A country that is preparing to host one of the most emblematic moments of the movement of this sport, such as its debut in the Olympic Games, as a result of this the country of the rising sun will surely attract many surfers in the coming years.
‘ Surfing experience in Japan ‘
Japan has four main islands and a host of countless smaller islands, totaling nearly 3,000. Therefore, the most intrepid surfers can embark on the adventure of looking for empty waves and unknown spots, and enjoy all kinds of opportunities here, always with caution and respect.
With the collaboration of tripjunction.com, we have tried to design a guide for a surf trip in Japan. The first question we should ask ourselves is whether I am going to Japan just to surf or if I want to visit the country and also surf. In Japan, it is very easy to move around the country from end to end. But one piece of advice that we do want to give is that in a country like Japanese Surf, it is preferable to spend more nights in one place and have the opportunity to enjoy it in-depth, due to the uniqueness of the environment, than trying to see many places, in just one day.
The best and easiest thing is to fly to Tokyo. From the capital, it is very easy to get to Chiba, in about an hour and a half. Getting around Chiba’s coastline is very easy by public transport, and you can find most of the surf breaks here, as well as a good variety of breaks for professionals, intermediates, and beginners.
If it so happens that the waves are not too good in Chiba, on those days. It is possible to move a bit south to the Kanagawa area, where there are also very good waves. In case there are no good waves there either, then you can go north to the Ibaraki area. Therefore, this entire peninsula is very good for moving around looking for beaches with good waves. You can spend 2 or 3 nights surfing in this area, which is also cheap to live in and have a great time in.
Tokyo is close too, to visit the city and you have plenty of ‘Inaka’ places, which means areas of local culture, to discover.
If you go to Japan instead only, looking for waves and good surf. The first question is when is a good time to go?
Japan is a country that has good waves all year round. However September, October, November, and December. Being October the best month, It is the best time with the most amazing waves that you are going to Surfing in Japan because it is the time of the typhoons, which generate very good breakers, you also have the addition that the water is warm and the tourist season is over, so you won’t have to deal with crowded beaches.
If you don’t mind surfing in cold water, then January, February, and March is also good time to go surfing in Japan. The attraction of this time is that you can alternate surfing sessions with snowboarding sessions in the mountains. But this time is not recommended for beginners.
The second question is what height of waves do you want to surf?
In the Chiba area, as we have mentioned, you have different types of ‘breaks’ and also different difficulties for all levels. But if you want to surf the big waves, the best ones are the ones produced by typhoons, then don’t stay in one place, you must move to different locations following the storm.
10 years ago, mobility in Japan was much more complicated. But nowadays it is easier to move from place to place, you can travel the country quickly, do a thousand kilometers in half a day, there are also several local ‘low cost airlines, which are a good option to move to the right point where the waves are. and you can also easily find accommodation during the trip. It is not necessary to have everything organized before you arrive, flexibility is recommended once you are there.
The best locations to go surfing are Chiba, Kanagawa, Shizuoka, Miyazaki, and Okinawa these are the typical surfing locations, we can also add an island called Nijima. All of these locations have native surfers who can give advice and have a good level of English, plus they have businesses focused on surfing, such as guesthouses or surf shops, and can help you find what you’re looking for.
Japanese surfers are very open and welcome foreign surfers with open arms, very willing to help, it is advisable to have a relationship with the locals, for a surf trip, because they can lead you to great stories.
On the other hand, there are good facilities in Japan for surfers. For example, if you want to visit Tokyo before surfing, you can send your equipment with a company, so you don’t have to travel with the board for 3 days. In addition, it is also possible to put your board on many of the trains.
Shonan
For many of Japan’s local surfers, the Shonan coast is the best area to enjoy the sport in the entire country. It is considered as the cradle where the first Japanese began to enjoy the waves.
About 50 kilometers south of Tokyo, the area is packed with Surf Japan shops, clubs, and places to ride the waves. Being so close to the capital, it is usually a quite busy area when good waves appear, however you can enjoy good sessions at dawn or in the middle of the week, you can find waves that are not very crowded.
Geographically it stretches from Kamakura to Atami, and includes breakwaters and river mouths, the Sagami Channel is a deep water trench, Mount Everest could be completely settled on the bottom.
