Best surf spots in Japan for beginners
The beaches in Japan where a beginner can surf on the most days of the year: small enough, clean enough, on sand. Ranked from 2 years of hourly wave and wind model data at each spot, rated the way the app rates them for beginners. Updated 3 November 2026.
Today's forecast for beginners in Japan →
The beaches with the most beginner days
| # | Spot | Beginner days a year | Best months | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ukedo Namie · Fukushima | ~196 (41 good) | May, October to February | 11–26 °C |
| 2 | Oarai Oarai · Ibaraki | ~179 (19 good) | October to February | 12–26 °C |
| 3 | Onjuku Onjuku, Chiba · Chiba | ~150 (17 good) | October to November | 16–27 °C |
| 4 | Wada Rivermouth Minamiboso · Chiba | ~149 (6 good) | March, October to November | 16–27 °C |
| 5 | Aoshima Miyazaki · Miyazaki (Kyushu) | ~148 (16 good) | April to May, October to November | 17–29 °C |
| 6 | Nichinan Beach Nichinan · Miyazaki (Kyushu) | ~147 (12 good) | October to November | 18–29 °C |
| 7 | Ozaki Aki district · Kochi (Shikoku) | ~137 (18 good) | April to July, October to November | 17–29 °C |
| 8 | Tatado Hama (Yamatoken) Shimoda · Shizuoka (Izu) | ~128 (7 good) | March, October to November | 16–27 °C |
| 9 | Katagai Kujukuri · Chiba | ~119 (12 good) | October to November | 14–26 °C |
| 10 | Kojima Kushima · Miyazaki (Kyushu) | ~107 (8 good) | March to April, October to November | 18–29 °C |
| 11 | Susuki Makinohara · Shizuoka | ~75 (4 good) | March, November | 14–27 °C |
| 12 | Sakawa River Odawara · Kanagawa | ~74 (5 good) | April, October | 15–27 °C |
| 13 | Uchiboso Tateyama · Chiba | ~71 (10 good) | March to April, June, October | 16–27 °C |
| 14 | Tsujido Beach Fujisawa · Kanagawa | ~66 (5 good) | April | 15–28 °C |
| 15 | Kugenuma (Shonan) Kamakura · Kanagawa | ~65 (16 good) | March to April, September to December | 15–28 °C |
| 16 | Habushiura (Niijima) Niijima · Tokyo (Izu Islands) | ~60 (3 good) | December to January | 17–28 °C |
| 17 | Yuigahama (Kamakura) Kamakura · Kanagawa | ~55 (12 good) | March to April, August to September, November | 15–28 °C |
| 18 | Taki Beach Shika · Ishikawa | ~52 (3 good) | February, November to December | 10–29 °C |
| 19 | Zenibako Otaru · Hokkaido | ~47 (3 good) | January | 3–25 °C |
| 20 | Hungry Nakatane · Kagoshima (Tanegashima) | ~44 (4 good) | March, October | 20–29 °C |
"Beginner days": days with a surfable hour for a beginner (small waves, light or offshore wind, no dangerous size) at that spot; "good" days rate Good or better for a beginner. From 2 years of model data, not observations: a sandbank, a rip or a crowd can change a beach. How the rating works.
When beginners should go
Across Japan's beginner spots, the best months are March, October to November. November has the most surfable days for a beginner (about 14 a month at the best spots), August the fewest (about 6). Water: 16–28 °C over the year, see the wetsuit by month.
Questions
Where is the best place to learn to surf in Japan?
On our numbers, Ukedo (Namie, about 196 beginner days a year), Oarai (Oarai, about 179 beginner days a year), Onjuku (Onjuku, Chiba, about 150 beginner days a year). These are sandy, forgiving spots where the waves are small and clean enough for a beginner on the most days.
When is the best time for beginners to surf in Japan?
March, October to November: the months with the most days of small, clean waves at the beginner spots. The fewest are in August.
Is Japan good for beginner surfers?
25 of the 59 spots we follow suit beginners. At the best of them a beginner finds about 14 surfable days in November and 6 in August. Take a lesson first and surf near lifeguards.
Before your first session: your first surf lesson and rips and safety. More: all surf spots in Japan · best time to surf in Japan.