Beach

both

Level 4/10

Katsuura

Katsuura, Japan

🌀Strong rips

YouTubeWatch on YouTube CustomizeCustomize this spot

Katsuura sits at the southern end of Chiba's surf coast, rewarding those who venture farther from Tokyo with beautiful waves and significantly fewer crowds. The beachbreak produces quality peaks during typhoon swells, and the fishing town atmosphere includes some of the best seafood on the coast. The extra distance filters out the weekend warriors, leaving more waves for those who make the trip.

Katsuura surf forecast

Model forecast for swell, wind and tide.

10-Day Forecast

Today5

Poor

4.8mSE@12s

20km/h

4.8m@12s

20km/h

Fri6

Fair

3.0mSSE@12s

11km/h

3.0m@12s

11km/h

Sat7

Fair

1.5mESE@9s

13km/h

1.5m@9s

13km/h

Sun8

Good

1.2mESE@11s

12km/h

1.2m@11s

12km/h

Mon9

Poor

1.2mESE@9s

21km/h

1.2m@9s

21km/h

Tue10

Poor

1.2mESE@9s

23km/h

1.2m@9s

23km/h

Wed11

Poor

1.1mE@9s

20km/h

1.1m@9s

20km/h

Thu12

Fair

1.4mESE@9s

14km/h

1.4m@9s

14km/h

Fri13

Firing

2.0mESE@11s

10km/h

2.0m@11s

10km/h

Sat14

Fair

1.9mESE@8s

19km/h

1.9m@8s

19km/h

Choppy 5+ days out, less certain

View 2-year historical scores →

Today's ConditionsToday's Conditions

Find Flights

Best session: AfternoonAM 26 km/h · PM 13 km/h · Tide at 1pm (1.4m)

Swell

4.8m

SE(129°)

Score: 0/25

Period

12s

Mid-period swell

Score: 25/25

Wind

20km/h

NNW(347°)

Score: 1/25

Weather

18°C

2.0mm68%

First light 5:33amSunrise 6:03amSunset 4:41pmLast light 5:11pm

Windswell

0.4m@3s

Secondary

0.1m

Confidence

100%

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell4.8m @12s SE in window

Wind20 km/h NNW cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

Hourly Forecast, Tide & Strike Windows

Strike window: 5:33am–5:11pm · through highIdeal tide: 0.3–1.5m

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

6am

9am

12pm

3pm

6pm

°C

18°

17°

21°

18°

21°

22°

24°

21°

16°

17°

19°

18°

15°

10°

12°

14°

15°

13°

11°

12°

11°

9°

11°

13°

12°

9°

10°

13°

14°

12°

10°

13°

16°

17°

15°

13°

16°

18°

17°

12°

15°

16°

13°

6m3.0

sec

12s

11s

swell

windkm/h

28g57

23g59

22g49

12g41

14g19

15g51

20g53

14g23

4g23

8g14

19g21

14g32

12g19

11g23

12g22

21g42

16g37

9g34

9g22

10g20

23g43

24g47

23g50

18g45

18g36

24g46

23g49

19g49

19g45

27g56

21g47

22g46

19g50

19g53

17g47

17g35

16g34

13g35

13g36

9g32

9g22

4g23

7g30

16g37

15g38

17g32

20g42

19g44

18g43

18g41

tidem

12:54am1.2m

6:50am0.8m

1:18pm1.4m

7:43pm0.7m

2:03am1.4m

7:54am0.8m

1:43pm1.5m

8:23pm0.6m

2:40am1.4m

8:24am0.8m

2:08pm1.4m

9:00pm0.3m

3:30am1.3m

9:03am0.7m

2:39pm1.3m

9:21pm0.1m

4:15am1.3m

9:24am0.8m

3:02pm1.4m

9:55pm0.1m

4:50am1.4m

9:56am0.8m

3:24pm1.5m

10:30pm0.1m

5:30am1.4m

10:30am0.9m

3:48pm1.5m

6:00am1.3m

11:04am0.8m

4:16pm1.3m

6:40am1.1m

11:30am0.8m

4:43pm1.2m

7:30am1.0m

Ideal tideStrike windowNight

Tide times today

12:54 am

High · 1.22m

6:50 am

Low · 0.75m

1:18 pm

High · 1.44m

7:43 pm

Low · 0.72m

Times shown in spot-local time.

Strike Score Breakdown

Poor

Components

Swell Direction19/25

Swell Size0/25

Swell Period25/25

Wind1/25

Raw Score45/100

Adjustments

🤢 Wind History-6

🌊 Tide+5

💨 Gusty Wind-5

⚠️ Weak Component-5

Adjusted Score34/100

Confidence

Multiplier×1.00

Final Score34

🤢 Morning Sickness🌊 Optimal tide window

Plan Your Strike

Return flights to NRT, departing today with a 5-day trip window.

Search Flights on Skyscanner

Location & Conditions

Loading map...

Swell4.8m @12s SE in window

Wind20 km/h NNW cross-shore

SwellWind: Offshore Cross Onshore

Showing forecast for today · all day

See where's firing right nowToday's best waves worldwide, scored live

Free Strike Report

Know when Asia is about to fire

Get the best strike windows in Asia — and worldwide — in your inbox every Monday & Thursday. Live Strike Scores, the swell behind them, zero fluff.

For real surf travel

Get the full Katsuura trip window

Pro unlocks the 10-day forecast window, unlimited alerts, and custom spot tracking that help turn a good-looking surf report into a better travel decision.

See Pro Pricing Track Katsuura free

10-day window

See the trip window before flights get expensive.

Unlimited alerts

Let the app watch your score threshold for you.

Custom spots

Track the breaks that actually matter to your travel plans.

Spot Details

CustomizeCustomize this spot

Swell Requirements

Optimal direction: ESE (120°)
Direction range: 70° - 160°
Size range: 0.8m - 2.5m
Ideal size: 1.6m - 2.1m
Height multiplier: 1.00×
Ideal period: 12s+

Wind Requirements

Optimal direction: WNW (290°)
Offshore range: 250° - 340°

Tide Requirements

Optimal tide: mid
Optimal range: 0.3m - 1.5m

Water temp

22°C

Wetsuit

Springsuit / 2mm

Difficulty

4/10

Crowd level

4/10

Access: JR Sotobo Line to Katsuura station.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of wave is Katsuura?

Katsuura is a beach break in Katsuura, Japan, with peaks that run both left and right.

What swell works best at Katsuura?

Katsuura picks up swell from the ENE round to the SSE, and it's best when it's coming straight out of the ESE. It starts working at around 0.8m and handles up to about 2.5m, with the sweet spot around 1.6 to 2.1m. Period matters too: aim for 12s or longer, as anything under 8s tends to be weak. These are the numbers our scoring uses, so treat them as a guide rather than a promise.

What wind is offshore at Katsuura?

A WNW wind is dead offshore at Katsuura, and anything from the WSW round to the NNW keeps it clean. The morning is typically the best window, roughly 5am to 10am. Light winds from other directions can still be fine; strong offshores can make it hard to get into waves.

What tide is best at Katsuura?

Katsuura is at its best around mid tide, roughly 0.3m to 1.5m on the local chart.

When is the best time of year to surf Katsuura?

The most reliable run of swell at Katsuura comes Aug to Oct. There's a second window in Nov to Feb too. Typhoon season delivers best swells. Less crowded than northern Chiba.

How cold is the water at Katsuura?

The water at Katsuura averages around 22°C, so you'll want a springsuit or 2mm. It shifts a few degrees through the year, so check the season before you pack.

Is Katsuura good for beginners?

It's more of an intermediate wave, rated 4/10 for difficulty, so newer surfers are best off sticking to the smaller days. Expect a moderate crowd (4/10) when it's on. Currents can be strong during larger swells.