Chirihama Nagisa Beach Drive Way was one of the more surprising activities that we enjoyed during our stay in Kanazawa, Ishikawa prefecture.
Little did we know that it is one of the most recommended tourist spots in Uozu City.
The exclusive and unique road is an approximately 8-kilometer-long sandy drive along Chirihama Beach.
Not only cars, but also buses, motorcycles, and bicycles can travel along the sandy beach.
The exhilarating feeling of driving by the water’s edge is quite addictive once you experience it! I only meant to drive it once but ended up driving it EVERY time we went from Kanazawa to Noto Peninsula and I enjoyed 3-4 beach days by parking along side the road. The summer water was super warm and it was one of the most memorable places on my trip.
The secret of this road lies in the size of the sand. It’s super fine, almost like a powder and features grains that are about 0.2 millimeters in size.
Sand of the same size solidifies firmly by absorbing seawater and makes it possible to drive over whether it’s a two-wheel drive or a four-wheel drive vehicle.
More than anything however, it just feels weird and fun driving on the sand and having the waves break so close to your car. Definitely a must try!
Take a look at the Naminoko gai, and Funabashi gai digging onto the sand. They are all over the beach and kept us entertained for hours. They are famous for “riding” the waves and then burrowing into the sand as the waves retreat.
Supposedly, they have a very great flavor and people have used it since the old days for miso soup and other broths.
Here is a live cam of the Chirihama Nagisa Drive cam.
