Here’s the sunset at Sunayama Beach
Let’s jump right in with a photo!
This photo was taken at dusk one day.
It was so beautiful that even the locals were moved.
Even though it was a weekday, there were a lot of foreign tourists that day
And for some reason, there’s been a lot of visitors from Europe, South America, and Asia (excluding China) lately
There were lots of people walking through the shallow waters of the beach in light clothing or swimsuits, and it somehow felt very exotic.
It has a different vibe from the sand dunes where I used to come to play with my grandpa back in the day
Right up until the moment the sunset dipped into the sea.
One of the best things about Sunayama Beach is that there are no islands or obstacles blocking the view of the sunset.
So you can watch it all the way until it sinks into the sea.
The ever-changing scenery makes you forget the events of the day and feel like you’re returning to nature.
It’s truly a healing experience.
When I arrived at the beach, even though it was a weekday, there were already a lot of people there.
When I was a child, there might have been one family at most—if that
In fact, it was more likely that there wouldn’t be anyone there at all.
That’s the result of its growing popularity as a tourist spot.
The rock arch with a gaping hole on the left is a famous landmark.
As time went by, the sun grew brighter.
The couple’s silhouettes look great.
As time went on, the sky gradually turned red.
It’s the start of the “magic hour.”
Cheers rang out on the beach as the sunset emerged from a break in the clouds.
As time went on even further,
the setting sun was halfway into the sea
It seems many people want to capture this moment—it’s the perfect time to take a photo
Once they’re done taking photos, people gaze at the setting sun
As time passed still, the sun was reduced to just a small sliver at the top
It sinks lower and lower
By this time, the entire beach is filled with a wonderful atmosphere
Whether they’re couples or families, you can really feel the sense of people spending time with their loved ones
Even after the sun has fully set, there’s an indescribable lingering feeling
If you’re looking to watch the sunset on Miyako Island, Sunayama Beach is highly recommended.
The walk to Sunayama is a little adventure
Sunayama Beach is located on the west side of the island
It’s a beach close to the city center.
The parking lot is spacious, and there are shower facilities.
At first glance, it seems easy to get to,
the real challenge in getting to the beach begins here
The path starts out paved,
it turns into sand partway through
The path suddenly narrows, giving you that “Am I on the right track?” feeling,
Then there’s a gentle uphill stretch that goes on for a while,
and the path gradually gets narrower
However, when you catch a glimpse of the ocean at the end of the path, your spirits soar instantly
It’s a beautiful view
Once you come out of this path, the view is quite spectacular
It looks gentle from above, but the sand is deep here, making the return trip quite a challenge
The uphill climb after playing in the sand dunes is quite a challenge (lol).
I wanted to take a photo of the uphill climb on the way back, but there were so many people that day, and if I’d taken it from below,
I’d have looked like a total weirdo, so I held off
I’ll post a photo the next time I go.
As for swimming at Sunayama Beach…
Suna-yama Beach has shower facilities in the parking lot, but
it actually seems to be on private property.
When I was a kid, I didn’t know it was private property.
For a while, there was a company that offered rentals, but apparently there were various issues, which is why this sign was put up
That said, this sign doesn’t actually prohibit swimming at the beach
In fact, I used to come here to swim with my grandfather and parents until around kindergarten age.
However, ever since an incident 20 years ago in which a surfer was attacked and killed by a shark,
I don’t think locals swim here anymore
The shark believed to have carried out that attack was a sand tiger shark.
It’s the kind of shark that really makes you go, “Shark!”
What’s more, it seems to be one of the three most dangerous shark species.
It was 20 years ago, so my memory is a bit fuzzy, but I think it happened quite close to the beach—about 20 to 30 meters away.
As a layperson, I figured that since there’s no reef around the sandbar and the water drops off suddenly, it’s easy for sharks to swim in—so I haven’t gone swimming there since I became an adult.
Plus, the waves are actually pretty high there.
Even if you visit as a tourist, this is the kind of beach where it’s best to just enjoy the shore and the water’s edge.
Downsides of Sunayama Beach
I’m bringing this up at the very end, but
there’s actually a pretty disappointing aspect.
One of Sunayama Beach’s highlights is the naturally formed rock arch, but
is now fenced off like this.
It appears the fence was installed due to the risk of collapse and the increase in tourists
It seems there were quite a few people there, so the closure might have been unavoidable, but
it really takes a hit off the scenery (/_;)
I really miss the old Sunayama.
If you go at dusk, the dim light makes the fences less noticeable, so
so personally, I recommend visiting during sunset and the “magic hour.”
I hope this article sparks some excitement for someone
Thank you for watching *ᴗ ᴗ)⁾⁾
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