Zanpa, Japan

No town nearby. No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Taipei, is 639 km away. Nearest airport: OKA (OKA), 28 km.

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About Zanpa

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

The spot faces W (266°), so it takes swell from the W. The wind blows offshore from the E (86°). It is sheltered to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 3–13 ft of swell. The sea is about 22°C in February, its coldest month (2 mm shorty), and 29°C in July, its warmest (no wetsuit). For intermediate surfers the best month is usually December, with about 1 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. No town nearby. No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Taipei, is 639 km away. Nearest airport: OKA (OKA), 28 km.

Water about 28°C: no wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.

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From Chicago: about 26 h 30 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to OKA, changing at Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).
See flights ORD → OKA · Skyscanner from about £660 returnAd
Getting there. 50 min from the airport to Zanpa.
Car hire · Discover CarsAd
Accommodation.
No town nearby
No bookable town within 50 km: the nearest, Taipei, is 639 km away. Nearest airport: OKA (OKA), 28 km.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in Zanpa · GetYourGuideAd Board and wetsuit hire in Zanpa · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Zanpa on Google Maps · Directions

Surf spot

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Forecast

Zanpa does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.

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

Forecast and score for intermediate surfers at Zanpa, each day
Day	Scorefor Intermediate	Swell	Energy	Wind	Temp
Sun 18Oct	11, too small	2 ft4 s	8kJ	wind from the east, 9 knots, offshore	28°C
Mon 19Oct	8, too small	1 ft4 s	3kJ	wind from the east, 9 knots, offshore	28°C
Tue 20Oct	9, too small	1 ft4 s	4kJ	wind from the east, 8 knots, offshore	28°C
Wed 21Oct	17, too small	2 ft12 s	81kJ	wind from the north-east, 11 knots, offshore	29°C
Thu 22Oct	28, poor	4 ft7 s	168kJ	wind from the north-east, 21 knots, offshore	26°C
Fri 23Oct	59, good	4 ft11 s	385kJ	wind from the east-south-east, 21 knots, offshore	28°C
Sat 24Oct	28, too small	2 ft10 s	114kJ	wind from the south-east, 19 knots, offshore	28°C
Sun 25Oct	15, too small	2 ft7 s	29kJ	wind from the east-south-east, 15 knots, offshore	28°C
Mon 26Oct	10, too small	1 ft4 s	6kJ	wind from the south-south-west, 4 knots	28°C
Tue 27Oct	5, too small	1 ft5 s	3kJ	wind from the south, 1 knot	27°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. 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
Fly ORD to OKA, changing at HKG, then 50 min by road. About 26h 30 door to door
Tue 20 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 1 ft at best.
Wed 21 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
Thu 22 Oct
Surf Zanpa
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 7 s, offshore wind.
Fri 23 Oct
Surf Zanpa
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 11 s, offshore wind.
Sat 24 Oct
Rest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
Sun 25 Oct
Travel home
Fly ORD to OKA, changing at HKG, then 50 min by road. About 26h 30 door to door

Rough cost

About £985–£1,940 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 OKA, estimated from distance and season, changing at HKG, full-service airlines, with a hold bag	£660–£1,365
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		£985–£1,940

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

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Surf lessons · GetYourGuide Board and wetsuit hire · GetYourGuide

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