Japan might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of surfing, but given the island nation spans over 3000km of Pacific Ocean from north to south and is regularly battered by enormous typhoon swells, the land of the Rising Sun is rightfully earning its place as one of modern surfing’s true hotspots.
In the latest episode of No Contest, Japanese surfer Kanoa Igarashi takes us on a tour of his homeland, focussing on the hustle, bustle and bright lights of Tokyo, but with regular side missions to the coast to tear apart the endless waves that thump every beach, reel into every river mouth and wrap around every headland.
Alongside Stab’s Ashton Goggans, Kanoa is joined by his younger brother Keanu, and a lineup of Japan’s finest surfing stalwarts including Kaito Ohashi and Erico Kobayashi, and Japan’s original competitive animal, Masatoshi Ohno, as they explore Shonan, Chiba and further afield. As well as sampling the waves we meet some of the craftsmen behind Japan’s hallowed lineage of surfboard and wetsuit industries, in the factories and boutiques that line the coast.
“They do a better job of preserving and celebrating California surf culture here in Japan than they do in California,” says Goggans, as he pulls an immaculate board from the racks, at legendary surf shop Fluid Power.
Naturally the crew dive headlong into the art, culture and cuisine that put Japan’s name on the global map long before Japan hosted the 2020 Games. From shabu shabu in Shibuya to soba in Jindaiji and art galleries and neon lights in Tokyo, this is an episode of No Contest you won’t want to miss. #japan #surf #surftrip #tokyo
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