Moving to Japan from California in the summer of 2009 was an exciting experience but also a bit daunting for an avid surfer like myself. I was not well informed about the quality of surf in Japan before getting my teaching gig. However, upon arriving in my seaside town during the start of typhoon season all my doubts were shattered. Through gaining fluency in Japanese and being social and curious I became informed about the many surf points within an hour from my house. I was pleased to learn Japan has every type of wave imaginable and during the right swell and wind conditions waves here can do great impersonations of Hawaii or Indonesia. I’ve surfed all over North America, Central America, the Philippines, Morocco, and Indonesia and Japan holds its ground.
The geological makeup of the Japanese archipelago; a result of hundreds of millions of years of plate tectonics, makes Japan a great surfing destination. Sitting on the western boundary of the Pacific ring of fire, the volcanic history is shown in the rugged coastline. Surf spots are countless due to complex topography and bathymetry. Bays, inlets, river mouths, beaches and offshore reefs diversify the type of waves available. Shallow reefs, crowded beaches, and rocky point breaks can be found everywhere; you just need to know where and when to look.
Japan is surrounded by the East China Sea, the Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean. While every ocean coastline in Japan gets surf the quality and consistency varies. This largely has to do with the area over which wind has blown- called fetch, wind speed, duration of sustained winds, the distance from the storm to the coast, and the localized wind patterns. All these factors make surf forecasting difficult and imprecise. I’ve gone to the beach after reading a forecast predicting flat conditions only to see perfect glassy peaks roaring in front of me. But more often than not it is the opposite scenario.
Water quality and sea life varies regionally. In coastal urban areas, pollution can greatly impact water quality whereas around rural areas and small islands the ocean is clear and full of life. The southern islands south of Kyushu host some of the world’s most beautiful coral reefs. These reefs also create shallow barreling waves not for the faint of heart. Rocks, urchins, pollution around urban and agricultural areas, and crowds are the biggest dangers in Japanese waters. Although sharks live in every ocean there have been only eight known fatal attacks in Japan since 1900. Regardless of how few sharks Japan has one should exercise common sense and avoid “sharky” areas like murky river mouths or steep drop offs.
At times it seems that everything from fashion, foods, customs and especially surf conditions are highly influenced by the changing seasons. Japan experiences a typical continental East-coast climate but lacks the temperature extremes experienced by places like the Eastern United States. Summer in Japan starts off wet and humid with a relentless rainy season. Water temperatures in the southern half of the country become very warm. During this time northerly continental cold fronts and southerly subtropical warm fronts converge over the Japanese archipelago. This creates heavy moisture and strong winds. When the storms originate in the Sea of Japan good moderate period swell can ignite southwest Kyushu and sometimes Shikoku and Honshu. During late summer typhoons start to develop in the Pacific Ocean. Typhoons are for surfers in Japan what monsoon rains are for starving farmers in arid flood plains -they bring bounty and destruction.
Every Japanese surfer will have a big smile when someone says “ aki (秋),” or autumn. During this season the sun beams and the winds turn offshore. Typhoons march in from the south and more often than not curve around the main islands of Japan without causing any damage. However the southern islands get hit on a yearly basis. Regardless of the danger, the quality of surf during the late summer and early fall can be world class. I can remember one particular day of fall perfection at a secluded reef point known for being the best left in Kyushu, if not Japan. The ocean looked like a magnificent painting. Double overhead tubes were spitting down the line with only a handful of guys out. I unfortunately stepped on a sea urchin while making the hairy paddle out. Regardless of the incredible pain, I was able to focus on barrel after barrel and enjoy the best session of my life.
Winter can be a challenge for surfers in Japan. In Southern Kyushu the sea remains warm in comparison to the cold Californian waters I was used to. Despite that, air temperatures will hover just above freezing throughout the day. Combine that with howling gale force northerly winds and you’ve got a very cold surfing environment. A thick wetsuit is advisable. While these cold winds bring unbearable cold to the majority of Japan, Okinawa and the Southern Islands remain refreshingly cool throughout the winter. Sea temperatures in these subtropical reefs hover around 18°C while air temperatures rarely fall below 10°C. However even in the south the winds can feel bitterly cold. As an after-surf treat for braving the biting weather many Japanese surfers bring hot water with them along with big plastic tubs and indulge in a hot parking lot bath while checking the waves and trash talking friends bathing next to you. My fondest memories of winter are the cold, sometimes snowy, winter storms and their accompanying Northwest swells. about once or twice a year these storms generate great waves in the East China Sea. If local wind conditions are right, there can be beautiful, glassy, uncrowded overhead conditions. Sometimes the warm clear blue water can feel deceivingly tropical if you can forget about the bitter air.
During the spring the ocean seems to go to sleep due to the lack of waves. However late winter storms or early southern squalls will at times surprise surfers with good waves. Unfortunately these swells are rare. Just as depression sets in from the lack of waves the mountains become green and the cherry and plum trees bloom into romantic bouquets of color. As the flower petals decorate the ground you can exercise your “gaman tsuyosa 我慢強さ,” (self-control and perseverance) as the first typhoon seedlings start to emerge near the Philippines reminding wave starved surfers that the huge typhoon swells of summer will soon arrive.
My life in Japan was enriched by my experiences surfing there. Memories of waves smashing against jagged black reefs projecting sea spray up into the misty green mountains with the smell of incense wafting down from temples perched precariously on jagged cliffs mixing with the sea air. A Japanese crane flies overhead as you and your friends laugh hysterically at each other’s jokes. This scene become all too common in my daily life. Now back home in California I can close my eyes and reflect on a series of priceless moments shared by lifelong friends on opposite shores of a powerful sea.
