Differences in beach culture between Japan and home

I grew up in Australia, and the beach culture there is almost embedded into all of our veins. Most children are taught to swim at an early age, either through lessons their parents enroll them in, or as part of school-related swimming programs. The vast majority of our citizens live in close proximity to the coast because the further inland you go, the more desert-like it gets. Being able to swim is not just a fun hobby, but really a safety necessity!

One thing I found interesting when I moved to Japan was that beaches (and swimming at beaches) have an opening season. You don't typically see people swimming even when it's super hot outside that season, whereas in Australia I feel like it's more of an "anything goes" approach.  Back home people swim at all times of year, and while summer is definitely the peak season for it, there are no established beach opening or closing dates. On one visit I took to Okinawa several years ago in September, it was still very warm and humid outside – but the beaches were devoid of people.

I have found it interesting that outside the official "beach season" you don't typically see people out swimming, even when it's still super hot and humid outside.

Something else I find interesting about beach culture here is the attire people wear. Back home you see most women wearing bikinis, but I feel like here that would make me feel super uncomfortable based on what I see other women wear. Most people I encounter seem to opt for long sleeve rash vest tops combined with shorts, and I've actually grown to embrace this style myself. For me it's not necessarily about modesty but more so that it's a great way to ward off the suns rays! Coming from a country where skin cancer is a very serious issue (hello, giant hole in the ozone layer), I think it's worth being mindful of those UV rays – and covering up more is one way of achieving that. I don't think there is any hard and fast rule about attire here, so if you want to rock your bikini I don't think you'll encounter any resistance – but for me I just tend to go for the "when in Rome" approach.

Another point – at some beaches I've seen signs prohibiting tattoos, which you would never see in a million years back home. While I don't have any tattoos, a lot of my fellow Australians do, and I know that a lot of my expat friends struggle with the tattoo rules at beaches and other water-based facilities like onsen and water parks. If you have tattoos that are small enough to be covered up with waterproof band aids that can be one workaround, or if they're larger that's one reason why longer beach attire can come in handy!

Have you come across any other major differences between Japan's beach culture and the beach culture you're used to back home?