Photo: 663highland / CC BY 2.5Kehi no Matsubara is a national scenic site, which the tourism association calls one of Japan's three great pine groves with Miho no Matsubara and Niji no Matsubara. It is about 1 km long and about 340,000 m², with red and black pines growing over white sand.
What you do is walk it. The paths take about 15 to 40 minutes depending on the course. In summer it is a swimming beach; out of season it is a calm, flat walk by the sea. The association tells the legend of the Ichiya no Matsubara, in which thousands of pines are said to have appeared on the beach in one night, and lists nearby the grave of Takeda Kounsai and the Suzaki high lantern.
The catch is the logistics. It is outside the shuttle loop, the loop bus is currently skipping its stop, and the whole trip costs roughly an hour of travel for a flat pine walk. On a short call it is not worth it; with a long call and a taxi it is the quiet hour of the day.
Five things the plaques won't tell you
- Do not rely on the Gurutto Tsuruga loop bus: it skips Matsubara Kaigan until around the end of December 2026 while Matsushima Bridge is repaired. The community Matsubara line serves the Kehi no Matsubara stop.
- Taxi from Tsuruga Station is about 10 minutes, so a ride from the shuttle's station stop works as a fallback.
- Pay the community bus with cash or an IC card (Suica, Icoca, Pasmo, manaca); the fare is ¥200 for adults.
- Ask the taxi to wait or arrange the ride back before you walk, since the grove runs about 1 km.
- In summer the beach opens for swimming, the tourism page says it draws many visitors, and parking is charged; outside that season parking is free.
The association tells the legend of the Ichiya no Matsubara, in which thousands of pines are said to have appeared on the beach in one night, and lists nearby the grave of Takeda Kounsai and the Suzaki high lantern.
Guided days from Tsuruga
Booked before you sail — there is no tour desk at the pier. Booking through these links supports the site.
Questions people ask here
How do you get from the Tsuruga cruise port to Kehi no Matsubara?
By taxi, about 5 km and roughly ¥2,450 on our calculation. By bus, ride the free shuttle to Tsuruga Station and take the community Matsubara line: about 12–18 minutes and ¥200, or a taxi of about 10 minutes.
How long is Kehi no Matsubara?
About 1 km long and about 340,000 m², according to the Minato Tsuruga Tourism Association.
Does the loop bus go to Kehi no Matsubara?
Not at present: the Gurutto Tsuruga loop bus skips the Matsubara Kaigan stop from 7 Sep 2026 until about the end of December because of bridge works. Use the community Matsubara line or a taxi.