Shirahama, Wakayama facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shirahama
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Town
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Top left: Nanki Shirahama Spa, Top right: Shirahama Beach, 2nd left: Three-stage Wall (Sandanheki), 2nd right: Engetsu Island (Engetsuto), 3rd: Shirahama Adventure World, Bottom left: Tsubaki Spa, Bottom right: Minakata Kumagusu Memorial Museum
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(January 31, 2012)
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23,325 | |
Shirahama (白浜町, Shirahama-chō) is a town located in Nishimuro District, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. It is a popular resort town on the south coast of Wakayama Prefecture.
Shirahama is famous for its beautiful white-sand beaches and relaxing hot springs. The name "Shirahama" actually means "white beach" or "white bay" in Japanese. During the summer months of July and August, visitors can enjoy fireworks displays on the beach every night.
Getting to Shirahama is quite easy. Shirahama Station is about two and a half hours away from Osaka by JR West's Ocean Arrow train service. There are also daily flights from Nanki-Shirahama Airport to Tokyo's Haneda Airport.
On March 1, 2006, the town of Hikigawa joined Shirahama, making the town larger. As of January 31, 2012, Shirahama had an estimated population of 23,325 people. The total area of the town is 201.04 square kilometers.
Exploring Shirahama's Nature
Shirahama is located in the southern part of Wakayama Prefecture. The town has a mild, temperate climate, which means it's usually not too hot or too cold. This makes it a pleasant place to visit year-round.
The town is well-known for its many hot springs, including famous ones like Nanki-Shirahama Onsen and Tsubaki Onsen. These hot springs are a big reason why people come to relax here. Some public baths in Shirahama are even part of a special World Heritage site, which means they are recognized as important cultural or natural places.
Shirahama is also unique because it does not have smaller "azas." These are like old village areas that were once separate but are now part of a larger town.
Shirahama's Famous White-Sand Beach
One of Shirahama’s main attractions is its beautiful crescent-shaped white-sand beach. As mentioned, "Shirahama" means "white beach." In the 1960s, when a railway connected Shirahama to Osaka, the town became a very popular place for tourists, especially for people on their honeymoons.
Because so many people started visiting and new hotels were built, the famous white sand began to wash away into the sea. This was due to natural erosion from waves and typhoons. To protect the town's main attraction, Wakayama Prefecture started a special project in 1989.
They began to import sand all the way from Perth, Australia, which is about 4,700 miles away! Over 15 years, a huge amount of sand, about 745,000 cubic meters, was brought in to keep Shirahama's beach white and beautiful. This shows how important the beach is to the town.
