Monday, September 22, 2014

Sightseeing in Chiba: Kamogawa and Green Club Pension

Surfers in Kamogawa

A couple of weeks ago I took a small weekend trip to Chiba along with my bf to enjoy the last gasp of summer. Although most people visit Chiba either to go to Narita airport or Tokyo Disneyland (Tokyo Disneyland is in fact situated in Chiba but I suppose Chiba Disneyland doesn't sound as attractive) the prefecture also has among other things some magnificent beaches, ideal for surfing and coastal walks. One of the places famous for its beaches is Kamogawa, which was the destination for our trip this time. We had decided to go there by car, but you can also easily get there by train (takes about 2 hours to get to the Awa-Kamogawa Station - 安房鴨川駅 - from Tokyo).

Browse places to stay in Chiba on Agoda.com. Free cancellation.

Japan’s first ever surfing competition was actually held in Kamogawa back in 1965, after the locals learned the practice from American soldiers visiting the area. You can find many surfing shops and places to rent surfboards here, so even if you don't have the necessary equipment yet you can always get your hands on it at one of the many local stores. Furthermore, the temperature in Kamogawa is apparently quite mild all the year around, so people come to Kamogawa to enjoy surfing even during the winter.!

Beach in Kamogawa

Visiting the Japanese beaches in September is actually quite a good idea! For some reasons (touched upon by the BBC here) most people in Japan actually stay away from the shore at this time of the year, leaving a lot of space to splash around for us others. With temperatures around 25C you certainly at least don't have to ask a Norwegian to twice before jumping into the water..

Kamogawa seen from the Uomizuka Lookout Point

We spent most of the day on the beach, but there are also some other sights that might be of interest so I've included some links below for people who might be interested in other sightseeing options in Kamogawa. In our case we did stop by the Uomizuka Lookout Point where you have a great view of Kamogawa. Although we went there by car it shouldn't take too long to walk there either I believe..

Picture taken together at the Uomizuka Lookout Point

A statue of the goddess Gyofu at the lookout point

Kamogawa Green Club Pension
For our visit to Chiba we stayed at a small local pension, the Kamogawa Green Club. I actually came in contact with the owner of the pension through my job as an Internet Travel Consultant, and had been wanting to visit the place for quite some time.

Kamogawa Green Club

The pension was situated right by the beach, and since we mainly spent our time on the beach it was very convenient for us to come and go. The building drew inspiration from German architecture, and the furniture and decoration inside also helped creating a German atmosphere.

Picture of the window on the second floor

View from our window towards the beach

The owner of the pension told me she had once worked at a luxurious German restaurant in Tokyo before (apparently the restaurant doesn't exist anymore though), and had learned how to cook German cuisine there. Along with our dinner we could choose between a range of German beers, and for dinner we got served with various German and Japanese dishes. Apparently the place has a lot of repeaters who come back to the pension again and again because of the delicious food. If you're in Japan and miss German food you might want to combine a trip to Kamogawa with a stay at this pension:)

German beer

Delicious sushi

Dish with local Ise-ebi shrimp

German dish

German style bread

Inside the restaurant

German style decoration

Other Pages:
Japan National Tourism Organization: Chiba
Chiba Official Tourism Website
Kamogawa Tourist Information
Book a room at Kamogawa Green Club (Japanese only)

Related blogposts

All blogposts from Chiba

About Anette
Anette came to Japan as an exchange student in 2010, met the love of her life and got stuck. From her base in Tokyo she writes about her experiences as a full-time worker in Tokyo and about her travels in Japan and abroad. She's a free-spirited adventurer who enjoys both the great outdoors and her urban lifestyle.