Wakasa Wada Beach若狭和田ビーチ

White sand and a long, shallow, clear shelf that suits children. It is also on the Ministry of the Environment's 100 best beaches and Japan's 100 best sunsets.

In season: 21 beach houses with food and showers (¥200 for 3 minutes), rentals from parasols (from ¥1,000) and rubber rings (¥500) to canoes (from ¥700 an hour) and SUP, BBQ areas and a campsite next to the sand. Some beach houses stay open in the evening, and fireworks are allowed on the beach until 22:00.

About eight beaches line the bay. Shirahama and Toriihama, backed by pines near Wakasa-Takahama Station, suit families. Shiroyama has calm water and rock pools, with Shiroyama Park next door: another of Japan's 100 best sunsets, above the sea cave Meikyōdō (明鏡洞). Wakamiya, where Takahama's beach tourism began, has a fishing park, a supermarket and a dog run nearby. Takahama runs SUP, beach yoga and surf lessons; the bay gets small surfable waves in autumn and winter.

Wada faces west across the bay. The 19:23 is the last train that reaches Tsuruga (21:27); if you stay in Obama, the last train there leaves Wakasa-Wada at 21:02.