Map › Shonan Coast › Chigasaki
Spot · tier 1 · Japan
Chigasaki
Chigasaki anchors Japan's most famous surf-and-kite coastline, the Shonan Coast, just 45 minutes from Tokyo by train. It's a wide sandy beach break with a well-shaped sandbar wave, backed by a strip of surf shops and cafes, making it Japan's most accessible kite and wave-riding scene.
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Wind
| best months |
|
|---|---|
| season notes | Reliable thermal sea breezes build through summer afternoons; post-frontal N/W winds blow through in spring and autumn. |
| avg knots | 12-20 |
| wind name | thermal sea breeze (summer), post-frontal winds (spring/autumn) |
| direction to shore | onshore to cross-onshore |
| quality | thermal, builds through the day; can be gusty behind fronts |
| typical kite sizes | 9-13m |
Water
| type | waves/mixed - sandbar break with flatter sections |
|---|---|
| temp summer c | 26 |
| temp winter c | 15 |
| wetsuit | boardshorts Jul-Aug, 3/2 to 4/3 in the shoulder seasons and winter |
| tides | affects sandbar wave shape |
| standing depth | partial - beach break |
Levels
| beginner | yes |
|---|---|
| intermediate | yes |
| advanced | yes |
| notes | Multiple kite/surf schools operate here catering to all levels; wave can get big and hollow on typhoon groundswell for advanced riders. |
Launch & crowd
| description | wide sandy beach; rig in the designated kite zone away from roped swim areas |
|---|---|
| busy months |
|
| vibe | Japan's classic beach and surf culture scene - laid-back on weekdays, busy on weekends and in summer |
Monthly wind statistics
Station: Chigasaki (WeatherSpark (MERRA-2 reanalysis climatology), ~0 km) — Windfinder blocked (HTTP 429) this session; WeatherSpark modeled climatology used instead, so prob_ge_4bft_pct is null. Exact-location match (Chigasaki town on the Shonan coast). The batch's known-best months (Mar-May, Aug-Oct) don't track raw average wind speed closely, suggesting reliable afternoon sea-breeze thermals (not resolved well by this monthly-average model) are the real driver.
| Month | Wind ≥4 Bft | Avg kn | Dir | Air °C | Water °C |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | —% | 8 | N | 10 | 15.6 |
| Feb | —% | 8.3 | N | 10.6 | 14.4 |
| Mar | —% | 8.7 | N | 13.3 | 14.4 |
| Apr | —% | 8.4 | S | 18.3 | 16.1 |
| May | —% | 7.6 | S | 22.2 | 18.3 |
| Jun | —% | 6.9 | S | 25 | 19.4 |
| Jul | —% | 6.9 | S | 28.3 | 23.9 |
| Aug | —% | 6.9 | S | 30 | 25.6 |
| Sep | —% | 7.4 | S | 26.7 | 25 |
| Oct | —% | 7.6 | N | 21.7 | 22.2 |
| Nov | —% | 7.5 | N | 16.7 | 20 |
| Dec | —% | 7.7 | N | 12.8 | 17.2 |
Hazards
- crowded lineup shared with surfers and SUPs, especially weekends and summer
- typhoon swells can get big and hollow
- designated swim-only zones in high summer restrict kiting
Rules
- roped-off swimming-only zones in place Jul-Aug limit where kiting is allowed
Tips
- go on a weekday to avoid crowds
- check swim-zone flags/ropes during Jul-Aug
- clear days give views of Mt Fuji
- take the JR Tokaido Line from Tokyo Station (about 45-60 min) then walk or cycle to the beach
Travel basics
| airport | HND Tokyo Haneda or NRT Narita |
|---|---|
| getting there | JR Tokaido Line train from Tokyo Station to Chigasaki |
| accommodation | Tokyo, Kamakura, or Shonan-area hotels and minshuku |
| cost level | high |
| no wind | explore Kamakura's temples, Enoshima island, or the beachfront surf shops and cafes |
Nearby: Enoshima / Kamakura, Hiratsuka, Zushi
Sources: web.kite-and-windsurfing-guide.com · unplug-kitesurf.com · letskite.ch