Minamisouma surf festival

Riding the wave to recovery. It’s a slogan that I find perfectly suited to illustrate the surf festival which is back in action in Minamisouma after the ordeals that the town, as well as its neighbors, had to endure. The region was hit hard by the 2011 tsunami and realize the extent of the consequences of the disaster is impressive. Looking at this ocean, so seemingly calm, I find it hard to believe the extent of the damage this has caused. Signs bear witness to this and a square and a monument were built in honor of the victims.

According to the monument, the tsunami reached a height of 11.1 m, now symbolized by a line. The ocean seems so small in the distance…

A sign indicates the section up to which the land has been flooded. It’s more than a kilometer from the shore.

But the Japanese are resilient, and the waves that destroyed them yesterday are once again a source of pleasure and sport today. The spot is working very well and hosts major competitions. Some forty professional surfers are present. Some are aiming for world championships. Two celebrities of the sport, an Australian and a Frenchman, have been invited to demonstrate their skills, as well as to teach children’s classes. Competitors battle it out over three days, with entertainment including horseback riding, Hawaiian dancing, concerts and food trucks. Jet skis provide security and photographers cover the event.

The town of Minamisouma is also known for another festival, this one in honor of the horse. The competition opened with samurai riders galloping along the beach. One of them then entered the water for what must have been a particularly physical surfing session, with the armor replacing the neoprene wetsuit. I wasn’t able to attend the show, as it was taking place the day before my arrival. But the whole festival was broadcast live on the internet.

On arrival, I walk from the station to my hotel, as well as to Kitaizumi beach, where the competition takes place. This gives me a chance to explore the town and its warmly-coloured rice paddies. The heat is stifling, the air is saturated with humidity and the landscape is misty.

The region is particularly rural and not very touristy, and going to this festival allowed me to discover a new aspect of Japan.