Sandboarding and Sand Skiing at Sunayama (Sand Mountain), Tateyama, Chiba
Although it is not widely known, this is the biggest sand dune in the Kanto area. It has huge, wide, steep runs that make for very satisfying riding. It is not easily accessible but is without a doubt the best known dune in Japan and comes highly recommended.
To get there by car from Tokyo, the most convenient route is the Tateyama Expressway, which now extends to Kisarazu: take the Metropolitan Expressway onto the Keiyo Road or the Wangan (Bayshore) Route and join the Tateyama Expressway at Chiba. The Aqualine out of Tokyo is quick but costs a few thousand yen in road toll, while the long way right around the bay is not recommended, especially for those on a day trip. Head straight south to the Kisarazu-Minami interchange and get off onto Route 127, which is actually a winding country road. On the way to Tateyama there is also a recently built expressway section that cuts off a lot of travel time for a few hundred yen. The sand dune is right beside the Tateyama Grand Hotel (Ph: 0470-29-1111), so heading there is best done by car navigation. Otherwise, just past point 19 on the access drive map and beyond Nanbo Paradise you will see the Heisaura Beach Hotel on the sea side (your left); make a sharp right turn in front of it (depending on your car you may need a three-point turn). Drive on with the flower-picking gardens on both sides until you come around behind the Tateyama Grand Hotel, and the dune appears on your left. There is no signboard, so be careful not to miss it. What you can see from the road or the hotel car park is actually the back of the main dune, so make sure you go around to the other side. To get there, head east away from the hotel and take the first left you can (a rather rough description, we know), and the dune soon comes into view. Turn left again into a sand road just after a small bridge, as shown on the map below, and about 100 m down you will see the small stream and the huge dune face on your left, bringing you right up to the base. Note that the road around to the far side is narrow, so take care.
If you are going by train, the limited express trains "View Sazanami" and "Sazanami" run straight from Tokyo to Tateyama Station with no transfers. They leave from Keiyo Line Platform 1 in the basement of JR Tokyo Station. From Tateyama Station take the bus and get off at "Tateyama Grand Hotel mae" (in front of the Tateyama Grand Hotel). The last return bus to Tateyama Station is at around 4pm, so be sure not to miss it if you are only there for the day.
Remember you can contact Sand Sports Japan at any time if you need help getting to any of these locations or require more information or a sandboard. We also appreciate any input regarding these locations.
