Hidden Gems of Izu Peninsula

千里浜なぎさドライブウェイ

Stay ~1h 30m

Hakui Station (JR Nanao Line)

An ~8km stretch of sandy beach along the Sea of Japan in Hakui City where ordinary passenger cars, buses, and motorcycles can legally drive directly on the wet sand near the waterline — one of only a handful of beaches in the world, and the only one in Japan, where this is possible. Unusually fine sand grains (~0.2-0.25mm) compact into a firm, road-like surface when saturated with seawater. Ishikawa Prefecture closes this beach driveway to vehicles whenever waves or sand conditions make it unsafe — closures have exceeded 100 days a year recently and often affect only the northern half — so check the live camera or road information line the same day you plan to drive it.