Surfing
Surfing
The 6 best surf beaches in Japan
Japan’s fastest rising surf star clues you in on his country’s finest treasures. Head to one of Hiroto Arai's favourite surf spots.
Japan. The home of sushi, the country of smiles. It’s formally known as the land of the rising sun, but it is also the land of another rising star. A star a little bit brighter than the sun, if that’s at all possible. We’re talking about Hiroto Arai.
Hiroto is one of Japan’s best surfers and is the country’s best hope to be the first Japanese surfer to ever qualify for the WCT. If you haven’t yet picked up on our clues, Hiroto is the kind of guy you want advice from.
We asked the 19-year-old to break down the best waves in Japan. Go ahead and book your ticket.
1. Izu Shirohama
I love this place! It’s a beach break, and it kind of reminds me of the type of waves you’d surf in Australia. The beach is beautiful too, with white sand and blue water. It’s a nice escape from Tokyo, especially if there’s a typhoon swell in the water with a good sand bar.
2. Kitaizumi (Fukushima)
This is another one of my favourites. It’s a beach break set up with a big concrete wall at the end of the beach, with a fun left out front. I used to travel there two or three times a year, but due to the earthquake you can't really surf there any more.
3. Nijima (Habushi Beach)
Nijima is an Island off Tokyo and if you get the right swell, it has raw ocean power with crystal clear blue water barreling over sand.
4. Miyazaki (Southern Japan)
Miyazaki Beach
© Sean Evans
Ichiyumi Point is a really good wave. It’s a fun reef break with both rights and lefts depending on the swell. It’s usually super rippable walls with a few barrel sections. This is another wave that work best on typhoon swells.
5. Chiba Wada, Ohara
Chiba Wada, Ohara
© [unknown]
This is a really consistent (and fun) beach break that I surf a lot when I am in Japan. It’s where all my friends and family surf, so it has an awesome atmosphere.
6. Amami Oshima (Kagoshima)
Hiroto Arai surfs Bira Reef on Amami Island
© Kenyu Takahashi / Red Bull Content Pool
Bira Reef is an A-Frame slab that breaks on a rock shelf with an intense take off to tube. It’s the closest thing we have to Pipeline.
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