Katakai surf forecast
Katakai is a south-east facing beach break on Chiba's long Kujūkuri coast that takes swell from north-east round to south. Japanese surf magazines have called it the most consistent wave in Japan, and its gentle peaks draw big crowds from nearby Tokyo.
Katakai waves, wind and tide, hour by hour
If you usually search 片貝 波情報 for the Katakai wave report, this table gives the same picture hour by hour: swell size, wind and tide for Katakai Beach. The beach faces south-east, so a north-west wind blows offshore and mid tide is usually the sweet spot.
Updated 16:58next run 21:40Open-Meteo wave and wind models
Today 3 Nov
Marginal 06-10: average, head-high, cross-offshore N.
Best window: 06:00–10:00
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 04:19
- High
- 12:17
- Low
- 18:14
- High
- 22:29
- Sunrise
- 06:01
- Sunset
- 16:41
Every hour, 05–21
Tomorrow 4 Nov
Skip: the wind spoils it, overhead, cross-shore NNE.
Tide and daylight
- Low
- 05:38
- High
- 12:47
- Low
- 18:54
- Sunrise
- 06:02
- Sunset
- 16:41
Every hour, 05–21
Thursday 5 Nov
Too big and heavy for this spot, stay out.
Tide and daylight
- High
- 00:42
- Low
- 06:52
- High
- 13:34
- Low
- 19:15
- Sunrise
- 06:03
- Sunset
- 16:40
Every 3 hours
Friday 6 Nov
Too big and heavy for this spot, stay out.
Tide and daylight
- High
- 01:50
- Low
- 07:30
- High
- 13:36
- Low
- 20:06
- Sunrise
- 06:04
- Sunset
- 16:39
Every 3 hours
Forecast point: Katakai (35.533, 140.459). Waves = estimated breaking height at the beach. Data: Open-Meteo wave and weather models (CC BY 4.0). Generated using E.U. Copernicus Marine Service Information. Surf at your own risk.
Watch the wind column first. A north-westerly is offshore here. When it swings north-east, check the peaks on the south side of the breakwaters, which are sheltered from that wind.
Where to surf at Katakai
Katakai was once its own town and has been part of Kujūkuri since 1955. The surf area is wide. Local wave reports cover two points: Shinzutsumi (新堤) and the fishing port (漁港).
Shinzutsumi (新堤)
Beach breakShortboard / bodyboardThis is the stretch the local blogger films every morning at about 6:30 for the daily Katakai report. The public car park here is free on weekdays.
Longboards are not allowed at this point, so bring a shortboard or a bodyboard. On bigger days strong currents can form, and reports advise beginners to stay out. Sources: ameblo.jp · m.bc01.com · m.bc01.com
Katakai Fishing Port (漁港)
Beach break by breakwaterBusyOn days when the rest of the beach has closed out, the local report has still listed the port as surfable, with up to about 250 surfers there in a day. On those days the waves can be wide and dumping, with current running to the right.
The right-hand side gets fewer and weaker waves, but it is a relatively easy place to practise. Only fishery workers may drive into the port, so park at the public car park. Sources: ameblo.jp · m.bc01.com
Kujūkuri Beach
Long sandy coastMany peaksKatakai sits on Kujūkuri Beach, the second-longest beach in Japan. The town and its neighbours are well known as surf destinations. Sources: en.wikipedia.org
What Katakai needs to fire
These are the exact rules behind Kiwi's rating for this spot. Every hour of the forecast is scored on all four, then turned into a rating of 1 to 5 stars.
Swell
North-east to south swells
The beach faces south-east (about 120°) and picks up swell from north-east round to south.
Wind
North-west is offshore
A wind from the north-west (about 300°) blows offshore.
Tide
Mid tide works best
Our forecast rates Katakai highest around mid tide, so plan your session around the middle of the tide.
Size
0.8–1.8 m is ideal
Below about 0.4 m there is little to ride, and from 2.5 m up it gets too big for this beach.
Shortcut: a north-east to south swell of 0.8–1.8 m, a north-westerly breeze and mid tide is Katakai at its best.
The best months to surf Katakai
We replayed Kiwi's rating on every day of the last year and counted how often Katakai's best window reached 4 or 5 stars.
Dec–FebPrime time
Winter is the best stretch: 58% of January days and 55% of December days rate good or better, and 84% of January days are at least fair. The water drops to about 14.7–16.2 °C, so dress warm.
Mar–JunQuieter spring
Good days fall to 7–16% of the month, though 23–39% are still fair or better. The water warms from about 14 °C in March to 21 °C by June.
Jul–SepWarm water, some swell
Good days come back to 13–26% of the month, with about 37–45% fair or better. The water is at its warmest, peaking near 26.5 °C in August.
Oct–NovSlow, then building
October is the leanest month, with only 3% good days. November picks up quickly, with 23% good and 60% fair or better.
Before you go
Hazards and safety
Rips run along the groynes, so check where the water is pulling before you paddle out. On bigger days strong currents can form, and beginners are advised to stay on the beach.
The breakwaters are off-limits and jumping in from them is banned. When the surf is bigger, people still jump off to skip the paddle out, even if they could not make it out from the beach or are weak swimmers, so don't follow them.
For emergencies, the local blog lists Sanmu Medical Center, a regional hospital with an emergency department. Sources: m.bc01.com · ameblo.jp
Getting there
Kujūkuri is about 60–70 km from central Tokyo and about 30 km from Chiba city. The town is not served by railway or highway connections.
The Tōgane Kujūkuri Toll Road was built to make the town easier to reach. Sources: en.wikipedia.org
Parking and facilities
The Katakai Kaigan Kaihin Kōen car park holds 1,266 cars, and the beach has showers. It charges 500 yen on weekends and public holidays and is free on weekdays.
Please don't park on the road between the car park and the fishing port. Only fishery workers may drive into the port itself.
The local blog lists the Tōgane police for theft from the beach or from cars, so keep valuables out of sight. Sources: ameblo.jp · m.bc01.com
Crowds and etiquette
Katakai gets very crowded, especially on weekends and in peak season, and the local report asks everyone to share waves. On one November day the local report counted about 150 surfers on the beach and 200 at the port.
The standing rule in the daily report is simple: no drop-ins. Sources: ameblo.jp
Water temperature and wetsuit
From December to April the water sits around 14–16 °C. In May it averages 18.3 °C and in November 19.7 °C. In early November the local report suggested a 2 mm to 3 mm full suit.
June averages 21.3 °C and October 23.0 °C. July to September runs 24–26.5 °C. Sources: ameblo.jp
Best time of day
The lineup fills from early morning, and on busy days the car park can be 80% full by 6 am. Aim for mid tide when you can. Sources: ameblo.jp
Which board
The local report often suggests a thicker, longer board with extra float for Katakai's soft waves. Remember that longboards are not allowed at Shinzutsumi. Sources: ameblo.jp · m.bc01.com
Where the numbers come from
The method
Kiwi takes Open-Meteo's wave and wind models (ECMWF WAM, Météo-France, NOAA GFS and Open-Meteo's best-match blend) at a point about 5 km off Katakai. There is no buoy correction here yet: these are the models as they come.
Each hour is scored on the four rules above (swell, wind, tide, size). The stars are calibrated on a full year of data for Japan, so 4 stars at Katakai is a genuinely good day by that country's standard.
What we can say
The season chart and the stars use the same rules, replayed on the archive: a month marked good was good by these rules, not by a surf report.
Without a buoy nearby, the size at the beach is our model's estimate, not a measurement.
Katakai surf questions
Is Katakai good for beginners?
Yes, on normal days the waves are soft and fairly safe, which suits beginners. On bigger days strong currents can form and beginners are told to stay out. Keep away from the rips along the groynes.
When is the best time to surf Katakai?
December to February is best: 58% of January days and 55% of December days rate good or better. October is the quietest month.
How cold is the water in Katakai in December?
The sea averages about 16.2 °C in December.
How much is parking at Katakai?
The Katakai Kaigan Kaihin Kōen car park costs 500 yen on weekends and public holidays and is free on weekdays. It holds 1,266 cars.
Can I ride a longboard at Katakai?
Not at Shinzutsumi, where longboards are not allowed. At the fishing port, longboarders have been reported taking off from the outside.
Can I get to Katakai by train?
Not directly: Kujūkuri is not served by a railway line. The beach is about 60–70 km from central Tokyo.
Check Katakai before you drive
See the hour-by-hour swell, wind and tide for Katakai Beach and pick your window before you leave Tokyo.