Nakatajima Dunes – It is one of the three largest dunes in Japan, along with Tottori Dunes in Tottori Prefecture and Kujyūkurihama in Chiba Prefecture.
The Dunes extend 0.6 km from north to south and 0.4 km from east to west. From the dunes you can see the extensive coastline of Enshu-nada with an unobstructed view. The wind in the dunes creates a pattern called “fumon”; It resembles a beautiful work of art.
Loggerhead turtles, which are an endangered species, come to the coast to lay eggs in the summer. The eggs are protected and released by a local non-profit organization.
The west side of the dunes has become a location for the famous giant kite festival (TAKO) on May 3, 4 and 5 every year. And in front of the Dunes we have the Pavilion for the giant kite festival, an exhibition hall for floats (floats) and giant kites that shows the fierce kite competition held at the Hamamatsu festival.
This location is also often used as a filming location for promotional films or videos.
The Nakatajima sand dunes are also a famous place to watch the first sunrise of the year, a golden sea in the dunes.
The dunes were created by sediment deposits transported from the Alps of southern Japan down the Tenryu River to the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hamamatsu. Sea currents and strong winds help bring sand from below to above, where the wind constantly rearranges its shape. The dunes have existed for thousands of years, but the dune area has been steadily decreasing due to numerous dams built on the Tenryu River for hydroelectric power generation and irrigation. Additionally, concrete barriers erected to protect the coast from tsunami tides and typhoons have disrupted the currents responsible for bringing the sand ashore. The coastline has receded by around 200 meters over the last 40 years.
Shizuoka-ken Hamamatsu-shi Minami ku, Nakatajimacho 1313