Shonan Festival 2012

Why wait until summer to hit the beach? The annual Shonan Festival, held during Golden Week, offers an early excuse to head to the Kanagawa coast. There'll be a range of events and activities taking place during the two-day event, which unfurls along Chigasaki's Southern Beach (named after local heroes Southern All Stars). Take your pick from beach football, surfboard races, flea markets, hula dancing, live music and a whole lot more.