i didn’t realize how lucky i am to have so many friends all around japan. i usually travel around by myself so my friends always go out of their way when i stop by. from picking me up from the airport or train station, to getting my nice warm bed ready, to organizing my surfboards, and to even getting my jacksan and coke ready. this trip really woke me up and made me realize how good friends are important and how each and every one of my friends impact my life in some way. i’m traveling around japan experiencing so many things tourists can only dream of. i feel in place, i feel comfortable, i feel welcomed, and i feel great. so just wanted to say thank you to each and every friend i have here. thank you for understanding my job, my passion, and my selfishness. if it wasn’t for you all, i wouldn’t be here right now. as for this photo, i took it of my 2 wonderful friends todasan and takamisan the other morning as we were checking the waves. 2 important people in my life.

each place i go to, there are different faces, different waves, and different food. this is a sashimi platter from shizuoka. fresh and exciting!

we don’t have this kind of sashimi in hawaii so i’m eating like a king up here.

my favorite is hamachi, ika, ikura, and uni. winner!

somebody please slap me in the face already. i feel like this is an everlasting dream. everybody’s been asking me if i came to japan for this typhoon. well, i use to chase typhoons for the past 20 years and would fly here once a typhoon formed. but now, my schedule isn’t as flexible so i have to plan these trips months in advance and just take the chance. last trip worked out great. this one too. i couldn’t have had the best timing to take my vacation. this was today in west japan at one of the heaviest localized spots in the world. my surfer friend kensuke-san on a big one! today was solid 6′ with bigger sets. i’ve been coming here for the past 14 years and today was the best i’ve ever seen this place. it was amazing! thank you to all the locals for sharing the waves and for always being so kind to me. i really appreciate it!

and last, here is how people in china protect themselves from the sun. can i order one for me off amazon? haha. i’m so dam sunburned it isn’t even funny.
tomorrow will be big again. OMG. when is my vacation really going to start? surf first, play later. have a wonderful evening.

Epic 6′ and barreling!!!!
Locals only!
This is Japan surf culture.
I love it.

good morning from west japan. been busy since i came to here and like always, there is no time to relax. i’ve been on the go and when people ask me where i’ll be the next day, i really can’t answer because i don’t even know myself. been taking lots of photos but no time to even upload them on my computer. here’s a few for now.

waking up every morning chasing typhoons is fun. you get to see the sunrise, sunset, and everything in between. this is in between.

i caught a few right barrels on day 1 and when i came out, this was my view. are you kidding me???? no, i’m not. this is japan, this is nature, this is surfing, and this has been my life for the past 20 years.

photographers, surfers, and much more. everything is documented on this trip and these memories will last forever.

i like watching peoples reactions when they check the waves. it’s like a drama on the beach. pretty cool surf culture here.

day 1 was head high and super fun. just perfect little waves for everybody. it’s days like these when i get confused. surf? shoot? ahhh, do both.

the new light weight toda-san. surfing with lighting speed.

you meet the coolest people where ever you go. every spot, every beach, every river, every prefecture has different people. this is shizuoka.

kinsan never misses anything. if you catch a wave when he’s shooting, he’ll get your photo. and he’s been doing this for the past 40 years?

kamio is another professional photographer. he shoots and he surfs. must be hard from him to make a decision on what to do too. i know that feeling but if you do choose to surf, you won’t be let down. it will be a happy day.

kamio style. surf/shoot/smile. a great guy.

day 2 of typhoon 15. if this was hawaii, there would be 300 people out fighting for the waves. it’s been the worst summer in hawaii, but the best summer in japan.

this was yesterday. i get off the 4 hour long train ride carrying 60 kilos of luggage. we eat ramen and i’m super full. we pull up to the beach to check the waves. i see 6′ empty waves just peeling right in front of me. i unpack my board, i put on the fins, wax it up, paddle out, and score! i didn’t think life was supposed to be this good. are you kidding me????
the waves are 2x bigger today. we just came back from checking it out. 3pm is high tide so from 10am, it will get bigger and bigger. the locals are saying 10′ hawaiian scale. i’m hoping for that or even bigger. typhoon 15 is now 920hpa which puts it in a catagory 5 super typhoon. i’m actually getting nervous. going to eat some breakfast and surf some big waves today. hope you’re getting some too.
last, want to wish Local Motion Maki-san a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! wish you were here.