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Windsurfing at Lake Hamana: Fun for Beginners, Kids, and All Ages Year-Round!

Updated: 2026.06.05

This time, we introduce windsurfing—a marine sport you can enjoy on Lake Hamana even in autumn. It’s a water sport you can enjoy throughout the year.

This article was created on October 7, 2023.

This time, we’d like to introduce windsurfing, one of the marine sports you can enjoy on Lake Hamana even in autumn.

Photo courtesy of WINDVILLAGE / Takushi Yamamoto

Introducing "windsurfing".

Windsurfing can be enjoyed throughout the year, and Hamamatsu is home to one of Japan’s most renowned windsurfing destinations.

That place is Murakushi Coast, located along the shores of Lake Hamana in western Hamamatsu.

Known for its calm waters and steady winds that are ideal for windsurfing year-round, the area has earned a nationwide reputation among windsurfing enthusiasts.

By the way, have you ever heard of windsurfing?

When people think of surfing, they usually imagine riding the waves. But windsurfing, as the name suggests, gives you the feeling of racing across the water using the power of the wind.

It’s a marine sport that beginners can enjoy, yet it also offers plenty of depth, making it something you’ll want to keep coming back to.

In this article, we’ll share a first-time windsurfing experience to give you an idea of what it’s like.

For this experience, we were guided by Mr. Yamamoto from WIND VILLAGE.

Mr. Yamamoto is originally from Hamamatsu and is also a professional windsurfer.

Whether you’re a kid or an adult, a beginner or an experienced windsurfer, he provides instruction tailored to your skill level.

10:30 AM – Check-in & Lesson Begins

Parking is available right in front of the building.

There is a changing room on-site, but wearing your swimsuit in advance will help make the process smoother.

① Introductory Lesson

First, you’ll learn the basics of how a windsurfing board moves.

Don’t worry if it all seems a little complicated at first—there are videos to help make it easy to understand.

② Getting Changed

Wetsuits and life jackets are included in the lesson fee and are available to borrow.

Be sure to make a reservation in advance.

③ Practice on Land

One of the first questions was, “Which direction is the wind coming from?”

My response? “Over there?” while pointing vaguely into the distance…

Unable to answer with north, south, east, or west, I couldn’t help but laugh.

Mr. Yamamoto, clearly used to beginners like me, patiently guided me through each step.

④ Getting Out on the Water

The board is extremely stable, making it easy to stand on. The real challenge is lifting the sail—it takes more effort than you might expect

Using your core for support, you slowly raise the sail while letting the seawater collected on it drain away.

Once the sail is up, hold the mast and position yourself so that your body and the mast form a V shape.

Mr. Yamamoto demonstrated a perfect V-shaped stance—nothing like mine!

As you face the direction you want to go and adjust the angle of the sail to catch the wind, the board begins to move forward.

By changing how much wind the sail catches, you can accelerate or slow down.

The concept itself is simple, but putting it into practice is another story.

I fell off countless times and ended up splashing into the water again and again, but whenever I managed to catch the wind and glide forward, it felt amazing.

It was so much fun that no matter how many times I fell, I jumped right back on the board. Before I knew it, an hour had flown by.

⑤ Shower, Change, and Final Thoughts

At the end of the lesson, Mr. Yamamoto reviews what you did well and points out areas for improvement.

The feedback is provided in writing, making it easy to see your progress and motivating you to keep practicing and improve further.

After this experience, one thing stood out above all else—it was simply so much fun!

Looking back at the photos, I realized I was smiling the entire time.

I used to enjoy marine sports in my teens and twenties, but that was a long time ago. This experience reminded me just how enjoyable marine sports can be.

This is completely my personal opinion, but I always feel as though both my body and mind are refreshed after spending time in the seawater. Being near the water seems to wash away stress as well.

By the way, Lake Hamana is a brackish lake, so the water is, of course, salty. On the day of my lesson, it felt especially salty!

For this visit, I joined the half-day experience course, but full-day courses are also available. Those who become members can continue learning through regular lessons at the school.

All the equipment was provided for my lesson, but if you decide you’d like to continue, purchasing your own gear is also an option.

That said… buying a full set of brand-new equipment sounds expensive, and transporting it all seems like quite a challenge, doesn’t it?

At Murakushi Coast, the pro shop WINDS171, which partners with WIND VILLAGE, sells both new and used windsurfing equipment. They also offer equipment storage services, allowing you to leave your gear there for future visits. A storage fee applies.

Many people even leave their equipment there and travel from outside the prefecture with nothing more than themselves.

From time to time, Mr. Yamamoto’s wife runs the WIND VILLAGE Cafe in front of the building.

As she is also involved in farming, the cafe sometimes sells fresh vegetables harvested from their fields, and I also picked up some while I was there.

And the coffee was absolutely delicious!

The coffee is made using beans produced by Mr. Yamamoto’s parents, reflecting the care and attention that goes into every cup.

Simply enjoying a cup of coffee while taking in the beautiful coastal scenery is reason enough to visit.

Just a reminder: the cafe and fresh vegetable sales are available on an occasional basis.

Another charming feature is the large number of regular visitors. Even though it was my first time there, I was welcomed into the warm and friendly atmosphere.

One of the regulars, who happened to be a talented singer, brought out a guitar from his car and performed two songs for us. It was such a heartwarming experience.

And in the evening, you can even enjoy a beautiful sunset like this.