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Shima City's popular surf spots, Ichigohama and Kokufunohama, are loved by local surfers and attract many surfers from all over the country. The two surf spots have beautiful clear water and white sand, and there are many surf points, so beginners and advanced surfers alike can enjoy them.
Shima City, where you can enjoy the scenery of the ria coast, has a popular surfing spot for surfers.
This article provides a thorough explanation of the two major surf spots in Shima City, Ichigohama and Kokufu no Hama (Kokufu Shirahama), including lunch spots, nearby spots, wave quality, recommended information, and hidden parking lots!
This time, we had the opportunity to hear from Kaito Hamamura and Kenta Nakajima of the Surfing Promotion Council about Kokufu Beach and Ichigo Beach.
What is the Surfing Promotion Council? With the aim of becoming the number one surf city in Japan, the council is working to revitalize the local area through surfing, such as encouraging people to move and settle there through surfing, nurturing young surfers, and attracting tournaments.
Hamamura, who is from Shima City, is a professional surfer who has been surfing since elementary school, and Nakajima is a surfer who moved from Osaka to Shima City after becoming fascinated with surfing during his student days.
Shima City is a famous surfing spot for surfers from all over Japan. Kokufunohama and Ichigohama are visited by many surfers from the Kansai region every weekend from spring to autumn.
Kokufu Beach in Kokufu, Ago Town, has many waves that are thick and break gently, making it a recommended beach for surfing beginners.
In particular, the waves early in the morning are calm and called "menzuru," so even beginners can try it with confidence.
There are many shops around Kokufu Beach that run surfing schools for beginners, so if you've never surfed before and don't know what type of board is best, or are worried about whether you can catch a wave, why not try one of the schools?
At places like LE-BA SURF and SURFER's HOME HANA, you can come empty-handed and experience the sport, as they provide you with everything you need, including boards and wetsuits. If you don't have any equipment yet, we recommend starting with a surf shop school experience.
At Ichigohama, you can try out surfing at "STEP OCEAN SPORTS."
After trying out surfing, try finding your favorite board.
The recommended surfboard for beginners is a softboard.
Soft boards are also called "sponge boards" because they are made of a soft and safe material, which helps prevent injury.
Also, there are many different sizes of surfboards, but we recommend longboards, which are larger and easier to balance!
Once you get used to longboarding, you may want to try a shortboard, which is lighter and easier to maneuver.
At Ichigohama and Kokufunohama, the waves tend to get higher after autumn typhoons pass, making this a recommended season for intermediate and advanced surfers.
If you want to ride some more difficult waves, try going in the fall.
In the summer, large surfing competitions are often held at Kokufu Beach and Ichigo Beach, so if you're confident in your skills, why not try to enter next year?
Once you get used to surfing, we recommend trying different types of waves and new surf spots, switching from a long board to a short board, and even taking videos of yourself surfing to study.
Create your own surfing style.
Ichigohama Beach, located in Shijima, Ago-cho, Shima City, is a major surfing spot along with Kokufu-no-hama Beach, and is a popular beach among surfers, also known as "Strawberry Beach" due to its name, Ichigohama.
Because the terrain is deeper than Kokufunohama, there are many shore break (waves that break close to the shore) and damper (powerful waves), making it a good surf spot for experienced surfers. The terrain goes from shallow to deep suddenly, so be aware that it is not suitable for swimming. Ichigohama has many waves that are quite peculiar, but depending on the season and weather, you can also see larger waves that are comfortable to ride. If you want to enjoy powerful waves, try surfing at Ichigohama.
Like Kokufu Beach, most of the surfers are locals. The nearby parking lot has a convenience store, showers, and parking lot management building all in one, and there is also a convenience store nearby, so it's convenient.
| Wave quality | Powerful waves that react well to east to southeast swells |
| Shower and changing room information | Shower X NUM X yen Free changing room available |
| Parking Lot | About 200 units Price: 1,000 yen/unit *Administration building: 7:30~17:00 Saturdays, Sundays and holidays: 7:00~ *Times may vary depending on the season and date. |
| Map URL | https://maps.app.goo.gl/kMjStqwzBenHiMZN8 |
STEP OCEAN SPORTS is a surfing equipment store located a 2-minute walk from Ichigohama. Not only do they sell surfboards and wetsuits, they also offer rental services.
They also run a surfing school, and the owner is a former professional surfer who can teach a wide range of levels from beginners to competitive surfers.
We hold SUP trial lessons led by certified instructors from the Japan Stand Up Paddle Board Association, so you can try it out empty-handed (surfboards and bodyboards can be rented, but SUPs are not available for rental).
You can enjoy a fun surfing and SUP experience with safety as the top priority, so feel free to ask if there are any openings.
| Address | 873 Shijima, Ago-cho, Shima-shi |
| Phone | 0599-45-0073 |
| Opening hours | 8:00~17:00 |
| Closing days | Irregular holidays (red flag swimming prohibited, bad weather, typhoons, etc.) |
Kabuku Resort is a comprehensive resort facility located right next to Ichigohama Beach.
Just a minute's walk from Ichigo Beach! You can enjoy a variety of activities in the natural surroundings, including glamping, cafes, barbecues, and marine sports. Recommended for those who want to enjoy surfing and camping!
| Address | 876 Shijima, Ago-cho, Shima-shi |
| Phone | 0599-77-7369 |
| Opening hours | Check-in: 16:00-19:00 / Check-out: 10:00 the following morning |
| Closing days | None |
Kokufu Beach (Kokufu Shirahama) is a popular surfing spot in the Kansai area and is also the venue for surfing competitions. The closer you are to Matsubara Beach, the calmer the waves are, making this a recommended spot for beginner surfers.
The area between the fourth and seventh tetrapods offshore is known as "Tetra Point." The waves here are higher and more stable than other locations, making it a popular spot for experienced intermediate and advanced surfers.
The appeal of Kokufu Beach is that everyone from beginners to advanced surfers can enjoy it, as the wave conditions vary depending on the spot. Many surfers visit from the Kansai area, but the clientele tends to be mostly locals.
There are many parking lots around Kokufunohama, but we recommend Shiraho Parking Lot, which has a shop and restaurant on-site.
| Wave quality | Gentle and thick waves that respond well to east to southeast swells |
| Shower and changing room information (Availability, gender, price, time, precautions, etc.) | Shiraho Parking Lot: Cold showers are free, hot showers are 10 yen for 300 minutes |
| Parking Lot (Number of vehicles, time, fee) | Nearby parking is a flat rate of 1,500 yen (per day) due to it being a surf spot. |
| Events (August to October) | |
| Map URL | https://maps.app.goo.gl/HQJkFD8hKRmNV45r9 |
Surfer's home HANA is a car park and surfing equipment store located in the centre of Kokufu Shirahama, just a one-minute walk from the beach.
The alleys around the shop are narrow, so it is easiest to go straight from Family Mart, go straight past the CO Blue Center, and exit onto the beach side.
We also carry "sharpeye," a board brand popular among surfers.
Surfboards and wetsuits are available for rental, and surfing lessons are also available for beginners (lessons must be booked in advance).
Lessons are limited to small groups of 1-3 people and an instructor will be there to provide one-on-one guidance, making them perfect for those trying surfing for the first time!
The lessons with one-on-one supervision are very popular, and people of all ages, from children to people in their 40s and 50s, take lessons. Boards and suits can be rented, so you can come empty-handed on the day of the lesson.
| Address | 2909 Kokufu, Ago-cho, Shima City |
| Phone | 080-3619-0087 |
| Opening hours | 7:30~18:00 |
| Closing days | None |
LE-BA SURF is a surf shop and surfing school located a 6-minute walk from Kokufu Shirahama.
We offer surfing lessons for beginners, with a variety of plans to choose from, including individual and group lessons. We also offer board and wetsuit rentals.
| Address | 3724-1 Kokufu, Ago-cho, Shima City |
| Phone | 0599-47-5573 |
| Opening hours | 8:00~18:30 |
| Closing days | None |
Hinode Restaurant is a seaside restaurant located very close to Kokufu Shirahama.
There are many types of set meals, and the location is great, with a view of the ocean from the windows inside the restaurant. Since it is often visited by surfers and people in the construction industry, the menu tends to be quite filling.
The recommended dish is the fried chicken set meal, but the egg roll set meal and pork ginger set meal are also popular!
They also have parfaits and other sweets, and you can enjoy different sweets depending on the season. From summer to October, they offer the Shine Muscat Parfait (the photo shows the half-size).
Parking is free if you dine here, so this restaurant is recommended for surfers.
| Address | 3028 Kokufu, Ago-cho, Shima City |
| Phone | 0599-47-3824 |
| Opening hours | 11:00~15:00 (May vary depending on the day) |
| Closing days | Unregular holidays |
PONCHI'S PIZZA is a pizza restaurant located a 10-minute walk from Kokufu Shirahama.
The shop is located in a forest along the coast, and serves pizza baked in a stone oven. The shop is surrounded by trees, giving it the feel of a forest hideaway, and the outdoor terrace seats let you enjoy pizza as if you were camping! It's a popular shop, so it's recommended to come early, as they often run out of dough before the store closes.
| Address | 1-3 Kokufu, Ago-cho, Shima City |
| Phone | 0599-47-3013 |
| Opening hours | Weekdays 10:00-14:00 (last order 13:30) Holidays 10:00-15:00 (last order 14:30) |
| Closing days | Every Monday, Tuesday, Friday |
CO Blue Center is a complex with a peaceful atmosphere that includes a coffee stand, library, sauna, co-working space, etc. The ice cream sold at the coffee stand is egg and dairy free and is available during the summer.
The spacious Kura Sauna is a members-only facility, but is open to the public once a month, and non-members can also use it on those days.
The sauna is open to the public on the 24th of August and the 9th of September! If you want to know the sauna opening days or the days when the coffee stand sells donuts, check out the official Instagram account.
It is located just a 90-second walk from Kokufu Shirahama, so it is also recommended as a place to rest after swimming or surfing.
| Address | 2920 Kokufu, Ago-cho, Shima City |
| Phone | 070-9111-6571 |
| Opening hours | 11:00~16:00 |
| Closing days | Every Thursday and Friday |
We introduced the surf spots in Shima city, focusing on Ichigohama and Kokufunohama.
Even on the same beach, the waves feel different depending on the spot. Also, you can ride a variety of waves depending on the day, so it's a deep sport.
Be sure to visit these two major spots where many surfers ride the waves!
To boost surfing in Shima City, Perfect Swell Shima is scheduled to open in 2026, where children and surfers can experience a wave pool that is fun for everyone. We're looking forward to it!
Perfect Swell Shima's wave pool for surfing is the largest in the world, with over 200 different types of waves, from those for beginners to those for competitive surfers.
Come and ride the waves of Shima, which can be enjoyed by beginners to advanced surfers, locals and surfers from outside the prefecture.
