the sea's transparency up close is breathtaking. Legend has it the tunnel was once carved for herring fishing transport, a remnant of Shakotan's history as a thriving fishing community.

Tips

About 50 minutes by car west of Yoichi on Route 229; a free parking lot is available. The path down to the beach is steep, so wear comfortable walking shoes. The tunnel is dark, so watch your footing carefully, and yield courteously when passing others. The observation platform can be reached in just a few minutes from the parking lot.