Shonan: Good Vibrations on the Beach *RERUN
Only an hour away from Tokyo, Shonan is a popular place where people like to visit and live. For over a century, Shonan has been the best seaside resort and birthplace of public beaches in Japan. From the first generation of Shonan Boys (American culture fans), the "Taiyo-Zoku" generation inspired by a 1956 novel and film, to the surfing generation, Shonan has remained a subject of admiration. Meanwhile, this episode will also show Shonan's cultural side with vacation homes and the Imperial Villa, rich blessings from the sea, and its religious facet in Enoshima.
A Legendary Surfer
Japan's oldest active professional surfer, Komuro Masanori, owns a local surf shop in Shonan. At the age of 19, Komuro won the All Japan Junior Surfing Championships, and became a well-known surfer throughout the country overnight. He also participated in tournaments in Hawaii, and introduced a Hawaiian surfboard brand into Japan, becoming a fashion leader for surfers in Japan. He still teaches in the surfing school he runs, contributing to the development of young surfers. He is one of many who has a deep affection for the Shonan waves.
Famous DJ
Ishizuka Yasuhiko is known in Shonan as DJ Kuma-Makua, a local celebrity and a DJ at a Shonan-based FM station. Fascinated by Hawaiian music he heard on the Allied Corps radio after the War, Ishizuka was instantly hooked. His passion for the music propelled him to debut as a DJ when he was 66 years old. The rare and valuable Hawaiian songs he plays on the show and his witty talk is popular with both the young and the young-at-heart.
New Residents
Close to Tokyo, Shonan is popular as a place to live, being a seaside town with plenty of nature. Those who move there for its seaside location soon develop a strong love for their new local town. The new residents are seen working hard regularly cleaning up the beach once a month. Residents both old and new alike are fans of the Shonan sea.