Jade Coast & cycling翡翠海岸

A 4 km stretch of pebble beach where real jadeite stones, washed downriver from the inland deposits, sometimes appear among the polished pebbles. It’s legal to take stones under 15 cm. Bring damp pebbles to the Fossa Magna Museum for free identification.

The beach is at its best after stormy weather, when fresh stones are turned over. Allow 30–60 minutes if jade hunting is the goal.

A modern rest stop at the base of the famous cliffs. The on-site restaurant has panoramic Sea-of-Japan views and fresh seafood set lunches, an exceptional sunset spot. Beyond the pier, 15 km of dramatic sea cliffs once formed Japan’s most feared coastal road.

The name Oyashirazu-Kōshirazu means “not knowing your parents / not knowing your children”, Edo-period travellers crossed at low tide and lost family members to the sea.

Heading east, Hakusan Shrine is one of the oldest buildings in Itoigawa, dark thatched roofs, mossy grounds, quiet. Benten-Iwa is a volcanic outcrop just off the coast, revered as a goddess of the sea, reachable by footbridge.

In late summer, the Nou Seaside Fireworks Festival launches off Benten-Iwa.

The reason locals come to this coast. A roadside station at Nou Fishing Port: a ground-floor live crab market, and Banya Restaurant upstairs with floor-to-ceiling ocean views. The single best place in Japan for beni-zuwai (red snow) crab.

Crab season runs September 1 to June 15, peaking in October–December. A whole boiled crab runs ¥2,000–¥4,000.