picture of the day

Junior surfer

32 Comments

In this photo provided by the Association of Surfing Professionals, Hiroto Arai of Japan competes in the Arnette World Junior surfing competition in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.

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32 Comments
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Looks like Kaifu in Shikoku to me in the video.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Check out Surfer Magazine December issue. They will tell you about the awsome waves we get here. http://www.surfingmagazine.com/magazine/december-issue-2011-surfing-magazine/

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I hit the waves here with a body board. They can be awesome at times. Glad to see others doing it too.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

No powerful waves in Japan??? Sure, not in Tokyo and not in the Sea of Japan during summer that is. I have travelled and surfed all over Japan and it is true that compared to Puerto Escondido, Uluwatu, Hossegor and Pipeline which are more constant, Japan can't compare. But let the typhoon swell hit and it will be a different story. I don't know how many times I got into the washing machine at an earlier age and i can guarantee you that those are extremly strong waves. My gun days are over due to age but my hubby still goes eventhough he is 3 years older. Try the south coast of Shikoku and you will see. Up here we got Fuyushima, reef break and when the typhoon hits it pumps here for days. Efkaristo poli to Antonios and special thanks to Japangal for your nice comments.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Most Japanese surfers are already at the beach by 3:30am in summer or as soon as the sun is up. They surf till 8 and then go to work. Nobody is spoilt. Surfing is such a healthy sport, all your body parts get good exercise without any risk unlike for example tennis or golf where you get shoulder problems afterwards.Surfers have a bigger sense of responsibility than other people, surfers eat a healthy diet otherwise you can't do it. We are not living in the 60's anymore.

Exactly, Foxie san!!! I have some Japanese friends who are surfers and most of them are sararimen with decent jobs. I can't believe that there are people out there who consider surfers as spoiled rich kids.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The waves in and around Shonan are very slack beach breaks - poor quality waves. But if you are a surfer you will know that already - if you are looking to get into surfing there are lot's of good waves all over Japan - you will just have to go find them. Chiba and Ibaraki are good places to start. Use your imagination, do some research and hit the road. Thats what it's all about. As I type the boards are in the car as I am about to do that very thing this weekend.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Kids or Pros?

My Mommy always said that. Be a pro at what you do, and feel like a kid at each and every day with something new crossing your path. That surfer in that shot reminds me of my brother. He is dragging his hand in and giving a whip to the curl to flip his nose up high to the world, to come crashing down and ride it with the on break wind. In two hours he will be on a train and heading to his business. He owns his own as I do. But lucky me, I broke a good deal yesterday and closed this morning and gave the office staff a four day holiday. Too bad the waves are so small. Shoganai. Oyama for Tofu

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

afterthequak

Check out Chiba, and also talk to Foxie girl. She is in Hokkaido I believe and surfs as does her family. She can give you better larger surf info than me.

I am not pro but love 2 meters. 3 wipes me out. Meter and a half is my favorite. But I am small and an excellent swimmer and certified life guard so no probs.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

There are some great surfers in Japan, who can rip up the local breaks, but the best one I know said that generally Japanese waves aren't powerful enough, so the guys who want to get to a really high level have to spend most of the year overseas. Also, with regard to the media, right now surfers have a bit of a bad reputation (I think). 2 years ago a "pro surfer" who's wife was the "terento" Noriko Sakai, was busted for drugs, or possession..... in Shibuya. That very weekend I was up in Fukushima surfing, staying at the local community centre. The managers of the centre saw the media frenzy about drug bust, and the next day, as a direct result, threw us out of there. Apparently 10 years or so ago, one of the members of Smap started surfing, which created a few years of "Boom" for the industry and media interest, but of late it hasn't been so good. Just conjecture of course......

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Most Japanese surfers are already at the beach by 3:30am in summer or as soon as the sun is up. They surf till 8 and then go to work. Nobody is spoilt. Surfing is such a healthy sport, all your body parts get good exercise without any risk unlike for example tennis or golf where you get shoulder problems afterwards.Surfers have a bigger sense of responsibility than other people, surfers eat a healthy diet otherwise you can't do it. We are not living in the 60's anymore.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Not here JackSlater. Most are salary men hanging on the straps next to you each and every morning and the girls too. It is their only sense of being human and free.

-2 ( +4 / -7 )

I know Ebisen:

Look at all my postings by clicking on my name. Someone hates me and all we are talking about is surfing.

-1 ( +5 / -7 )

If I was him I would be applying for refugee status in Brazil. Stay there for your health.

-3 ( +1 / -3 )

This guy is a junior, so he is quite a few rungs down from the top, but the truth is that Japanese men have not adapted at all well to the world tours and I am going to go out on a limb and say I don't recall any Japanese surfer making it even so far as a quarter final of any WCT event in the history of Pro surfing. I'm happy to be corrected, but I think I am right. The Japanese are a long way behind the Australians, Americans, Brazilians and Europeans at present in terms of performance and the guys just don't seem to travel the world well or be able to tough it out or adapt to an international lifestyle. In Bali Japanese surfers are referred to as 'Bebek Orung', which translates to 'duck people' because they only move around as a group and don't mix well with others. Good waves in Japan by the way, some very good waves.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The Bad button - somebody really has a mania for it..:(

-2 ( +3 / -4 )

probably avoiding floating trash.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

T A N E G A S H I M A!!! Not just JAXA, folks.

1 ( +2 / -0 )

I hit Kugenuma Kaigan Foxie near Enoshima. Can get fun. I really like it before a taifu. CHiba is better but much colder.

150 meter long board ride with so few people must be nice.

-1 ( +4 / -6 )

Breaks are too short? Where? Not where I surf. Luckily up here I can find great waves without it being too crowded with that I mean 5 other of my friends on a 150m ride. Actually, my friend's kid is in the ASP now and surely didn't get surfing skills from abroad.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Laguna, surfing is big time here and there are many good businesses out there. Hit the surf on any weekend and you would not believe how crowded it gets. There are some great breaks too, and right to left and left to rights from the same waves. It is a lot of fun.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Though locals might have passion, this is a poor country for surfing: breaks are too short and far too small. To succeed, these guys need to base themselves abroad; that is why the surfing industry will never take off here.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Hi Foxie,

Surfing is ignored in general and even though people get sponsored, they do not make much money.

Watch what happens within minutes. I will have three thumbs down from the troll.

-4 ( +4 / -9 )

good post, foxie. mainstream is too in to their baseball and soccer to cover fun stuff like surf.

1 ( +3 / -1 )

niceness. nice wave too

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

There are currently 5 Japanese competing in this category of which Hiroto has the lowest ranking. There are also 2 Japanese men competing in the ASP Longboard category and 2 great ladies in the short board category and 3 in long board. Unfortunately, they have all been more or less ignored by mainstream Japanese media.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

It is not a bail nor wipe out. He is flipping the board up and around. And there are a lot of great surfers here. I am out there with them. The sun will eventually get me but I do not care.

-4 ( +5 / -10 )

Nice shot. Looks a bit like he's going to bail, though.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

That's a stylish backhand re-entry.

I'll take your word for it... my first impression was, Like Wow, Wipeout!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Hope that's the end of his run and not the beginning.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

That's a stylish backhand re-entry. But Japanese surfers are not serious players at pro level in surfing - I can only remember one guy; Masatoshi Ono featuring on the fringes a few years back. There is noone at present.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

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