IBARAKI NORTH

NORTH IBARAKI BREAKS.

AKABAMA BEACH 赤浜

KUJIGAWA 久慈川河口

TODAI REEF 灯台リーフ

HAKASHTA REEF 墓下

Comment on Surfing here following the March 11 2011 Earthquake and Tsunami Parts of this coastline were wiped out in the disaster while random areas were spared the destruction - Surfers are back in the water in North Ibaraki in limited numbers and select locations. Now mid August and there are still constant after shocks up to magnitude 6, these shocks are often centered along this coast line both onshore and offshore. Due caution is required, please check with locals before surfing here and be aware there is a lot of tension and trauma in the local population.

Also note this area borders Fukushima prefecture and is less than 100km from the Fukushima Nuclear Plant.

NORTH IBARAKI INFORMATION.

Absolutely loaded with places to surf, Beach Breaks, Reef Breaks, River Mouth Breaks, Protected harbors / fishing ports, Deep Water bombies.

So much to explore........ it could take you years - actually, it has taken me years - however now I surf it as much as I do Chiba and and Shonan and have a 90 + % hit rate for getting good conditions when I go.

Lots of friends in the area so will give you details - without giving away hard kept secrets.

The real buzz to surfing Ibarakai is scoring great conditions with very few other people in the water with you, the best way to do this is to use this guide and start driving.....

The water starts getting really cold as you go further north and the summer season is short.

The winds up here carry a real chill factor especially in the winter months (which last longer and are colder up here)

Winter you need serious Rubber to have an enjoyable surf, where as last week I surfed in board shorts all day (September 2010)

Most Tokyo Surfers don't make the trip north very often, even though the highway runs right to the coast and its is faster and easier to access North Ibaraki than it is to go to South Chiba.

This keeps the locals happy, and the lineups empty for much of the year.

There are some strange currents that create upwellings and hence sometimes even on hot 30º days it can be cold in the water.

A lot of the waves are beach breaks and as mentioned often this year we have not had a big Typhoon clean the sand away from the shore line and so most of these beaches are better on the lower tides. (Sept 2010)

There are few locals on most of the beach breaks and you are as likely to see foreigners surfing up here as anywhere in close to Tokyo. A couple of the really popular spots have serious locals and a couple of the reefs have protective locals. Even so time it right and its very possible to have an offshore beautiful session with just you and your friends.