Shioya Beach

Image: Shioya Beach (塩谷海岸: しおやかいがん) - Summer 1979

Otaru has the most common beaches for people living in the Sapporo area such as Dream Beach in Zenibako and Ranshima. Although Shioya might be less well known among them, it is the most favourable place for those who love beaches due to the calm atmosphere and the beautiful blue sea.

I remember that only a few of my friends in my university knew the name 'Shioya' even though most of them were born in Sapporo, and, in contrast, if he or she loved outdoor activities, there was no one who did not know Shioya Beach.

Map: Shioya Beach

The image below shows the sandy shore just right next to Shioya River in 1979. There was a beautiful sandy beach and, in summer, a lot of visitors enjoyed swimming, eating and building a castle with sand. However, the next shot taken in 2025 illustrates such a lovely sandy beach is now gone.  I am unsure about the exact year when it happened but from photos I have, the sandy beach remained at least in 1990 (the third image below), and I remember that by the late 1990s, it had been replaced by a rocky shoreline.

 

Image: Shioya Beach - Autumn 1979

Image: Shioya Beach - August 2025

Image: Shioya Beach - Summer 1990

The children are trying to light a fire beside an adult, who keeps an eye on them, and half of the sandy beach seems to be covered with seaweed washed ashore, which was often seen here as far as I remember.

It is sad this spot does not exist any more but Shioya Beach extends to the far side of the photo, where Shioya fishing harbour is located. The image below was taken on Sunday at the fishing harbour side in 2009. We can see a lot of people still enjoy swimming or a leisure boat, though it is cloudy.

Image: Shioya Beach - August 2009

However, as time went by, the overall number of visitors declined. The graph below shows the number of visitors to beaches in Otaru between 1994 and 2024 and the average temperature in July and August in Otaru. 

Generally, people in Hokkaido do not go to the beach unless the weather is particularly hot as the sea water tends to remain cold regardless of the temperature. Until around 2006, a correlation between temperature and visitor numbers can be observed. People tended to go to the beach if it was hot. 

After that, however, the number of visitors reduced regardless of the temperature until 2017 and its trend looks to continue with small fluctuations.

Graph: Number of Beachgoers and Average Temperature (Jul & Aug) in Otaru

Figure compiled by the author using data provided by Otaru city and Japan Meteorological Agency.

Looking at the next graph, the number of the young generation, consisting of those aged 0 to 24, is steadily decreasing, whereas the number of people above 65 years old is growing. The younger generation was surpassed by the elderly in terms of population in 2006.

Graph: Estimated Population by Age Group and Total Population in Hokkaido

Figure compiled by the author using data provided by e-Stat.

Data for 1994 and 1995 was unavailable on e-Stat.

A decline in the number of young people, coupled with an increase in the elderly population, might be a key factor in the gradual decline in beach attendance over time.

I am not saying it is a good or bad thing. I simply want to highlight that the way people spend their leisure time has changed over the years.

　　Image: Shioya - 1977

When I was little, I used to love burying myself in the sand - with a bit of help from my brother. The image on the left was taken before I was born, though.

We built a sand barrier to shield our sandcastle from the incoming waves at the water’s edge.

In addition, I remember there was a shop selling miso-oden (味噌おでん) and we often ate it. But I kept dropping mine in the sand because there was only one wooden chopstick poking out of the oden. So I would go to the sea to rinse them off, losing all the miso flavour, and still eat them anyway.

On the western side of the beach, there is now a small port (see the image below). However, there used to be a sandy beach with small rocks where the port now stands.

There used to be a distinctive rock near the beach called 'Bonzu-iwa (ぼんず岩)' - you can see it, a rock with a straight pole standing upright in the centre,  just behind the woman in the second photo. I am not entirely sure all the locals refer to it by that name but my mother, who was born and raised in Shioya, does.

I assume 'Bonzu' comes from 'Bouzu', meaning shaved head. (Iwa means a rock)

Image: West side of Shioya Beach - August 2025

Image: Shioya Beach with Bonzu-iwa - Summer 1979

Image: Sunset and Bonzu-iwa - Summer 1977

Image: Bonzu-iwa - August 1980

As everyone living in Hokkaido has noticed, the sea water is no longer cold in summer. Personally, I think it is good thing - we do not have to prepare a small wooden fire before going in. Also, we do not need to give up swimming just because the water chills us to the bone.

When I was a university student in the 2000s, it was still common practice for us to sit by the fire to warm up after swimming in the sea. 

Image: A small wooden fire, Shioya Beach - Summer 1977

In the 1980s, it was not uncommon for households to have no electric fan at all. My parents did not own one, let alone air conditioning, but Hokkaido summers have changed dramatically.

In 2024, they finally gave up trying to get by with just fans and installed air conditioning, but only in the living room. So it was quite difficult to sleep at night during my stay this summer. 

Anyway, Shioya Beach is still beautiful and often experiences nagi (凪: なぎ/ a sea state with no wind and no waves) in summer, as shown in the image below taken during the Obon period this year.

Image: Shioya Beach in Obon period - August 2025

This must be suitable for surface snorkelling, with opportunities to observe various fish and hidden crabs in the sand. You will find right-eyed flounders, grass puffers and swimming crabs. If you are fortunate, you might even uncover hard clams while digging.

Image: Shioya Beach - Summer 1972

Although the landscape of Shioya Beach has changed, there is still a sandy shoreline and a deep blue ocean. You might like to try the beach on the Shioya fishing harbour side of Shioya.

It is a shallow beach with clear water, making it ideal for families with children. However, do bear in mind that after rainy days, the sea water may not be as transparent.

Image: Shioya - after Obon period 2025

The easiest way to visit Shioya is by car, as the Shioya Interchange on the express motorway is just around the corner from the beach. However, there is no free parking, so you will need to find a car park and check whether spaces are available. I believe you will  find it easily as temporary car parks are available during the summer season - some of which are provided by individual households. So you can ask directly after spotting a signboard that says '駐車場あります', meaning 'there is a car park', often accompanied by the name of the household.

If you are using the JR railway line, you can get off at Shioya Station. It is about a 20-minute walk to the beach from there. 

It was lovely to see non-Japanese visitors at Shioya Beach this summer - such a lesser-known spot. It felt meaningful to be able to share the same experience. 

Map: Route from Shioya Station

Lastly, while Shioya Beach is mainly popular with day visitors, those who linger into the evening are rewarded with a stunning sunset.

Image: Sunset at Shioya Beach - Summer 1975

Image: Shioya Beach, fishing harbour side - Obon period 2025