Miwa Lab.

Welcome to Kotohiki Beach!

日本語

Hi! I'm Sandy! This beautiful view is "Kotohiki Beach" in Kyoto Prefecture. When you look from the west end, you can't see anything artificial. It's a very quiet and special place. Long ago, people compared the "chirping" sound of the sand on this beach to the sound of a koto, a traditional Japanese instrument with 13 strings. There are records that famous historical figures like the samurai lord Tadaoki Hosokawa and the poet Akiko Yosano visited this very beach.

Sand That Looks Like Jewels

Something terrible once happened to this beach. In 1997, heavy oil from a Russian ship washed ashore. But many volunteers from all over Japan gathered and worked hard in the cold to clean the sand.
It's a precious treasure protected by everyone's efforts. Kotohiki Beach even has its own song, the "Nakisuna Ondo" (Singing Sand Song). Please come and listen to the voice of this jewel-like sand!