I have been to Mitoma once, during Autumn and saw some decent waves and a LOT of (though more on the small choppy category) and a LOT of surfers.  It is on the eastern part of Fukuoka, passed Island City.  I did not have chance to return since then until  one winter day in December.  I checked out the forecast and saw a 6 foot swell heading towards Mitoma so I decided to go catch the train going there and check it out (and perhaps brave it out there with a wetsuit if things seemed tempting enough.)  It was blown out and empty (I guess I forgot to check the wind in the forecast)  so I just enjoyed the view of the eerily empty beach and returned to the highway to walkfurther north east to check out a spot I read about in a map, Shingu.  It was a train station (of the same name) away from Mitoma but I decided to walk there instead.

I assumed it was nearby,but apparently the hand drawn map was not proportional. After walking for almost 30 minutes (in 6 degree weather), I finally saw a river filled with parked boats. A sign in Japanese said the Pier was to the left so I followed. I knew the ocean was but a turn away and my heart, (better at hearing waves than my ears) pumped quicker and I walked faster. As I made a turn, I saw waves, beautiful A-frame shoulder high waves at that, and about 10 surfers in the line up. Ah Fukuoka, you have surf I can commute to!  Huge breakers were making the erstwhile choppy waves into beautiful rideable ones. I was not sure what their real purpose is, but the surfers could care less as they know today it was for them.

I did not bring a camera with me as I was planning to head out surfing today so I could not get a great shot. I could not surf either as the closest surf shop (I had no board and definitely no wetsuit) was a 30 minute walk away). I just stood there and admired the waves as long as I can before freezing. It was a particularly cold day, and Asawa practically scolded me for even thinking about surfing (Last time I surfed, the weather was 25 degrees!).  I was not sure if this was a locals spot, but it was on the map I got from Radix, the surf shop in Mitoma.

I didn’t get to surf but at least half of my mission was complete. I found a new spot I can crash whose quality over crowd ratio wasn’t that bad. Now if I can only borrow a car.

*To Mitoma, take the subway to Kaizuka and transfer to the Nishitetsu train right across and exit at Mitoma Station.  Walk towards the ocean (look for it while on the train) and you will come across a main highway.  If you want to check out the local surf shop, do not cross yet and walk to your right.  You will see a blue building screaming surf shop to your right in about 3 minutes.  If you prefer to walk to the surf, cross the highway and continue walking towards the ocean.  You will see parked cars with boards, or surfers getting ready to leave or to surf.  If there aren’t any, you will eventually find a temple.  Respectfully make your way through it (there are two of them and cross either will lead to the spot) and welcome to Mitoma surf break.  (Will post GPS coordinates once I figure out how to put it here or if enough people care!)

*For Shingu, get off at the next stop, Nishitetsu Shingu (no way!) and head towards the sea.  Probably harder to explain this one so..ok fine let me figure out this GPS thing now..or until someone politely asks!