A top class beach that boasts some of the most beautiful scenery in Japan

The word “nishi” means “north” in the Okinawan language. True to its name, Nishihama Beach is located on the northern side of Hateruma Island, Japan’s southernmost inhabited island. Its fine-grained bright-white sands and the continuously-transitioning blue gradation of its water—which changes with the position of the sun and the ebbs and flows of the ocean tide—are so outstanding that visitors can gaze at them all day long without ever getting bored. Depending on weather conditions, between December and June, visitors to Hateruma Island can also see the Southern Cross constellation, so the island is also a recommended spot for stargazing and stellar observation.