Nishikinohama Beach

Probably enjoying his first beach trip :)

Today I'd like to introduce a local Osaka beach to you （●´－｀●）! Shota and I went out there this past Sunday, and had a great time. And it was just in time too since we had a great rainstorm the next dayヽ(；´Д｀)ノ

This beach is called Nishikinohama. It's actually a park so you get some sand, water and pine trees. And you'll want those pine trees to hide under because it gets hot.

Just follow this road.

Access Information:
Nishikinohama is only accessible from the Nankai Railway at the Nishikinohama (二色浜) Station. After exiting the station, turn left and follow the street right to the beach. Super easy( ´ ▽ ` )ﾉ. If you're coming from Osaka City, it's about 45 minutes from the JR Tennoji Station.
Things to Note: Swimming season is from July 1st to August 31st and swimming ends at 5pm. The park closes after 10pm.

 Nishikinohama is a pretty small beach, can't be much more than a kilometer of sand alone, but that certainly shouldn't stop you from enjoying yourself. A few tips though, if I may. I highly suggest you bring a large sitting blanket/tarp/something. Shota and I arrived with only our towels, and were sorely disappointed. Back home in VA Beach, my family and I only used towels for laying down, but that sand is kind of dirty here, so Shota wasn't down with that idea. I ended up walking back to the store right in front of the park to buy a tarp. Thank goodness for that little shop( ´ ▽ ` ). 

Also, the sand is really, really hot. I ripped off my sandals when we got to the sand because I didn't want sand in my shoes, but that was a terrible idea. Keep your sandals on, even on the sand, and make sure you bring a large tarp/blanket. Once you step into the water though, it's a little easier to walk on the sand. Until your feet dry again(´＿｀｡)
Also..! The shore is a mix of sand, broken shells and wooden debris (don't worry, there's a little trash mixed in there too), so that kind of sucks for your feet. I do hope all the beaches in Osaka aren't like this（´∀｀）. A plus though! The water is quite warm and easy to get into. The water is a bit dirty by the shore though. I can't believe people would just let their trash go floating into the water, but they do and I found myself trying to avoid candy and kakipi wrappers. Pretty gross（ ´・_・｀） But once you get further into the water, the it's much cleaner.

 Here's the grassy area right next to the sand. A lot of groups were parked out here for barbecues, some with music blasting for all to hear. If you're looking for a quiet place to relax, stay as far away from here as you can. But if you're looking to cook out, you can do it here. Just make sure you bring your own supplies. There are grills in another area of Nishikinohama Park, but you have to make reservations a month in advance and there is a fee depending on the size of the grill. More information on reservations is available at Nishikinohama's Official Website (Japanese only).


The center of Nishikinohama is decorated with this huge mast. Sadly, it's not connected to an actual ship (no impromptu Sparrow impressions（´∀｀）). There is a nice imitation deck where you can sit in some shaded areas or under the deck and enjoy yourself. There's also vending machines, bathrooms, and showers nearby.


Important Note: Swimming finishes at 5pm. That's right, you have to get out at 5pm. I assume you're allowed to stay on the beach afterwards though since I saw a sign for 10pm, and no one seemed like they were ending their parties when they made the last swim call.I don't know why they have a cut-off time for swimming, and I didn't bother asking Shota because he never knows anything, but I'd like to find out. Anyone else know if other beaches in Japan have this rule? Maybe it's just an Osaka thing. Osaka is kind of weird like that sometimes(/ｰ＼).

This is definitely a local spot and doesn't cater to tourists well (I saw two-family own eateries by the beach, but everything else looks like private homes), but if you're looking for a quiet place that's off the beaten path, I think it's pretty good. There's another spot further down the rail that I'd like to check out too, but I'll have to save that for another sunny weekend. Once jellyfish season starts though, the water is off-limits to me *petrified*（；’Ａ ’）.


★Peaces★