Swimming in the Sea of Japan: What a Family Beach Day in Fukui Really Looks Like
The days leading up to this trip were genuinely hectic. Bento ingredients to buy, a car to pack, floaties to inflate — and somewhere in the middle of all that, the discovery that my older son’s swimsuit no longer fits. Growth spurts don’t announce themselves. One more shopping trip added to the list.
On the morning of departure, I was up at 3am. With a 6am start, you need that kind of head start if you want breakfast ready, makeup done, and the bento packed. Every year it’s the same chaos. Every year it’s worth it.
The Water
We drive about two hours from Nagoya to reach this beach in Fukui — a spot we come back to every summer. The Sea of Japan doesn’t always get the attention it deserves, but the water clarity here is genuinely something else. You can see fish swimming beneath you. You can see the bottom.
It looks shallow. It isn’t. Within five meters of the shoreline, kids can’t touch the ground. Float vests are a must — from what I could see, about 90% of the children there were wearing one. In a season when accidents happen every year, it’s not something to leave to chance.
What We Actually Did
The kids swam. They caught a crab — briefly. It spent a few minutes in a bucket while my younger one observed it for a summer homework assignment, then went straight back into the sea. They watched fish drift past. They swam some more. I genuinely cannot match their energy.
We kept the heat in check with plenty of tea and salty snacks throughout the day. Lunch was the bento we’d packed. By the time we wrapped up around 3pm, everyone was happy and completely spent. My older son carried most of the heavy gear without being asked. That meant something.
The Drive Home
Back at the car, the kids had snacks and were asleep before we hit the highway. My husband and I talked quietly the whole way home.
At the house we rinsed everything down — the sand, the salt — hung what we could on the veranda, and left the rest for tomorrow. I showered, opened a beer, and went to bed quietly dreading the muscle soreness I knew was coming.
Our exact spot in Fukui stays a secret — it’s a hidden gem and we’d like to keep it that way. But if you’re near Nagoya and looking for clear water, Fukui is worth every minute of the drive.
One thing that didn’t make it into this trip: the highway service areas were completely packed — three-day weekend traffic meant we couldn’t stop at any of them. Next time, I’m making it a point to explore one properly. There’s a whole post waiting to be written there.
