Key Points
- Japan-born Masami Yaguchi works as a surfboard builder in Byron Bay.
- The keen surfer says he became 'obsessed' with moving to the town after reading a magazine article.
- He packed up his life and left a warehouse job to travel to the town.
Masami Yaguchi says he was introduced to surfing by a friend he used to skateboard with in Japan.
He quickly fell in love with his then hobby and went surfing whenever he could when not working at his job in a transport warehouse in Shonan in Kanagawa Prefecture.
After selling his belongings to finance his working holiday in Australia, Mr arrived in Byron Bay in 2018.
He had become "obsessed" with the picturesque NSW coastal town after reading about it in a magazine.
Masami Yaguchi from a short film 'Masa' by Dominic de Salis. Credit: Dominic de Salis
However, he explains that most of the companies that made surfboards were very hard to break into, as one had to have previous on-the-job experience to be considered.
At first, a local surfboard maker refused his application on the basis that they did not have a vacancy in their ranks, but this did little to curb Mr Yaguchi's persistence.
Mr Yaguchi says he combines themes from Japan and Australia in the design of the surfboards he makes.
Eventually, he was taken on in an unpaid capacity and he was happy just to be involved in making surfboards, observing the process and the materials involved.
Masami Yaguchi
The only downside of the job, he explains, is the residue produced so he is careful to always use a respirator and gloves as well as applying powder to his skin to prevent the sanded powders from getting into his pores.
The job requires concentration and focus as one mistake can often mean he must start from scratch.
Mr Yaguchi features in a that has been screened around the world at 11 film festivals including in Noosa and Byron Bay in Australia, California and Hawaii in the United States, France, and Portugal.
The Byron Bay Lighthouse overlooks multiple surf beaches. Source: Pixabay
A surfboard built by Mr Yaguchi.
"I think it would be great if I could pass the fusion and culture along in such aspect."
He says that another attraction of surfing is that popular culture in the form of art, music, food, clothes, movies and photography all intersect through the pastime.
“Also, it is a sport that interacts with nature, therefore I think you get to like nature [through surfing]."
Some of the surfboards built by Mr Yaguchi. Credit: Masami Yaguchi
“If there is trash on the beach, I pick it up immediately.
"Because I am blessed to be given the chance to surf, I would like to contribute to nature in some way and also am concerned about environmental issues.
"I speak with like-minded people on the beach [on those things]. I think my awareness for nature has been heightened,” he says.
“If there weren’t waves, I wouldn’t be able to surf. Even though there are artificial wave pools, I believe surfing is a sport you do in the sea, so I feel it is not good to go against nature.”
Masami Yaguchi
Grandpas, grandmas, children, everyone rides on the same wave together. In other places, there are quite a few times that people would be yelled at by other surfers but this doesn’t happen in Byron Bay.
“Longboards, shortboards, no fins, two fins, sponge boards, wooden, all mixed. It's not just shortboard."
After achieving his first goal in Australia, his next is to pass on the culture of surfing and surfboard-making to the next generation and have them take it in a new direction.
