Nagahama Beach: The Unnamed Beach Beneath Irabu Bridge (Miyako)

A Stunning View Looking Up from Right Beneath the Bridge

Just after crossing the Irabu Bridge, where you turn right, a small sign stood. Somehow curious, I drove down the narrow road, with sugarcane fields spreading on both sides, and grew anxious about "is there really a beach ahead." But precisely because it's a place not even on the map, I wanted to go, and kept on.

About one to two minutes' drive on, the view suddenly opened up and a blue sea spread out before me. Parking and getting out, all I could hear was the sound of the waves, and the stillness of no one else around felt good.

The moment I stepped onto the beach and looked up, I caught my breath. The Irabu Bridge towered overhead with overwhelming presence, and a view you can absolutely never experience normally spread out — looking up at the 3,540-metre bridge from right beneath. "Amazing" came out naturally, and I stood rooted to the spot for a while.

The sea was surprisingly beautiful too, with highly transparent emerald-green water washing right up to the shore. With hardly anyone, it was quiet, a luxurious space where only the sound of the waves and the wind could be heard.

In this article, I'll introduce in detail the appeal of the unnamed beach at Nagahama (also called the beach beneath Irabu Bridge), based on my experience of visiting many times. About the spectacle of looking up from right beneath the bridge, the highly transparent sea, and the quiet time, I'll write weaving in my actual experiences, so if you're planning to go to Irabu Island, do use it as a guide.

The Unnamed Beach at Nagahama Is a Hidden Spot Right Beneath Irabu Bridge

The unnamed beach at Nagahama is a small beach in the Nagahama district just after crossing the Irabu Bridge, called the "unnamed beach" because it has no official name. Locals sometimes call it "Nagayama-hama," but that's not an official name either — it's a place called by all sorts of names — but its biggest feature is being right beneath the Irabu Bridge.

About the Irabu Bridge

The Irabu Bridge, which opened on 31 January 2015, is a 3,540-metre bridge linking Miyako Island and Irabu Island, boasting the longest length in Japan among toll-free bridges. Thanks to this bridge, built at a huge cost of ¥39.9 billion, Irabu Island — which until then could only be reached by ferry — became easy to reach by car, and tourists increased greatly.

The number 3,540 metres apparently hides a play on words for "coral island" (san-go-shima), giving a sense of Miyako-style playfulness. In 2016 it was even crowned number one in TripAdvisor's ranking of Japan's bridges, which shows how wonderful the scenery is — the view from the bridge is beautiful, and the view looking up at the bridge from below is stunning.

Location and Access

Address: Irabu (Nagahama district), Miyakojima City, Okinawa
Access: about 20 minutes by car from Miyako Airport

Cross the Irabu Bridge from Miyako Airport, and as soon as you finish crossing, turn right. Drive the narrow road for one to two minutes and you reach the beach — the access itself is easy, but searching on car navigation often doesn't bring it up, so first-timers are likely to get lost.

Search "Nagayama-hama" or "Nagahama" on Google Maps and it comes up, so relying on that is surest. Remember to turn right as soon as you finish crossing the bridge, and then just follow the road to arrive.

A Nameless Beach Called by Various Names

This beach has no official name, and locals and tourists each call it as they please. "Beach beneath Irabu Bridge," "the beach at Nagahama," "unnamed beach," "Nagayama-hama" — they're all correct and all understood, but put the other way, what's interesting is that none of them is an official name.

I was confused at first too about "which is the real name," but now I've come to think "having no name is character too." It's proof it hasn't been turned into a tourist site, and that conversely becomes its appeal.

A Hidden Landmark That Drew Attention with the Bridge's Completion

This beach started drawing attention from 2015 onwards, after the Irabu Bridge opened. Until then it was a true local beach known only to the locals, but with the bridge built, word spread that "the view looking up from right beneath the bridge is incredible," and visitors gradually increased.

That said, it's still very much a hidden gem, and compared with the famous Toguchi-no-Hama and Nakanoshima Beach, the number of visitors is overwhelmingly small. In the three times I've visited, there were other tourists only once, and just one group at that, so the appeal is being able to enjoy it in an almost reserved state.

Although the bridge opened and made it easier to access, it's a beach with no facilities, so tourists don't flood in, making it the best place for those who want to spend quiet time.

The Highly Transparent Emerald-Green Sea Is Beautiful

The sea at the unnamed beach at Nagahama spreads out as a highly transparent emerald-green sea called Miyako blue, and its beauty is truly astonishing. The shallows are a bright emerald green, with a magnificent gradation changing to deep blue as it gets deeper — soothing just to look at.

With high clarity the seabed is clearly visible, and the change in the water's colour as the waves wash in is very beautiful. Visit on a fine day and the sunlight reflects off the sea, sparkling, and that beauty can't be fully conveyed in photos, so I really want you to see it with your own eyes.

However, there are some waves and it's not shallow, so it's unsuited to snorkelling. There isn't much coral reef or fish, and if you want to enjoy snorkelling it's better to go to Nakanoshima Beach. But for swimming lightly in the shallows or enjoying the water's clarity, there's no problem at all — rather, with few people you can enjoy the sea calmly.

The Stunning View Looking Up from Right Beneath the Bridge

This beach's greatest appeal comes down to, above all, being able to look up at the Irabu Bridge from right beneath. The sight of a giant 3,540-metre bridge towering overhead is a special experience you absolutely can't see elsewhere.

Stand on the beach and look up, and the bridge spreads out filling your whole view, overwhelming you with its force. You can see cars driving on the bridge too, and observe the bridge's structure up close, making it an interesting place for those with an engineering interest as well.

It's the best as a photo spot too, and a photo with the bridge in the background is sure to be Instagram-worthy. I took many photos, and it makes a picture from any angle — especially on a blue-sky day, the contrast of blue and white is beautiful.

Standing beneath the bridge, along with the thrill of "such a big bridge is overhead," you can really feel the greatness of human technology too. When I heard the figure of ¥39.9 billion total project cost I couldn't imagine it, but actually standing right beneath the bridge, I was convinced: "it was worth spending this much money."

An Undeveloped Beach with No Facilities

The unnamed beach at Nagahama has no toilets, showers, shop, vending machines or lifeguards — a truly nothing, undeveloped beach. That's exactly why its natural beauty is kept, you could say, but you need to prepare well before visiting.

Use the Toilet Beforehand

The biggest trouble is the toilet — the beach naturally has none, so always use one before coming. Using one on the Miyako Island side before crossing the Irabu Bridge is surest, and there's a toilet at the "Irabu Ohashi Umi-no-Eki (sea station)" just across the bridge, so using that is good too.

I took it lightly at first, thinking "it's only a short time so it'll be fine," and actually got in trouble and hurriedly searched for a nearby facility. Since then I always make a point of using the toilet beforehand.

No Shower Either, So Change in the Car

There's no shower either, so after swimming you go back to the car still covered in seawater and change. So I recommend going in easy-to-change clothes, and a bath towel and a change of clothes are essential items.

Keeping valuables in a waterproof bag is reassuring, and bringing a plastic bag for wet things is handy. If you can accept just showering after returning to the hotel, there's no particular problem.

Bring All Your Drinks and Food

There's no shop or vending machine, so you need to bring all your drinks and food. In summer especially it's hot and hydration is essential, so I recommend bringing plenty.

Bring drinks in a cooler box and you can have a cold drink — the best. Snacks and sweets are handy too, and eating while relaxing on the beach is fun.

No Lifeguards, So It's at Your Own Risk

There are no lifeguards either, so swimming is completely at your own risk. It's a beach with some waves, so those not confident swimming had better not push it. There's no problem playing in the shallows, but going out to the deep is high-risk.

Bringing a life jacket or float ring is reassuring, and going with several people and watching out for each other is important too. Keep "safety first" in mind as you enjoy it.

Few Parking Spaces, but No Problem

The parking space is unpaved with only about three to five spots, but since few people visit it almost never fills up. It's a sand-and-gravel car park, so at a glance you might worry "is it OK to park here?", but an ordinary sedan parks without issue.

And the parking is free with no need to pay at all — another welcome point. All three times I visited, there was another car parked only once, and basically I could use it in a reserved state.

You Can Enjoy Photos with the Bridge Nameplate Too

At the foot of the Irabu Bridge there's a nameplate with the characters "Irabu Ohashi" written on it, and this is a popular photo spot. The nameplate at the foot of the bridge on the Miyako Island side is especially famous, but there's one on the Irabu Island side too, so taking photos at both is fun.

Take a commemorative photo with the nameplate in the background and it's proof you came to Irabu Island, perfect for posting to social media too. Enjoying the view from the bridge, taking a commemorative photo at the nameplate, and then savouring the spectacle at the beach beneath the bridge — being able to enjoy the bridge from three directions is, I think, the appeal of the Irabu Bridge.

Check the Packing List and Be Fully Prepared

The unnamed beach at Nagahama has no facilities, so preparation is the key to success. From my experience, here's a list of items you'd better bring.

Absolute Essentials

Drinks: no vending machine, so bring plenty
Sunscreen: Okinawa's sun is strong
Hat: essential for heatstroke protection
Sunglasses: protection against glare
Towel: needed after swimming
Change of clothes: no shower, so change in the car
Rubbish bag: take all your rubbish home
Camera: to record the spectacle from right beneath the bridge

Handy to Have

Leisure mat: to lay on the sand and sit
Parasol: to make shade
Float ring or life jacket: safety measure for swimming
Waterproof bag: to protect valuables
Marine shoes: there are rocky areas too

Prepare this much and you can comfortably enjoy the beach. Precisely because there are no facilities, preparing well matters.

Always Take Your Rubbish Home and Protect the Beauty

The unnamed beach at Nagahama has no bins, so you need to take all the rubbish you make home. It's precisely because it's an undeveloped beach that the natural beauty remains, and protecting it is the responsibility of those who visit.

Bring a rubbish bag and take everything home — empty drink containers, food wrappers and all. By keeping the beach clean, the next people to come can enjoy the same beautiful scenery, and you avoid bothering the locals too.

So everyone can use it pleasantly, let's keep good manners as we enjoy it.

Combine It with Nearby Sights

The unnamed beach at Nagahama is enjoyable enough visited on its own, but touring it combined with nearby sights makes a fuller day.

Irabu Ohashi Umi-no-Eki (5 Minutes by Car)

A tourist facility just across the Irabu Bridge, where you can enjoy souvenirs and food. At the second-floor diner you can eat seasoned rice with island octopus or Miyako soba, and you can use the toilet too. Handy to stop by before or after the beach.

伊良部大橋ドライブの現実｜海の上を飛ぶ爽快感と、風が怖すぎる理由

伊良部大橋を軽自動車で渡ると横風が怖い理由を解説。全長3,540mの海上ドライブの爽快感と強風対策のリアル体験談。

Toguchi-no-Hama (15 Minutes by Car)

Irabu Island's most popular beach, a beautiful coast where pure white powder sand continues for 800 metres. Toilets and showers are fully provided, so use it when you need facilities.

伊良部島の白砂ビーチ渡口の浜｜「砂が細かすぎる」って笑った日

渡口の浜は伊良部島南側の白砂ビーチ。小麦粉のように細かいパウダーサンドとエメラルドの海が特徴。シュノーケルより海水浴・景観向き。東西2つの入り口の違いや必携アイテム・フォトスポットを徹底解説。

Makiyama Observatory (10 Minutes by Car)

An observatory at the highest point on Irabu Island, shaped like a migratory bird called a sashiba. From the observatory you can survey Miyako Island, the Irabu Bridge and the clear sea, and on a fine day you can see Ikema Island and Kurima Island too — a scenic spot.

牧山展望台の風が強すぎる｜帽子が飛ばされそうになった日と、絶景の見返り

牧山展望台で帽子が飛ばされそうになった体験談。強風でも諦めないで。伊良部島が一望できる絶景展望台の見どころと風対策。

Sawada-no-Hama (20 Minutes by Car)

A beach chosen as one of Japan's 100 Best Beaches, where you can see a distinctive landscape of scattered tsunami stones. Known as a beautiful sunset spot too, so visiting in the evening is recommended.

佐和田の浜｜昼間に行って後悔～夕方に出直して見えた絶景の正体

佐和田の浜は昼より夕方が圧倒的に美しい。昼に行って後悔した体験から学ぶ、伊良部島随一の夕焼けビーチをベストな時間に訪れる方法。

17END (25 Minutes by Car)

A phantom beach at the end of Shimojishima Airport's runway, where the emerald-green sea is truly beautiful. You can watch planes take off and land up close too, making it a perfect place for photography.

17ENDの現実｜幻のビーチは本当に「天国」なのか？伊良部島で学んだ真実

17ENDはSNS写真と現実が違う？移住者が語る幻のビーチの本音。伊良部島17ENDの駐車場難・混雑・絶景の実態を詳しくレビュー。

The Pros and Cons of the Unnamed Beach at Nagahama

Here's an honest summary of this beach's good points and points needing care, as I felt from actually visiting many times.

Pros

You can look up at the Irabu Bridge from right beneath
This view is a special experience you can only see here, feeling the bridge's force up close.

Few tourists and quiet
You can spend time in an almost reserved state, enjoying quiet time.

A beautiful, highly transparent sea
The Miyako-blue emerald-green sea soothes just to look at.

Easy access
It's just across the Irabu Bridge, so you arrive in about 20 minutes from Miyako Airport.

Free parking
No parking charge, so you can casually stop by.

Perfect for photography
A photo with the bridge in the background is sure to be Instagram-worthy.

Cons

No facilities at all
No toilets, showers, shop, vending machines or lifeguards, so you need to prepare everything.

Unsuited to snorkelling
There are waves and it's not shallow, and there's little coral or fish.

Doesn't come up on car navigation
You have to search on Google Maps.

Preparation is hard work
With no facilities, you need to prepare everything yourself, from drinks to sun protection.

Swimming carries risk
With no lifeguards, swimming is at your own risk.

Few parking spaces
Only three to five spots, but it almost never fills up.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Here are answers to commonly asked questions about the unnamed beach at Nagahama.

Q1: What's the official name?
There's no official name; it's called by various names — unnamed beach, Nagayama-hama, beach beneath Irabu Bridge, and so on.

Q2: Where is it?
Just after crossing the Irabu Bridge, where you turn right; about 20 minutes by car from Miyako Airport.

Q3: Does it come up on car navigation?
Often not, so searching "Nagayama-hama" on Google Maps is surest.

Q4: Is there parking?
There's an unpaved parking space for three to five cars. Free to use.

Q5: Toilets and showers?
Neither. Use one beforehand on the Miyako Island side or at the Irabu Ohashi Umi-no-Eki.

Q6: Shop or vending machine?
None. You need to bring all your drinks and food.

Q7: Can you snorkel?
It's not impossible, but there are waves and it's unsuited. Nakanoshima Beach is more recommended.

Q8: Can you swim?
There's no problem swimming lightly in the shallows, but with no lifeguards it's at your own risk.

Q9: When is recommended to go?
A fine morning or evening. Midday the sun is too strong.

Q10: Is it crowded?
It's almost never crowded. Often in a reserved state.

Q11: How long should you stay?
About 30 minutes to an hour is the guide. Just looking up at the bridge, taking photos, and getting in the sea a little.

Q12: Is it OK with children?
With no facilities you need to prepare, but there's no problem playing in the shallows.

A Special Experience Looking Up from Right Beneath the Bridge

The unnamed beach at Nagahama is a hidden spot you absolutely should stop by if you go to Irabu Island. With no facilities you need to prepare, but in exchange it's a special place where quiet, natural beauty remains.

I still clearly remember the thrill of my first visit — finishing crossing the bridge, turning right and driving the narrow road, a blue sea suddenly spread out before me, and overhead the giant Irabu Bridge towered. I remember being surprised that "a place like this existed" and standing rooted to the spot for a while.

The view looking up from right beneath the bridge has a thrill different from the view seen from atop the bridge, and being able to feel the bridge's structure and size up close is interesting. The extraordinary sight of a 3,540-metre bridge towering overhead is a special experience you can absolutely never see elsewhere.

The sea's clarity is wonderful too, with emerald-green Miyako blue continuing to the shore. It's unsuited to snorkelling, but just soaking in the shallows and enjoying the high clarity is well worth it.

Above all, with few people, being able to spend quiet time is the best. Famous tourist beaches overflow with people, but here you can enjoy it in a reserved state, spending leisurely time listening to only the sound of the waves and the wind.

True, with no facilities you need to bring all your drinks and sunscreen, and use the toilet beforehand. But the quiet, beautiful beach beyond getting past that inconvenience is sure to give you a thrill beyond expectation.

Between touring famous spots like Toguchi-no-Hama, 17END and Toriike Pond, take a little detour and look up at the bridge from the unnamed beach at Nagahama. Build that kind of plan and I think you'll notice a different charm of Irabu Island.

If you're planning to visit Irabu Island, do finish crossing the Irabu Bridge, turn right and drive the narrow road. The blue sea spreading beyond the sugarcane fields, and the giant bridge towering overhead, are sure to surprise you.

Stand on the white sand, look up at the bridge, and gaze at the emerald-green sea. Spend quiet time with no one around, at your own pace. That's how to enjoy the unnamed beach at Nagahama.

No matter how often I visit, my heart is stolen by that spectacle and stillness and I think I want to come again. Irabu Island's blue sea and white sand, and the overwhelming presence of the Irabu Bridge. With all of these together, it's sure to be an unforgettable trip. I'd like you to experience that kind of trip too.