Ohama Beach (Hiwasa)

Ohama Beach in Hiwasa, part of Minami Town in southern Tokushima Prefecture, is best known as one of Japan's most important nesting sites for loggerhead sea turtles. The beach is a broad stretch of fine sand roughly 55 km south of Tokushima City, moderately exposed to the Pacific with a gently sloping profile that suits both casual swimming and, seasonally, nesting turtles that come ashore at night from May through August. The water is clear and the surf is generally mild compared to the more exposed surf breaks further south at Kaifu and Shishikui, making it a comparatively family-friendly stop along this stretch of coast. Hiwasa Castle sits on a small hill immediately adjacent to the beach, offering an elevated viewpoint over the sand and bay, and the Sea Turtle Museum Caretta, dedicated to the loggerhead nesting program, is a short walk away and doubles as an information point for beach etiquette during nesting season. Amenities are modest: there are public restrooms and a small parking area near the station, but no large-scale food court or beach club, so most visitors bring their own supplies or eat in the town center nearby. During nesting season, sections of the beach may be roped off at night to protect turtle nests, and visitors are asked to avoid using bright lights or driving on the sand after dark. JR Hiwasa Station is about a 10-minute walk away on the JR Mugi Line, making the beach one of the more accessible stops along the southern Tokushima coast by train. Outside nesting season, the beach functions as a straightforward swimming and sunbathing spot with fewer restrictions, and the adjacent castle grounds and turtle museum make it easy to combine a beach visit with a couple of hours of sightseeing in Hiwasa.