Summer is here and as usual, Tokyo is going to be sweltering hot. It’s time to escape it all and relax by the sea. Problem is, there are no (real) beaches in the Tokyo area.

As a general rule the further away from Tokyo you go the prettier the beach will be, but for those without the luxury of time or travel money these are the easiest beaches to get to. Just one or two hours out of Tokyo, and you could be lying on the sand sipping a chuhai…

Beaches in Easy Distance From Tokyo

1. Odaiba, Tokyo

The closest you’ll get to the seaside in Tokyo, this artificial beach is situated in Odaiba. Sadly because the water coming from Tokyo Bay isn’t clean enough, you can’t go swimming. But you can paddle, sunbathe and generally have a beachy time. Another upside is the great view of Tokyo from the beach.

Only a 3 minute walk from Odaiba Kaihin Koen Station or 7 minutes from Tokyo Teleport station.

2. Kamakura, Kanagawa

With its giant Buddha statue and quaint traditional feel, this seaside town is always a popular option. Kamakura’s beaches get pretty crowded in the summer. Although truthfully it's no tropical paradise, it has all the trappings of a nice day out at the sea. You can swim and engage in various sports like surfing.

The beaches are just a few minute walk from Yuigahama station, but you can take a scenic twenty minute walk from the more easily accessible Kamakura station, which is about an hour away from central Tokyo.

3. Enoshima, Kanagawa

Enoshima is another popular option for beach-goers, a tourist friendly small island off the coast, it's connected to the mainland by bridge. You can go to the island itself to enjoy shrines and other cultural fun, or enjoy a nice view of it from the beach.

Kugenuma in Enoshima is a popular beach for surfers with a chilled out vibe, just a 3 minute walk from Katase Enoshima station. But naturally, it's still prone to inevitable overcrowding in the summer months.

The beaches are easily accessible from Enoshima's three main stations, Katase Enoshima (Odakyu line), Enoshima (Enoden line) and the Shonan Enoshima station (Shonan Monorail). It takes about an hour from Tokyo station or one hour fifteen minutes from Shinjuku station depending on which transfers you use.

4. Onjuku, Chiba

The furthest away but most scenic and least crowded option. A cool if not slightly eccentric addition is the statues of a prince and princess riding on camels which gives the beach a cool Arabian Nights vibe.

Situated on the Chiba coast, it takes about 2 hours from Tokyo by train to get to Onjuku station.