Surf spot

Chinbotsu

Forecast conditions and map view for Chinbotsu in Japan, Kyushu, Tanegashima-Island. Open the interactive surf map to inspect wind, waves, and nearby spots.

Country: Japan, Kyushu, Tanegashima-Island
Coordinates: 30.7362, 131.0743

Metric
Metric	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00	15:00	18:00	21:00	00:00	03:00	06:00	09:00	12:00
Wave height (m)	0.6	0.6	0.5	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.3	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.4	0.5	0.7	0.8	0.8	0.9	0.9	1	0.9	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.9	0.8	0.8	0.8	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.7	0.6	0.6	0.7	0.7	0.9	1.1	1.3	1.5
Wave direction	ENE	ENE	ENE	E	ENE	ENE	ENE	ENE	E	E	E	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	ESE	E	ENE	E	E	E	E	E
Wave period (s)	6.2	5.8	5.8	5.3	6	6	6	5.9	9.2	5.3	5.8	5.7	6.1	4.3	4.6	4.5	4.8	5.3	5.8	5.8	6.3	5.8	6.1	6.3	6.5	6.5	6.5	6.6	6.6	6.8	6.9	6.8	6.8	6.8	6.7	6.7	6.7	6.9	6.7	6.7	6.6	6.6	6.8	6.8	6.7	6.6	6.3	6.1	6.8	6.8	4.3	4.5	4.7	5.8	6.2	6.6
Wave energy (kJ)	25	21	18	13	13	11	11	11	17	12	12	14	13	10	18	23	32	46	49	65	66	68	71	77	88	93	93	94	84	81	77	73	73	72	65	63	57	58	46	49	45	43	47	48	49	45	42	36	33	29	19	20	34	87	124	191
Wind speed (km/h)	7.9	6.9	5.9	11.9	11.2	10.4	9	7.2	6.5	6	7.3	10.4	14.4	13.7	10.9	10.5	10.7	6.1	6.1	5.7	9.6	10	6.3	6.9	5.4	1.1	2.8	5.8	8	8	5.1	4.2	2.2	3	3.5	8.9	11.8	15.3	11.9	8.6	7.4	6.2	9.3	12.1	16.6	16.3	18.4	17.4	15.6	18	19.4	21.8	23.4	22.5	22.1	23.8
Wind direction	ENEOnshore	ECross-on	ENEOnshore	EOnshore	EOnshore	EOnshore	EOnshore	EOnshore	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	ECross-on	EOnshore	ECross-on	ECross-on	EOnshore	EOnshore	ENEOnshore	SECross-on	SECross	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	SECross	SECross	ESEGlassy	NEGlassy	NNECross-on	EOnshore	ECross-on	ECross-on	ESEGlassy	EGlassy	ESEGlassy	ENEGlassy	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ESECross-on	ESECross-on	EOnshore	NEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	ENEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	NEOnshore	ENEOnshore

Chinbotsu, Tanegashima Island (Kyushu, Japan) is a remote, scenic surf spot on the southern side of Tanegashima, an island off the coast of Kyushu. It’s known for its clean Pacific swell exposure, tropical-feeling surroundings, and a generally less crowded lineup compared with mainland Japan.

Spot character

Wave type: Mostly a reef/point-style setup, with shape depending on swell direction and tide.
Best conditions: Works best with a solid south to south-southeast swell and light offshore winds.
Wave quality: Can offer long, lined-up rides when everything comes together, with sections that can be fairly powerful.
Crowds: Usually quieter and more local than famous mainland breaks, but conditions and access can limit who shows up.

Surfing style

Best suited to surfers who are comfortable reading reef break conditions.
Can range from fun, manageable surf to more serious, fast-moving waves when the swell is up.
Entry and exit may be affected by reef, tide, and current, so it’s worth checking conditions carefully.

Best time to surf

Typhoon season (late summer to autumn) is often the most reliable for surf on Tanegashima.
Winter can bring larger swells too, but weather may be less forgiving.
Local wind and swell windows can be short, so timing matters.

Environment

Tanegashima is known for its lush coastline, clear water, and quieter island atmosphere.
The area feels more remote and adventurous than many Japanese surf destinations.

Practical note

Conditions at spots like Chinbotsu can change quickly with tide, swell angle, and wind, so checking a local forecast and asking surfers familiar with Tanegashima is a good idea.