Get exhilarating feeling by driving on the beach! I ran “Chirihama Nagisa Driveway” in Ishikawa Prefecture!

Located on the west side of the base of the Noto Peninsula, the Chirihama Coast, which is about 8km from Hodatsushimizu Town to Hakui City in Ishikawa Prefecture, is the only sandy beach in Japan where all vehicles such as cars, buses, bikes, and bicycles can run along the beach. It is famous as “Chirihama Nagisa Driveway”.

Because the sand on Chirihama Coast is even and smaller than the usual so when it absorbs water it will firmly tightened and automobile can run without sinking on the beach. However, even at such Chirihama Coast, at the seaside with too much water and land side with less water, you won’t be able to ride vehicles because those sands flow easily and vehicles sink easily.

You can also swim in Chirihama Coast in summer. The shallow beach will be full of tourists who enjoy swimming. The traffic will be controlled in the crowded swimming season in Chirihama Nagisa Driveway, and road signs set up on the beach.

You can run along the beach at no charge for 24 hours, but traffic regulations and closing may be done during winter and when the waves are high.

The sunset in the Sea of Japan while driving “Chirihama Nagisa Driveway” is magnificent, so this is also the place recommended to visit the evening twilight time.

From April to October every year, people make sand sculptures at the end of the north side (Hakui City side) of “Chirihama Nagisa Driveway”. You can see the process of finishing sculpture by removing sand from big lump little by little.

Access to Chirihama Nagisa Driveway

From Tokyo

It takes about 3 hours from JR Tokyo Station to JR Kanazawa Station by Hokuriku Shinkansen.

From Osaka

It takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes from JR Osaka Station to JR Tsuruga Station by limited express train. Transfer to the Hokuriku Shinkansen at JR Tsuruga Station and it takes about 40 minutes to JR Kanazawa Station.

At JR Kanazawa Station, transfer to the IR Ishikawa Railway Line (bound for Nanao), which directly connects with JR Tsubata Station, and takes about 40 minutes to JR Nanao Line Hodatsu Station, or takes about 1 hour to JR Nanao Line Hakui Station. About 30 minute-walk from JR Hodatsu Station to the Imahama exit of the Chirihama Nagisa Driveway. About 30 minute-walk from JR Hakui Station to the north exit of Chirihama Nagisa Driveway.