Get Acquainted with Japan"s Olympic Surf Town | The Inertia

The small town of Ichinomiya is experiencing a serious boom due in no small part to being te future site of Olympic surfing.

Opinions abound surrounding surfing’s much anticipated 2020 Olympic debut. But while critics and supporters continue to duke it out online, Ichinomiya – the small Japanese surf town selected to be the venue for surfing during the Tokyo Games – is undergoing a serious transformation due in no small part to being chosen as an official Olympic site.

The Mainichi, a Japanese daily, recently profiled the town, located in the Chiba prefecture, emphasizing that Ichinomiya’s notoriety as a surf town in the last few years has resulted in drastic economic growth.

“Initially dependent on its agricultural industry, Ichinomiya’s economy now benefits hugely from ‘surfonomics’ – the surf-driven economy,” reads the article. “For example, according to a municipal government survey conducted in fiscal 2016, it has been calculated that the town received more than 3.2 billion yen (about $28.8 million) through surfing.”

The article goes on to point out that surfers have recognized Ichinomiya, and more specifically Tsurigasaki Beach (which hosted a ‘QS contest for several years), as a “surfing paradise” since the 1980s. But since the early 2000s, the addition of surf shops and restaurants along the coast has transformed Ichinomiya from a sleepy village to a bustling surf destination. Its selection as an official Olympic venue, according to locals, has driven even more growth.

“In recent years, it feels as though the number of buildings in this area has quadrupled, and the momentum has further picked up following its selection as a 2020 Olympic venue,” Shin Sasaki, a 37-year-old CEO of a local real estate firm, told The Mainichi.

Official statistics about population growth are more modest. “The town’s popularity as a place to live means that about 500 people move there each year leading to the population for Ichinomiya increasing to about 12,400 in January 2017, a record high,” says the article. Five hundred per year, and a record high of 12,400 total population sounds like small potatoes, but to be fair that’s about four percent growth, which ain’t bad.

Apparently, this population growth is principally due to surfing, and the town of Ichinomiya’s allure that boasts a “tropical island” atmosphere, drawing 600,000 visitors per year.

Yeah, but how are the waves, you ask? Turns out, not terrible! See for yourself:

 

Fonte: Get Acquainted with Japan"s Olympic Surf Town | The Inertia
Get Acquainted with Japan"s Olympic Surf Town | The Inertia