Nakatajima Sand Dunes

Nakatajima Sand Dunes (中田島砂丘, Nakatajima-sakyū) are located at the southern part of Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture at the Pacific Ocean coast of Japan.

The dunes were created by sediment deposits carried from the Southern Japanese Alps by the Tenryū River into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Hamamatsu.

Additionally, concrete barriers erected to protect the coast from tsunami and typhoon tidal surges have disrupted the currents responsible for bringing the sand to shore.

From May 3 till May 5, the dunes are the location for the Hamamatsu Festival, which involves flying of traditional Japanese kites.

In the summer the loggerhead turtles land onto the beach to lay eggs, which are then collected to a secure area for incubation.