Kotogahama (琴が浜) is a famous beach in the western area of Shimane which is located in Oda City. It is famous for its unique sounding sand. The sand squeaks when you walk on it.
In 1996, Kotogahama was chosen as one of the “100 Soundscapes of Japan” and was included on the list of “The best 100 beaches in Japan.”
Kotogahama is also famous for a folk-tale called Kotohime-densetsu, a story about the princes called Koto. A long time ago, after the battle of Dan-no-ura (the last battle between the Genji and Heike clans), the princess of Heike clans was washed up on the shores of Oda city. The villagers helped this poor, little girl and as a token of her gratitude, the princess played a koto, a Japanese harp, every day on the beach. After this girl died, the beach started to make a sound like a koto so the people in the village started to call the girl Koto princess and named the beach “Kotogahama”.

via Iwami Travel Guide