Things I've Never Done in Japan: Surf

Despite living near the coast for two years in an area known for its waves, I have never surfed in Japan. Every time I visited Oarai Beach in Ibaraki Prefecture, I had the fleeting thought that I might try it sometime: but I never did.

Since then, I’ve been to many other coastal towns where I’ve watched surfers spend hours out on the water, seemingly tireless as they chased the swell. My brother-in-law was also an avid surfer until recently. Whenever we visited his seaside home and I saw how passionate he was about it, I felt tempted to give it a go. Still, I never took the plunge.

Now that I’m in my forties, I don’t even entertain the idea of paddling out into Japan's surf. Those potential surfing days are behind me, and I have no regrets. These days, I’m more than content simply watching enthusiastic surfers do their thing.

Have you ever surfed in Japan?