Surf Japan’s most iconic & Friendly beaches with Third Place

• Location: Ichinomiya Town, Chiba Prefecture (approx. 3-min walk from Pension Third Place to Torami Beach).
• Known For: Hosting the Tokyo 2020 Olympic surfing at Tsurigasaki Beach.
• Best For: Year-round surfing, family-friendly beach holidays, and remote work.
• Key Guesthouse: Pension Third Place (pet-friendly, suites with kitchens).
• Access: Easily accessible from Tokyo for weekend trips.

The Olympics was just a chapter in Third Place’s ongoing story. Owner Toshimune Hashimoto (known to friends and locals as Mune), moved to this coastal town in 2001 at the age of 22, replacing the hectic nature of day to day life in Tokyo with surfing every day. Back then, Ichinomiya was a quiet surfers’ town with few shops and even fewer options for nightlife. Many of his generation eventually left for Tokyo where jobs were more plentiful, unable to sustain a life in this beach town despite their love for it.

Those who stayed, like Mune, found ways to make it work. When he first arrived, he worked in surfboard factory sales for a major Japanese manufacturer. This connection to the local surf industry proved crucial as Mune could sustain himself within the tight-knit world of board manufacturing, while his friends had to return to Tokyo for employment. The area had developed a genuine surf manufacturing culture, with Japanese craftsmen producing beautifully made boards that showcased their exceptional attention to detail and quality. Though surfboards aren’t typically exported from Japan (the sport originated in America and Hawaii after all), the domestic market supports skilled makers. Higher-end pieces command significant prices, and there is work for those who hope to be employed in the industry. This allowed Mune to stay connected to the ocean lifestyle while earning a living, eventually giving him the foundation to start his own business.

Mune took over an existing pension and in 2015 renovated and reopened it as Third Place, creating the surf-focused retreat it is today. The announcement of the Olympics accelerated change in the area dramatically, transforming the town as people began buying land and building houses. Then Covid-19 brought another wave of transformation as remote work became viable, and those who loved surfing and the ocean could finally make the lifestyle sustainable. As the population grew, restaurants multiplied, and the town evolved from a surfers’ secret into a thriving coastal community.

Today, Third Place reflects Ichinomiya’s evolution. What began as a traditional pension-style guest house has expanded to include Torami Beach Club and two ‘Maisonette Suite’ style apartments. They are modern, self-contained spaces that in comparison to staying in a guest house redefine what surf accommodation can be. The Maisonette Suites are spacious, with open-plan living areas and kitchens equipped with everything needed for extended stays, including all the essentials for preparing large meals which are particularly important when travelling with children. A large television and multiple seating areas provide options for socializing or finding a quiet corner to relax. The sleeping arrangements are generous, with two double beds downstairs and a loft upstairs with multiple futons, making the apartments ideal for groups or families. The bright, open design maximizes the sense of space, and each unit features an outdoor area with a barbecue, perfect for hanging out with a beer after a session in the waves.

Between the Maisonette apartments and the pension sits a car park that doubles as an informal theater of surf culture. From dawn to dusk, surfers prepare and wax their boards, rinse off salt water, and swap stories about the conditions. It’s a constant flow of activity that captures the rhythm of a surf town, with the early morning crew heading out at first light, the midday surfers returning with a beer in hand, and the evening surfers clocking in after a long day at work. Simply being able to observe this daily ritual gives visitors an immediate sense of the culture here.

Torami Beach Club serves as the community’s hub. It makes the neighbouring pension more than just accommodation facilities, with showers for rinsing off after sessions and space to grab a meal or a drink or two. It’s where the local surfers gather, visitors connect with regulars, and where the social fabric of the surf community weaves together. As you walk or drive through the town you can see evidence of the surf culture everywhere, it genuinely feels like everyone here surfs.

The property is surf-focused, but in a way that welcomes families and first-timers alongside seasoned riders. There’s a jacuzzi for post-surf relaxation, the accommodation is pet-friendly, and the facilities are designed to let families spend an entire day enjoying themselves. This is Mune’s vision taking shape. To create an environment where surfers don’t have to choose between their passion and their family obligations. Spouses and children can enjoy the property while the surfers get their sessions in, and everyone can gather together afterwards.

Chiba’s surf is genuinely exceptional. Unlike Shonan on the other side of Tokyo, which gets crowded and has inconsistent swells, Chiba offers year-round surfing with reliable waves. The eastern-facing beaches open out to the Pacific Ocean, and the consistency is such that adrenaline junkies in the know visit in February after hitting the powder of Niseko before heading out to the airport.

Mune’s years in the surfboard manufacturing business means he has deep roots in the community, and his connections span from young board shapers and riders to older local farmers. There is no generational divide here, surfer-farmers are taking over aging fields and supplying local restaurants with fresh produce year round.

The surrounding area offers more than just waves. The region is traditionally agricultural, with farms producing high-quality local ingredients, and towards the town centre there are shrines and shopping streets that haven’t been caught up in the surf transformation.

For those considering a visit, Ichinomiya is easily accessible from Tokyo, making it perfect for weekend trips or longer stays. The town has grown substantially, with new restaurants and shops, but it retains the essential character that drew people like Mune here in the first place. It’s fundamentally about the ocean, the waves, and the freedom that comes from spending time in and around the water. Third Place provides exactly the environment to make that lifestyle accessible.