TRIPPIN' OUT IN JAPAN, MAN!

11/12/2007

So we left Miyasaki in the best of spirits. We had driven the coast, surfed several really fun breaks, and even made friends with some of the rocals. We got tubed in the south of Japan, and now we were heading to Tokyo. Even Ozzie was still psyched, considering he missed the better of the days with a strange knee infection. Anyways we were out of there, and our whole Japanese crew came along to guide us through Tokyo.



After we landed, this is what we saw...


The following morning we walked by a massive spider on the way to a 360 degree view of Tokyo at the Roppongi Hills Observation deck, which was 50-something stories high. We went upstairs one more floor and checked out the Roppongi Hills Crossing, a contemporary art exhibit that blew us away.




Tokyo from way up high.

That night we were told there was going to be a little gathering at the Volcom Store Tokyo. Upon arriving, we found the phrase 'little gathering' implied 300 plus at the excellent new Volcom space right there in the heart of the city. Ozzie, Morrissey, and Nate each gave away a surfboard by raffle-style. It was a raging party, man! There was even a skate jam going on over at the mini ramp in the corner of the store, those dudes were rippin'. Ozzie got a hold of some paint pens and drew up the coolest piece on the front of the DJ station. It went off! We kicked it until about 11pm, then set out for a night on the town, beginning with a late dinner and plenty of sake.


Surfing the streets of Tokyo before walking into the Volcom store party.


(L)The Japanese flyer for the event. (R) The very cool Iceman.




Scenes from the party.

"Within the four seas, all men are brothers" -Ozzie Wright


Goose and Yoge ruling!


This photo of Goose reminds me of that cartoon Heathcliff.


Nate and his choice ride.


Morrissey and the streets of Tokyo.


Ozzie and his gal Mylee tripped out in Japan.

Thank you to everyone from Volcom Japan for making this one of our favorite trips ever!

We found a couple of lost clips and put together a last bonus vid on the flight home. Thanks if your still reading this.

One last thing...A big thumbs down and fart sound goes out to United Airlines. You geeks charged us $160 per surfboard times 7 boards on our return home, not to mention held up the long line of anxious travelers behind us. For that cost, we've gladly purchased another seat, so our boards could have comfortably sit next to us.



-mikeG

11/10/2007

We had a feeling the waves were about to get good. The clouds and rain were soon to travel offshore, and Tom Carey had to leave early, which almost always is a good sign of waves to come. We pulled up to the fun Miyasaki beach break in the later afternoon and scored. There wasn't a soul out, partly because the road you drive on to get there was filled with deep mud puddles. We had rental cars, which gave us the green light to fly through 'em. We saw a left reeling off one of the jetties, and we went for a quick surf. Photos by Kensuke Yoshida, aka YOGE.

Nate scooping in off the jetty.

Morrissey slams the wave's end.

The next morning we woke up extra early and jammed down to the same spot. It wasn't doing it like the night before, but just down the way was 5 times better.

Man it was so fun.

Teppei was down the beach ruling these rights.

Nate in a perfect cylinder.

Morrissey getting totally tubular.

Nate sliding across Japan.

Morrissey and 737.


-mikeG

11/8/2007

Japan is awesome! The waves are real fun and our guides are the coolest. Here's a video we put together late last night. Ittekimasu! (I'm going but I'll be back.)



-mikeG

11/4/2007

The past 4 days, we've been in Japan. It's Ozzie Wright, Nate Tyler, and Mike Morrissey, along with myself and Volcom photographer Tom Carey. We have come in peace to travel among this grand island on a trippy surf adventure, with the guidance of our Volcom Japan brethren. The original plan was to simply cover the story of this trip in a happening after it took place. Truth is, it's been so fun and such a great trip so far, we decided to start a blog of this awesome 12-day trip starting now. So here goes...

Sometimes even the act of traveling to a specific destination has its moments of greatness. This 3-flight journey to our final destination in Japan was classic, but I guess that's because everyone was simply in good spirits from the beginning.

                    
Upon arriving, Morrissey got all of his luggage searched, article by article. He stood there in bafflement while the rest of us laughed. It must've had something to do with the police dog coming back to sniff him every 5 minutes. It almost looks like he's in cuffs in this photo. All was good and we were out of there. To the right is Nate getting female assistance when several attempts of his own to get his board bag through the sliding glass doors failed. Again, we pointed and laughed, and quickly learned the Japanese are very friendly. Our Japanese brothers met us just outside the door. We had our first Japanese dinner with some drinks where we learned to say "one more beer," which is "moi pai kudasai." (spelling most likely way off). Our Japanese crew is the coolest.

Left to right - Teppei, Yoge, Shogo, dude of hair, Goose, Nate, Carey, Morrissey, Ozzie


We awoke before light and headed for the ocean, with a quick stop at the convenience store, which has become the morning ritual. Everywhere you go, you can be sure to see many symbols that make no sense to you, but you still have your drink of choice.

After a quick bumpy drive through a forest of these trees we saw...

Perfect little tubes...so we surfed.


This is a bad attempt at a cool collage of surfing photos. What it means to say is that everyone was ripping and we had kick ass good time all day long. The group shot was after our sushi dinner two nights ago. Morrissey's mid region is blurred on purpose, so there's no mass viewing of "the brain" (for reference, see the movie 'Waiting.') It is one of the greatest photos of the trip so far because everyone was extremely close to him, yet they had no idea of the exposed parts inches from them. Here's some more photos.

Two angles of flying off a wave by Nate Tyler.

Planes atop the ocean just down the way.

It was fun...Nate surfed for 6 hours straight.

Some other funny random stuff...
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        5.                6.

1. Morrissey and Creap brand. 2. Japanese food made me fart, and Goose almost drove off the road upon his intake of the foul fume. 3. We drive past this everyday, that sign says Hard-Off. 4. We were celebrating in our room when we looked over at the television and there was Teppei! It was coverage of his WQS 2 star win here in Japan. There were siamese Teppei's...it was classic! 5. Carey and boob goggles he got from a sweet store in the mall. 6. This vending machine was in the middle of nowhere. How did it get power? Where'd it come from? Nobody knows.

                
Goose wears our flea market purchase////Beer in the vending machines////Running around the hotel, Bruce Lee style.



-mikeGuarino