Shirahama Chuo Beach

Shirahama Chuo Beach is an ESE-facing beach break in Shimoda, Shizuoka, Japan. It picks up swell from E to SE and S, and land, islands, reefs or shallow banks block about 75% of the directions it faces. Offshore wind here blows from the WNW: light winds or WNW breezes usually mean the cleanest surf, while ESE onshores chop it up.

Rare slot: an Izu Islands gap lets in swell from 152.2° (SSE) and nothing either side. It only lines up when a storm sits in that exact direction, more than 46 km out. How slot swells work

Rare slot: an Izu Islands gap lets in swell from 162.2° (SSE) and nothing either side. It only lines up when a storm sits in that exact direction, more than 184 km out. How slot swells work

Break

Beach

Faces

ESE (110°)

Best swell

E to ESE (95°–124°), 9 s or longer

Best wind

WSW to NNW offshore, or glassy

Best surf height

3–6 ft at the beach

Swell window

E to SE (95.5° to 124.5°); S (170° to 191°)

Rare slot

Izu Islands gap, 152.2° SSE

Rare slot

Izu Islands gap, 162.2° SSE

Offshore wind

WNW

Tide

Model estimate

Wave buoy

None within 250 km

Cams

5 (5 play here)