Beach Picnic in Rumoi, Hokkaido

August 11, 2020

Beach Picnic in Rumoi, Hokkaido

Rumoi Beach, Hokkaido

It's summer again! And as the years pass, this season gets hotter and hotter. A few months ago, the spreading pandemic 'corona virus' became a huge threat to the world economy; but life must go on and somehow Japan was able to cope up and most citizens were able to adjust. These days, though most events were canceled to keep the curve down, some places have finally opened for recreation. And of course, precautions are still observed.

Shingo and I decided to hit Golden Beach in Rumoi, Hokkaido along with his mom and our family friend, Jercyl. Swimming in the area is still restricted so we only spent the day for a barbecue picnic.

Visitors enjoy the clean blue sea

From left: Keiko-san, my friend Jercyl, and Shingo, busy preparing our lunch 🍖🌽🍴

Beach barbecue picnicking is very popular in Japan especially in summer. It's usually enjoyed by a group of friends or a family. This recreation is quite interesting in this country because instead of preparing food overnight to bring it sealed and preserved in a cooler box, most people just stop by at the nearest supermarkets and kombini (convenience stores) then buy packs of food from there. What makes it convenient is that these grocery stores are strategically located just a few minutes from the picnic areas, so the picnic goers who don't have time to cook food can just grab them there during the day.

Clean and organized

As we all know, Japan is well-known for its discipline and proper organization. Public beaches always have garbage segregation areas, shower rooms, separate toilets, and a washing area to clean your utensils and your sandy feet. Most of them are free, while others have a certain fee for maintenance.

What are the common things you see that people bring?

Tents and umbrellas play an important role in beach camping. Some may bring along mini speakers to broadcast their music, but it is still done moderately to give respect to other visitors. There are others who bring along their pets for fun.

Of course, this wouldn't be fun without the grill. A lot of campers bring chunks of meat and vegetables for easy cooking. Seafood such as shrimp, oysters, and hotate (scallops) are also some favorites in the menu. Some would bring beer, but as a lot of them drive, cold mugi-cha (barley tea), green tea, and plain water are a common alternative.

It is a tradition to play suika wari (watermelon splitting) during this time of the year as we oftentimes see from anime scenes but they are not as popular these days (or at least in Hokkaido). Also, the ladies wear swimsuits but they are often conservative and colorful.

Though it's safe to leave your belongings in the open, you have to watch it from birds like seagulls and crows! 😨 They are notorious looters in the area.