Welcome to our 'Catching up with' series, here we dive into personal stories of people from our community about their journey, their style, their challenges, and what keeps them hyped on and off the board. Today; Shotaro Yamaguchi
Over the past few years, the Japanese surfskate scene has grown massively, with more riders, events, brands, and creative communities pushing the culture forward. From the streets of Tokyo to the coastal roads of Miyazaki, surfskating in Japan has developed its own unique style.
Words by Lars Goos
Hey Shotaro! It’s great catching up with you, how is life?
Life is been fun, lots of new things I recently started to get into art, design, and creating visuals. Lately, I’ve been also drawn to antique and sculptural aesthetics mixed with street culture.
So Japan based! How is the weather out there where you live? Some sunshine for surfskating?
The weather in Japan is amazing. The seasons are always changing, and I love being able to choose different outfits for surfskating depending on the season. I think autumn is my favorite, it’s not too hot or too cold, just perfect. And there’s no pollen either! haha!
We all see those awesome photos of Japan where you get both perfect snow and really good waves. Are you into those sports as well?
Of course! I live in Miyazaki now, but I used to live in Chiba, and both places have great waves. They’re amazing spots for surfing, and the scenery is beautiful too.
So what got you hooked on surfskating?
At first, I started surfskating as off-training for surfing. Back then I was still a student, so I couldn’t afford a YOW Surf board and had to ride a cheap setup instead.
I had wanted a YOW for such a long time, so I still remember how excited I felt when I finally saved enough money from working and bought one. What really hooked me was the unique movement and the feeling of flow while riding.
Since I had only ridden cheap and worn-out boards before, experiencing a YOW board for the first time felt even more incredible. The ride quality and the feeling of the board were just amazing. It’s hard to explain properly..
How does surfskating make you feel?
Hmmm… maybe it makes me feel like the wind? haha
I can’t do crazy tricks like some other riders, but through my videos I can share both the fun and the excitement of skating with different people. I think that’s something I was able to discover because of YOW Surf.
I can’t really put it into words well, but what I want to say is… it’s just really fun.
So how much you are getting on the board nowadays?
Basically every day! I even display my old and broken boards in my room and on the stairs at home. I always carry a board with me when I go for walks or spend time with my family or friends.
What is your favorite style of riding? Street, park, bowl?
Definitely Street! There is something exciting yet simple about searching street spots and surf them.
How does your quiver of boards look these days?
For performance boards, I ride the SNAPPERS, LOWERS, and OUTER BANKS. I also have the WAIKIKI, COXOS, and Sophia Medina ROSE models.
Recently, I’ve been riding the COXOS a lot! I’m always checking catalogs and looking for the next board I want, so I’m really excited about what’s next!
How is the surfskate scene in Japan?
It has been growing a lot.I think there are a lot of surfers and snowboarders in the scene so naturally surfskating grown into it. I surf as well, and many of my friends ride YOW boards to practice for surfing.
YOW is probably the most well-known surfskate brand in Japan because they do test rides at events, and a lot of people are interested in it.
We see a lot of you surfskating ditches. Are there many of those in Japan?
There actually aren’t that many, but I really enjoy the process of searching for them. It’s not easy to find good spots, but the excitement when you finally discover one is unreal.
In the Kanto area there are quite a few, but in Miyazaki, where I live, there aren’t many well-known spots. Still, I get a lot of people asking where I skate when they see my videos!
Any future surfskate or surfing plans? Trips, tricks, or whatever?
I’d definitely love to visit the YOW Surf headquarters someday haha. I’d really like to see the manufacturing process and hopefully meet the riders and take some photos together!
As for tricks, I’m currently working on the 360 flip. It’s honestly really hard. But that’s exactly why I enjoy it, I like challenging myself with difficult things.
I also want to keep skating in different cities, filming videos, and sharing them on my team’s YouTube channel so more people can see what we’re doing.
Besides boardsports, what are you into? Music? Reading? Any other hobbies or passions?
Besides boardsports, I’m really into music, fashion, and creating things. I listen to a wide range of music, but I especially like hip-hop and chill vibes that match skating.
I also enjoy working on design and visuals, like creating graphics and ideas for my brand. It’s a big part of how I express myself outside of skating.
Lately, I’ve also been focusing a lot on filming and editing videos. I love capturing moments in different places and turning them into something people can feel and connect with.
For me, everything connects, skating, visuals, music, and lifestyle. That whole mix is what I’m really passionate about.
And what about those delicious Japanese meals, what’s your favorite?
My favorite food is onigiri 🍙, especially with pickled plum inside.
I also really like local free-range chicken — it’s simple but so good.
What’s on your playlist for a session?
For a session, I usually listen to a mix of chill Japanese hip-hop and mellow vibes. Artists like 3House, BASI, and SIRUPare always in my rotation.
I like music that keeps me relaxed and in a good flow while skating, nothing too aggressive. It helps me stay smooth and just enjoy the ride.
Thanks a lot Shotaro, that was fun. Any last words? Where can people follow you?
Thanks for having me, I really enjoyed it!
Just keep doing what you love and enjoy the process. See you out there!
You can follow me on Instagram and YouTube at @Shotaro._.Yamaguchi.
Also check out my brand, Rough Roamer.
