ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a genealogy of domestic surf tourism development in contemporary Japan. Drawing on 2 months’ ethnographic fieldwork conducted between July and August 2016, and participant observation during 3 years working, living and surfing in the area, I trace the historical production of one of Japan’s most prominent surf tourism destinations, Miyazaki Prefecture. Detailing the convergence of surfing culture and tourism development from 1930 to 2016, I examine how surf tourism came to be mobilized in Miyazaki as a tool for revitalizing the local economy. I then address three important transformations of the Japanese seascape surf tourism development invites: the feminization of surf capital, global cultural gentrification and the reinforcement of urban–rural disparities. The chapter concludes with a reflection on how surf tourism development may (dis)connect local surfing communities and identify areas for future research.
