With its endless green pine forest and beautiful white sandy beach, Keinomatsubara is one of Japan’s most prominent beaches.

Known for its picturesque scenery since ancient times, a poem about the area, which is included in the Manyoshu (the oldest existing collection of Japanese poetry), was composed by Kakinomoto no Hitomaro.

Around 50 thousand Awaji black pines grow thickly in the area, and in addition to having been designated as a location of scenic beauty within Japan, it has also been selected as one of Japan’s top 100 beaches, not to mention as one of the top 100 white sand beaches with green pine groves in Japan!
There is a walking trail from where you can enjoy a pleasant forest bath among the 50 thousand Awaji black pines…

Immediately to the west side of the pine forest, you can see the Harimanada Sea, and the beautifully white sandy beach that continues on for around 2.5 kilometers.

Keinomatsubara is also known as one of Awaji Island’s best places to see the evening sun. It has been selected as one of Japan’s top 100 places to see the sunset.

The evening hour near the pine forest and long sandy beach… The location is a place where you can see sublime sunsets regardless of season, but from autumn through winter, when the air is clear, the evening scene has an excellent reputation.

The edge of the water glistens in the evening light.

Keinomatsubara is a very popular swimming spot during summer. It has been highly honored by being selected by Japans Ministry of Environment as an excellent swimming location (there are only 10 locations with a similar rank within Japan).
In the direction of the setting sun, the sky has starts to turn orange… Behind the silhouette of Awaji Island visible on the foreground, the mountains of Shikoku can be seen stretching out.

The setting sun seen from under the pine trees is indeed a sublime sight!

The needles of an Awaji black pine and the setting sun. The evening scenery at Keinomatsubara brings about a truly romantic air.

In the area near the pine forest where ryokans and hotels stand in a row, there is small paved road along which art objects made from Awaji Island roof tiles are set. It is called “Propose Road”.

(This is a joke about unchanging love ‘kawaranu ai’, that sounds the same as roof tile kawara)…

We recommend the location as a place to go for a date while gazing at the sunset and exchanging mutual promises for unchanging love.
Location: Matsuhokotsuro, Minamiawaji city, Hyogo Prefecture:

Guide homepage: http://www.awaji-web.com/index.php?ocean_keinomatubara (Japanese)

Setouchi Finder Photo-writer: Hironobu Matsuoka