Kamakura Surf & Zen Week: A Japanese Surf and Wellness Escape

The week runs from late November, based in Kamakura, about 90 minutes south of Tokyo by train. Guests fly into Haneda or Narita, meet for dinner at a local izakaya in the city, and travel down to the coast together. The accommodation is a locally owned Japanese surf house: simple, authentic, walking distance from the beach and several of Kamakura's regular breaks, as well as cafés and temples. Mornings usually start with coffee and a look at the surf; if it's working, you paddle out at one of the beach breaks nearby. On other days the group drives further down the coast to find empty lineups and lesser-known corners.

Surfing is coached throughout. Jens and Peter, the founders of Surfakademin, are lifelong longboarders and will be in the water with you for both sessions most days. For complete beginners, a trusted local coaching crew joins to help with the basics. Sessions are filmed on selected days and reviewed afterward, which is often the quickest way to improve, whether you're catching your first wave or working on a noseride. Off the water, the coaching covers surf etiquette, ocean safety, how waves are formed, wave knowledge, surf history, and style.

The week deliberately avoids a fixed itinerary. Some afternoons are spent at Kamakura's temples, which are among the most important in Japan; others at traditional onsens, or walking quiet neighbourhoods and eating long lunches. Evenings often end in small izakayas. One day is set aside for Tokyo, trading the ocean for city streets and back again. The group also visits one of Japan's most renowned surfboard shapers to see how boards are made and understand the craftsmanship behind Japanese surfing.

Kamakura itself is the reason this week works. It's a small coastal town with a long history as a pilgrimage site, close enough to one of the world's biggest cities to feel surprising, but far enough that it moves at its own pace. Surfers, craftsmen, and creatives have settled here for years. The combination of consistent beach breaks, working temples, and good food within walking distance is unusual, and the surf house puts you in the middle of it.

Groups are kept small on purpose. With only a handful of guests, coaching is individual, the lineup isn't crowded with your own group, and there's room to adjust the plan when the swell or the weather says something different. Jens, Peter, and Mayu host the whole week, and Mayu in particular brings a local's knowledge: which break works on which tide, where to eat, and which temple is worth the detour.

What's included

- 7 nights accommodation in Kamakura - 1-2 surf sessions per day depending on conditions - Daily surf coaching with Jens & Peter - Video feedback and surf analysis - Surfboards for all levels and wetsuit - All transportation within Japan - Day trip to Tokyo - Visits to temples and onsens (hot springs) - Visit to one of Japan's most renowned surfboard shapers - Hosting by Peter, Jens & Mayu throughout the week

What's not included

- International flights - Travel insurance - Meals not mentioned (most lunches and dinners) - Personal expenses - Optional activities not listed