Shonan is the name for the area of south central Japan along the Sagami Bay around Enoshima, Kamakura, Chigasaki, and Hiratsuka. It also happens to be where my wife is from and where my in-laws live, which explains why I was down there this past weekend.

The coast is popular with surfers, presumably because the waves are better than around, say, Tokyo Bay, and the water is slightly less polluted and thus not quite as likely to dissolve your wetsuit in five minutes. It's a nice break from Tokyo, though. Much less crowded and has a newer, more roomy feel to it. Dare I say that it's almost Californiaesque in a Japanese way.

The sand is dark and presumably volcanic in origin. Alas, the beaches there are covered with all kinds of junk that lazy people leave behind or throw into the ocean.

Canon EOS 20D, EF 17-40mm f/4 L @ 40mm, f/4.0, 1/1250 sec, ISO 100