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HOME > ACTIVITIES > SURFING > INTRO |
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Think of surfing and you
probably think of Hawaii, California and Australia.
How high would Japan be up your list? Well, you might be
surprised to hear
that right under your nose there are epic waves going off,
just waiting to
be ridden. With it's long, varied Pacific coastline and
summer typhoon
season, Japan has ample opportunities to get out of the city
and get wet.
Almost the entire coastline has breaks, from the tropical
reef breaks of
Okinawa up to the frozen beaches of Hokkaido; and with a
bunch of local surf
forecasting websites, there's no excuse for missing the big
swells.
Never surfed before? Well why not start now? Just over an
hour from Tokyo
there are mellow beach breaks perfect for beginners, with
plenty of surf shops
offering rental equipment. During the summer all you need is
your swimsuit!
Where
to surf...
Wherever you live in Japan, you can't be far from the beach.
Half of Japan's
coastline faces the Northern Pacific, and catches all of the
deep ocean
swells and typhoons that she can muster. The other half,
facing the Japan
Sea, also gets swell, if not so regularly, from local storms
and long
periods of onshore wind. Your first step is to check out a
map and find the
closest beach, then hop on a train or in a car and head down
to see if
people are surfing there, or if there are any shops. There
is also a free
guide to surfing in Japan called Beachcombing which is
available in
surf shops. It's in Japanese, but you can still read the
maps and the
graphical wave information.
For more detailed information on where to surf, check out the area guide.
When
to surf...
Unlike most surf spots in the world, Japan's top surf season
coincides with
the best weather - summer. From June to September regular
typhoons generate
in the Pacific to the south of Okinawa, and march up the
East coast (usually
at a convenient distance from the coast) producing epic
waves almost
everywhere. The days before and after the typhoon are
generally the best,
with clean swells and offshore winds. If the typhoon comes
close to shore it
is not really pleasant or safe for anyone to be out at the
beach. However,
although the open beaches are often way overhead and too
dangerous for
beginner surfers, many more sheltered beaches come to life
and you can find
perfect little waves breaking inside harbors, up river
mouths and so on.
Summer is of course hot too. Most days it is 35C and 90%
humidity, so
anywhere south of Ibaraki is for board shorts, and surfing
is a perfect way
to stay cool.
Spring and
Autumn offer calmer surfing and less crowds. Most waves come
from
small lows off the coast, or prolonged periods of onshore
wind. The water is
still pleasant, and you can surf in a spring suit or 3mm
steamer. The weather
is almost always sunny and clear. Spring seems to get much
more swell than
Autumn, so would be a better bet for a surf trip. Winter is
for the hardy. Most places in Japan it is near freezing and
you'll need a 5mm full suit and boots. However the crowds have really thinned and it is almost always fine weather
with
crisp offshore winds.
A final note: avoid weekends and public holidays if you can.
There are a lot
of surfers living in Japan! Also early morning before 09:30
is generally
offshore or glassy, with onshore sea breezes taking over
during the day.
Evening usually offers a glass-off again.
What
to surf on...
If you have your own surf kit, bring it! Japan must be the
most expensive
place to buy surfing equipment in the world. A new longboard
costs from
100,000 to 250,000 yen, and a shortboard from 60,000 up.
Boogie boards from
28,000 and fins around 10,000. Most foreign makes can be
found over here,
often licensed and shaped in Japan. Wetsuits are a problem
though, since it
is difficult to find the right size (and price!) A 5mm full
suit will sting
you for up to 60,000, and a spring suit is still 25,000.
If you don't
have your own stuff, you can get a wetsuit made to your
measurements at a local wetsuit manufacturer. It'll cost
around the same as
an off-the-peg western make. From the beginning of November
to Mid April
you'll need a 5/3 or 4/3mm full suit in Chiba/Shonan.
Mid-April to beginning
June and during Oct a 3/2mm full suit. June and Sept a
spring suit or wetshirt
and July/August boardies. Second hand boards are available
at surf shops, and
are around half the price. Also rental boards and suits are
an option,
costing around 3000 yen for boards and 1500 yen for suits
for a couple of
hours.
At most spots in Japan a shortboard is the go. It's much
easier to transport
(you can take it on the train in a board bag) and more
flexible for
different conditions. During the typhoon season, the waves
can get double
overhead, so bring a gunnier board for the odd big day if
you have it.
Around Shonan, and some other mellower spots, longboarding
is much better.
The waves are too slow and fat for a shortboard and there's
too much
competition from the other guys on bigger boards.
Also, bring you own sunblock! You'll need it in
summer.
Surf
safe!
Japan is one of the few places where you can leave your kit
on the beach and
it'll still be there when you get back. This said, you might
be the unlucky
one, and most beaches provide inexpensive lockers near the
showers or
toilets. If you can't find any use the ones at the nearest
train station.
During summer it is common sense to slap on the sunblock and
a rash vest,
especially from 11-3pm. It is often overcast in summer, but
the UV is still
fierce. Even in winter a sunny day can leave you with a
burnt face.
Locals in Japan
are amongst the friendliest people you'll find.. Generally
they
are stoked to see a foreign surfer amongst them (you'll
usually be the only
one). Many of them have been to Australia or Hawaii, so
might want to chat
to you. If other surfers ignore you it is usually
because of a lack of English.
However some less known spots, especially point breaks or
river mouths, may
be a little less friendly; not just for foreigners but any
Japanese
non-local. Just feel the vibe when you get in and avoid
drop-ins or hogging
waves.
In the water the chief hazard is other surfers. Especially
during summer and
at weekends it gets very crowded, and there are lot of
beginners and surfers
who don't know basic surfing rules. If someone is up and
surfing near to the
curl of the wave, it's their wave and no one should take
off! Watch out for
drop-ins and people just plain getting in the way,
especially in the impact
zone. Shortboarders should get a nose guard. During July and
August most
beaches have boogie board and swimmer only areas, so avoid
those if you are
a boardrider and go straight there if you're on a boogie
board!
Otherwise there are not really any jellyfish or sharks to worry about, although there was a fatal attack on a surfer in Okinawa last year. The biggest problem is pollution, especially around river mouths and near cities. Do not drink the water! Also try to shower soon after surfing to rinse out your eyes and ears. Beginners should watch out for rip currents and undertows, especially on typhoon and big surf days. My local coast had six drownings the first typhoon day of last summer, so know your limits. Have fun!
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Special
thanks to Matt Lindsay and Dan Lodge for their contributions.
Have some surfing
questions or comments? Email
surfmatt@outdoorjapan.com |
