How To Get To Stab High Japan

Stab High Japan, Presented by Monster Energy will take place on June 22-23 at PerfectSwell Shizunami, Japan. Buy tickets here, all event info here. 

An excuse is among the best gifts one can receive. 

And, in the form of this year’s Stab High presented by Monster Energy, we are gifting you an excuse to visit Japan. 

If you’ve not yet heard of Japan, we can tell you that it poses a reasonably stark contrast to the previous home of our live Stab High events: Waco, Texas. 

Japanese food/culture/life in general make it an at least once-in-a-lifetime destination for anyone with eyes for the world. If you’re looking to combine a culture trip with some fun waves and an atypical surf event, here you go. Plus, the USD/Yen exchange rate is currently the best it’s been since the ’80s — and is also favorable for those who traffic in AUD or EUR. 

This year’s event will be at PerfectSwell Shizunami, about a three-hour drive from Tokyo. 

Ticket-wise, it’ll run you USD $40 to attend both days. Feeling very important? $120 gets you a free year of Stab Premium (value: $79), plus some merch and access to the VIP deck. 

Enticing, no? So here’s how you pull it off. 

Note: We wrote the following with international visitors in mind. If you live in Japan, save yourself a few minutes and jump straight to the tickets here. 

How to get there 

The flights listed above are from a document we assembled for Stab High competitors. You’re free to jump on ’em if you want the chance to rub elbows with a big name while waiting on the immigration line, but you can be more flexible with your dates and decide whether or not to cop a layover.  Plus, it’d be a sin not to spend a night or two in Tokyo. 

Before you hit Google Flights, note that Tokyo is only a seven-hour flight from Denpasar. If you’re coming from the US or Europe, arriving in Tokyo means you’re more than halfway to Indo. This might be another ‘excuse’ worth investigating.

As far as getting to Shizunami is concerned, Ubers from either of Tokyo’s major airports (NRT and HND) can cost between $400 – $850. Rental cars range from $69 – $150 per day. Public transit from the airport to the pool costs about $40 each way and will take about as long as the drive, but bear in mind that this will require significant mental (and physical) effort to navigate Japan’s robust system of trains, buses, and so forth.

Whether you’re trying to arrive by car or get public transit directions, Google Maps will be your friend throughout Japan. 

Where to stay and surf

Looking for accom recommendations? See above for an overview. Also note that there are Airbnbs in the region. None are available for the Stab High weekend in Shizunami, but options abound 15-20 mins away.

Now, the surf.

Shizunami is located in Japan’s Shizuoka region. It’s further south and quieter than Chiba, which is only 30 minutes from Tokyo and has hosted CT events in years past. 

Typhoon season runs from May through October, but tends to light up most from July to September. June typhoons are certainly not an anomaly. However, looking back at five years of historical forecasts, 2-3 feet (faces) seems to be par for the course, with a few 3-5 foot days sprinkled in the mix — a good size for the many fun beachbreaks in the area. 

It goes without saying, but check the forecast before stuffing your boardbag. 

Just over 20 minutes from Surf Stadium, the southern-facing beaches of Omaezaki cop a bit more swell than out front in Shizunami. Renting a car (or leveraging a bottle of Japanese whiskey to make friends with someone who has) will get you onto the best surf.  

A short-arm-full should keep you warm, but feel free to lever it up or down to a 3-mil or wetty top if you run hot or cold. 

And you ought to guarantee yourself some waves by booking sessions at the pool here. The prices range from $50 – $80 per session. We recommend locking in your hours ASAP. 

A few more things to note 

Food-wise, you’ll find a bit of everything in Shizunami. If you miss the comfort (foods) of home, hit the Sawayaka burger bar. Or lean into it and get ramen from Rai Rai Tei, eat sushi at Kappa or hit Izakaya at Eboshi. Expect to pay between $5 – $10 per meal at a modest place and $20 -$30 at more formal joints. Like we said, the exchange rate is in your favor at the moment. 

Japan can be quite rainy in June. Pack accordingly. 

We recommend carrying some cash (Yen) on you as only some places accept cards. 

Mount Fuji is less than 100 km/60 miles away from Shizunami and there are plenty of tour options. The famous mountain and wave painting (which inspired the Quiksilver logo) is from the nearby region of Kangawa. 

Oh yeah, and leave the high tops at home. As we learned during our R&D trip this April, you’ll be taking your shoes off a lot.