At which beach were the surfing events held at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics?

The surfing events at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics were held at Tsurigasaki Beach.

The beach is in Ichinomiya, Chiba Prefecture, on Japan’s Pacific coast, roughly 60 kilometres east of Tokyo. It was selected because its exposed coastline can produce suitable ocean waves, unlike many sheltered bays near the capital.

The competition took place from 25 to 27 July 2021. Although officially called the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the Games were postponed by one year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Surfing made its Olympic debut at this edition, with men’s and women’s shortboard events.

Tsurigasaki Beach is sometimes confused with beaches in Shonan, a well-known Japanese surfing region closer to Tokyo. Shonan hosted major domestic surfing activity, but it was not the Olympic venue. The site is also known locally as Shidashita Beach, a name associated with the nearby area.