O-arai, Japan

No town nearby. No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Funabashi, is 87 km away. Nearest airport: IBR (IBR), 22 km.

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About O-arai

Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.

The spot faces E (104°), so it takes swell from the E. The wind blows offshore from the W (284°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea floor shelves moderately: 10 m deep about 250 m out (1 in 27). On a typical 5 ft, 11 s swell the waves here would crumble. The sea is about 15°C in February, its coldest month (4/3 wetsuit and boots), and 25°C in August, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually January, February, March and April, with about 2 good days in 7; in June, about 1. From the weather of past years. No town nearby. No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Funabashi, is 87 km away. Nearest airport: IBR (IBR), 22 km.

Water about 22°C: 2 mm shorty. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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From Chicago: about 18 h 40 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Narita International Airport (NRT), direct.
See flights ORD → NRT · Skyscanner from about £580 returnAd
Getting there. 1 h 25 from the airport to O-arai.
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Accommodation.
No town nearby
No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Funabashi, is 87 km away. Nearest airport: IBR (IBR), 22 km.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in O-arai · GetYourGuideAd Board and wetsuit hire in O-arai · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

O-arai on Google Maps · Directions

Surf spot

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Forecast

The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small

Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at O-arai, each day
Day	Score for intermediates	Swell	Energy	Wind	Temp
Sun 18Oct	26, too small	2 ft8 smushy	51kJ	wind from the south-east, 6 knots	20°C
Mon 19Oct	19, too small	3 ft5 smushy	28kJ	wind from the south-west, 14 knots	24°C
Tue 20Oct	19, too small	2 ft6 smushy	34kJ	wind from the west, 2 knots, offshore	22°C
Wed 21Oct	28, too small	3 ft8 smushy	72kJ	wind from the west-south-west, 8 knots, offshore	26°C
Thu 22Oct	31, poor	3 ft7 smushy	88kJ	wind from the north-east, 8 knots	19°C
Fri 23Oct	20, too small	2 ft7 smushy	36kJ	wind from the east-north-east, 7 knots	16°C
Sat 24Oct	32, too small	2 ft7 smushy	44kJ	wind from the west-north-west, 4 knots, offshore	18°C
Sun 25Oct	44, fair	3 ft7 smushy	78kJ	wind from the east-south-east, 4 knots	21°C
Mon 26Oct	21, too small	3 ft7 smushy	77kJ	wind from the north-east, 10 knots	20°C
Tue 27Oct	38, fair	3 ft7 smushy	64kJ	wind from the west, 3 knots, offshore	21°C
Wed 28Oct	0, poor	–	–	–	–

Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. The word under the swell is the wave's shape, our estimate from the sea floor. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.

Your trip, day by day

6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates

Mon 19 Oct
Travel out
Direct flight ORD to NRT, then 1h 25 by road. About 18h 40 door to door
Tue 20 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
Wed 21 Oct
Surf O-arai
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 3 ft at 8 s, offshore wind.
Thu 22 Oct
Surf O-arai
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 3 ft at 7 s, wind 8 kn (15 km/h).
Fri 23 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
Sat 24 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
Sun 25 Oct
Travel home
Direct flight ORD to NRT, then 1h 25 by road. About 18h 40 door to door

Rough cost

About £905–£1,780 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book. No town nearby, so no stay is in it.

Rough cost per person for this trip
What	How we worked it out	Each
Flights	return ORD to NRT, estimated from distance and season, 4 airlines on the route, with a hold bag	£580–£1,205
To the UK airport	parking or the train, there and back	£35–£65
Hire car	6 days, shared	£70–£115
Food	7 days eating out	£155–£290
Board and wetsuit	5 days, or about £85 to fly your own	£65–£105
Total		£905–£1,780

Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.

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