About Oarai’s beach
Guests can enjoy water sports and relax on the beach. The Oarai beach is one of the biggest beaches in Ibaraki.
Swimming area
Oarai Sun Beach swimming area
This is a well-known beach surrounded by shallow water and covered by a huge sandy shore. In addition to swimming, guests can enjoy water sports such as surfing.
| Swimming area opening period | From mid-July to mid-August. The beach is closed for 2023. |
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| Public |
Barbeque area is available only when the beach is open. ※Prohibited: Drinking alcohol by bringing in alcoholic beverages during the beach’s open season. |
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Rental |
(During the open season)
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- Find out more about beach activities (Japanese)
- About evacuation measures from Oarai beaches (Japanese)
Gathering shellfish, crabs, etc…
His possible to spot sea wildlife (such as small fish and crabs) between the reef rocks.
| Season | At low tide (from April to October) |
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| Necessary equipment | Glass bottles, net, bait, cookware, small water tank, string, etc... |
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Notes |
Please wear clothing suitable for water activities. Please wear protective footwear. Please pay attention to your environment as some rocky areas are slippery and dangerous to climb. Please pay attention to the weather conditions: high/low tide. It is necessary for adults to supervise their children at all times. We recommend not playing in the ocean at high tide. Please be aware of your surroundings and the water level. |
Shellfish gathering
Let’s enjoy gathering shellfish on the beach!
■In order to protect our shelled animals, the area for gathering is limited to the first sun-beach and second sun-beach (red line on the map; from west breakwater to the Onuki beach breakwater).
■People may be punished under the rules of the Ibaraki Fishermen’s Association if acting in violation of the restrictions on gathering shellfish.
Enjoy gathering the shelled animals that inhabit the beaches in Oarai, but please be mindful of the amounts that you collect in the interests of conservation.
The area that has been designated for gathering shellfish is not to be used for sightseeing.
Remember that shellfish harvesting can impact the environment!
Have fun gathering shellfish on our beaches, but please be mindful of the amount that you collect. In the interest of conservation, there are restrictions on shellfish harvesting.
| Time and Season |
Shellfish may not be harvested during the following periods: - One hour before and after low tide (mid-April to end of June.) - The day of spring tide and the days before and after. * The times above are rough estimates. During these periods, shells may not be harvested. Please check [here] for time and tide level. |
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| Place | The first and second Oarai Sun Beach. |
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Notes |
The southern sides of The first and second beaches are protected areas (no fishing zone). Gathering shellfish is prohibited in this area. There are restrictions on the area, size and tools used for gathering shellfish. Individuals may only gather up to 1 kg of shellfish each. Please check [here(Japanese)] for more information. Please wear clothes suitable for wet conditions. We recommended wearing hats and sunscreen for sun protection. |
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Main shell |
It is prohibited to gather clams smaller than 3 cm.
It is prohibited to gather surf clams smaller than 7 cm.
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”Hamaguri” (Clam)
”Hokkigai” (Surf clam)
”Kotamagai” (Flat clam)Experience Fishing Together
Let’s go fishing and get a great catch! You can go fishing at the Oarai Sun Beach from the early morning. Net fishing is an old-fashioned method that uses a boat to spread a large net over the sea, which is then dragged to haul in a large number of fish.
| Period | From: April to October (please contact us for beach opening periods) |
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| Place | Oarai sun beach south side |
| Shops |
■Fukumasamaru (Japanese only) ■Daisan Hiromaru (Japanese only) ＊The fee will be adjusted depending on the size of the net. |
| Other notes | As large numbers of people will be needed for beach fishing, only groups can be accepted (more than 30 people). |
Fishing
There are many fishing spots in Oarai. Visitors can find many kinds of fish in the open sea where the “Oyashio” and “Kuroshio” currents meet. Guests can also enjoy fishing in a pond or a river. Guests can catch freshwater fish at the estuary of the Naka River.
Fishing from rocks along the seacoast
Oarai coast is famous for its rocky shores, which benefits our guests who enjoy fishing.
Place: On the Oarai coast, etc.
For more information, feel free to contact any fishing shop in Oarai.
Boat Fishing
The best time to go boat fishing starts around sunrise, at a distance of 2 to 3 km offshore.
Sometimes, guests can catch big fish swimming in the “Kuroshio” current.
Oarai Fishermen’s Association
TEL: 029-266-2165（Japanese only）
Breakwater Fishing
■Oaraikou Uotsurien
- Oaraiku Uotsurien management office
TEL：029-266-3776（Japanese only） - Ibaraki Prefecture Oarai port office
TEL：029-267-2700（Japanese only）
URL：http://www.oarai-port.com/fishingpark/（Japanese）
※Closed because of earthquake
River fishing
Guests can enjoy fishing at Himuma River all throughout the year. The Hinuma River, which connects Lake Himuma and the sea, is a great place for guests to catch both saltwater and freshwater fish.
■Hinuma river (around Onuki bridge)
■Naka river (around Kaimon bridge)
For more information, feel free to contact any fishing shop in Oarai.
Water Sports
Oarai is a great place to enjoy water sports, such as surfing.
| Period | All seasons (please use designated areas for surfing during the swimming season.) |
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| Place | Southern side of Oarai Sun Beach, below Oarai Aqua World. |
| Facilities | Restrooms, water supply, public showers (available only when the beach is open) |
| Competitions |
ISU Surfing classic / OARAI CUP Surfing and Body boarding. |
Camping
Oarai Sun Beach Campsite
Oarai Sun Beach Campsite is surrounded by the sea and natural forest scenery.
| Entrance Fee | Adults: 300 yen / children: 200 yen |
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| Facility rental fee | One car ・ One tent per night RV / Caravan Parking (with AC power supply): 5,000 yen Tent site: 3,000 yen |
| Other facilities | Barbeque facilities・shower・rest room |
| Contact | Oarai-machi activity center（Japanese） 029-267-2234（Japanese only） |
Oarai Campsite
The Oarai Campsite is a good place to take a walk and relax in a peaceful pine forest. Nearby, there is also a museum which displays collections of artifacts from the Edo and Meiji periods. The Oarai Campsite is a great place to enjoy outdoor activities.
| Facility rental fee | Adults: 1,300 yen per night Junior high and high school students: 850 yen per night Elementary school students and children under 6 years: 600 yen per night |
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Contact |
Oarai camp site（Japanese） (Oarai Museum of Bakumatsu and Meiji History) 029-267-2276（Japanese only） |