The sea, and Mount Fuji, 'closed' for another year on Aug. 31. Is it madness, or is it just Japan. On Aug. 31, the sea closed on my local beach.
On the Saturday morning, families were swimming and enjoying the continuing heat and sun, the bay busy with water sports.
At 5 p.m., a special announcement over the tannoy system: "Summer is over. Many thanks to the lifeguards for all their hard work. Now, would everyone please go home." And guess what? By 6 p.m., the sea was empty, and you could see more sand than bodies and beach mats.