Rivermouth sunrise at Shonan on a chilly but firing morning. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Nijima, outside of Tokyo, is a small island with plenty of nature and world-class waves. Tetta Mori, pulls in at Habushi's beachbreak. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Once the onshore storm surf subsides, the offshores groom perfect setups like this Habushi sandbar. This is a frequent weather cycle for the islands offshore. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Japan has big waves too, especially during their Typhoon Season (July - October). Shinpei Horiguchi, charging his homebreak of Wakayama. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Yes, this is Japan. Okinawa actually holds some phenomenal blue-water, shallow reef setups. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Yoshio Ono, shacked at a Backdoor-esque beachbreak up north at Ibaraki. This spot is actually really close to the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

The colorful array of fish at the market in Okinawa. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

When large low-pressure systems push down from China, storm surf (and freezing weather) ignite reef breaks like this. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Jun Shiba and others from Japan's next generation have done a good job keeping up with the modern progression happening in contemporary surfing. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Rivermouths like Kochi Shikoku are Japan's treasure. After the rainy season (May - July), giant, flawless sandbars become perfect setups. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Akira Shindo, shacked at a cobblestone rivermouth in Shonan. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Okinawa outer reef. Even at high tide, this spot is super shallow. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

The Japanese are an ocean culture and this traditional Ise-ebi (Lobster Festival) art reflects that. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Tetta Mori, pitted at Nijima. The island's white sand makes the water color here ultra-blue. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Another Japanese hell-wave called Shotgun, outside Matsube in Chiba. There are plenty of big waves scattered throughout the Land of the Rising Sun and local surfers are beginning to ride them. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Wakesurfing wahines in the Yodogawa River with Osaka's skyline in the background. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Remember, Japan is an island. And during fall, the Sea of Japan (on the west side of the island) gets a few rare gems. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Not Hawaii or Tahiti, this is Okinawa's uncrowded perfection. Shinpei Horiguchi, rushing. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Japan's future appears in good hands. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Up north, near Sendai, the recent tsunami destroyed this wave and it might never be the same. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Kenta Hayashi, tapping into one of Shikoku's many rivermouths. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Pork is one of the main foods in Japan and locals enjoy eating every last bit of them (inside and out). Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

The Ibaraki coast is littered with quality beachbreaks. Most are super-consistent but are somewhat chilly thanks to the year-round current. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

When the onshore winds stir things up, the water turns brown. And just like the Mod Col contingent, Kaito Ohashi knows onshore is the new offshore when it comes to busting fins. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Remote perfection at Awaii Beach on Nijima. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Shota Nakamura takes advantage of a solid typhoon swell at Shotgun. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Breezes coming off the mountains groom this dawn patrol session at Kochi Shikoku. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp

Irago Aichi holds beach after beach of quality sandbars. All it takes is a little searching and you'll be surfing your own spot, like Yasuyuki Sugihara here. Photo: Kin Kimoto/surfdayz.jp