A current professional surfer shaping her own boards.
This challenge was not only for the future after retirement, but a choice made “to win now.”
At 19, a certain encounter became a turning point in her life.
Surfing, which she had pursued since childhood purely out of love, was now rebuilt from the ground up with the goal of winning competitions—a decision she made consciously.

This season, she placed 2nd at the WSL QS4000 and won two QS2000 events.
Her reforms are showing tangible results, steadily making an impact on both domestic and international tours.

Along this path of reform came the choice to shape her own surfboards.
Facing surfing as an athlete and the board as a creator,
she combines these two perspectives, taking her surfing to a whole new level.

Active in the present while shaping the future.
We spoke with Kokona Kawase, who embodies a new model of the professional surfer.

Surfing has been by her side since she could remember

— First, can you tell us how you got started with surfing?

My parents ran a surf shop called “Addict Surf Garage” in Mie Prefecture, and as a result, I started surfing before I could even remember.
The earliest memory I have is going to the ocean with a surfboard when I was around five years old.

— Looking back, how was surfing a part of your daily life?

Until 6th grade, I lived about two hours from the ocean, so every weekend my dad would go to Kouno-hama, and I would go along with him—that was our routine at the time.
It wasn’t so much that I “started surfing”; it was more like I realized one day that I had just always been doing it.

From there, I naturally started entering local competitions held at Kouno-hama.

The feeling of wanting to become a pro that emerged in 3rd grade

— When did you start thinking about becoming a professional surfer?
When I was in 3rd grade, I participated in a Japan Surfing Federation (NSA) competition in Aichi Prefecture and happened to make it to the finals.
It was the first time I experienced the excitement of competing and felt how amazing it was to succeed.
From that moment, I wanted to compete more and started thinking about becoming a professional surfer.

— After deciding to aim for a pro career, what steps did you take to build it?

After that, I continued competing in NSA events, and at 13, I received my professional license from the Japan Pro Surfing Association (JPSA) at a local point in Aichi Prefecture. From age 14, I started competing in JPSA and World Surf League (WSL) events, which continues to this day.
I really have been competing continuously all this time.

— As the competitions continued, how did you feel about surfing at that time?

I think this is both a strength and a weakness of mine, but I loved surfing so much that it didn’t even feel like practice. I hardly ever felt it was tough.

So maybe my progress was slower than others, but I simply kept going because I enjoyed it. I think I didn’t fully understand what “practice” really meant until later.

From “love” to “winning”

— Do you still feel the same love for surfing?

Yes, I still feel the same love for surfing.
However, after meeting shaper Takahiro Aino, my approach to practice and the way I faced surfing changed dramatically.

— When did you switch your mindset from just loving surfing to focusing on winning?

It was two years ago, when I met Aino-san at the age of 19.
Once I decided to compete, I wanted to win, and since I’m very competitive, I started thinking together with him about how to win. That’s when my way of thinking changed significantly.

— Can you tell us about your first encounter with Aino-san that became such a turning point?

At that time, Aino-san held the license for a board I was riding, and that’s how we first got in touch.
He had been closely watching my riding and, as a shaper, suggested, “If we design it this way, it might perform better.”
I had him shape a board according to his design and tried it out—it felt amazing. That one board got me hooked instantly.
Wanting to try different boards led me to switch to Aino-san’s shaping brand, ON SURFBOARDS.

Choosing to “narrow down” competitions in order to win

— How do you decide your annual schedule and goals?

Basically, I decide for myself, and this year I shared my plans with Mr. Aino as we went along.
Honestly, I struggled a lot with this year’s schedule and felt a lot of anxiety.

During the first half of this season, I skipped most competitions and spent time in Bali just practicing.
Watching other competitors perform well in live streams sometimes made me question, “Am I making the right choice?”
Even so, rather than just winning once by chance, I wanted to become a competitor who can consistently win.
To become a surfer who can perform well consistently, I felt that right now I need to focus more on solid training rather than competing.

— Looking back on the period when you didn’t compete, how do you feel about the training you did?

Yes. Looking back, I feel that I was able to do very concrete and effective training. I definitely felt that my surfing itself was leveling up. In terms of physical condition, I incorporated hill training and focused on raising my heart rate to build endurance.

— During that period, what areas were you focusing on strengthening?

Originally, my surfing had a loose, flowing feel, and I really loved that sensation while riding. But in competitions, that style could only score me around 5 points. I realized that to win, I had to become a surfer capable of earning excellent scores, so I decided to go back to the basics.

Rail work, bottom turns, pushes at the top.
At first, I relearned everything from how to apply weight on the board.

I was determined that even if everything I had before disappeared, I would acquire this new style.

— Weren’t you afraid to drastically change your surfing?

I wasn’t afraid.
I thought, “If it helps me win, I’ll do anything.”
But changing my surfing was really hard, and at first, I couldn’t do it at all. My old habits would keep bringing me back to my previous style.

— What difficulties did you face while actually changing your surfing?

Mr. Aino would film me from the beach, and I’d ride for 20 minutes, come out of the water, check the footage, then go back in to adjust. We repeated that over and over.
Honestly, that practice wasn’t very fun at first (laughs).
But as I started to see myself improving little by little, it became enjoyable.

Chasing the Same Dream from Different Positions

— How does your relationship with Mr. Aino, “chasing the same dream from different positions,” motivate you?

Mr. Aino’s dream as a shaper is to make surfboards for WSL Championship Tour (CT) surfers, and my dream as a competitor is to enter the WSL CT.
Our positions are different, but we’re aiming for the same goal.
That’s why mutual cooperation is so important.

Mr. Aino even sacrifices his own work time to accompany me to competitions domestically and internationally. Seeing that makes me naturally think, “I have to give it my all too.”
It solidifies my resolve and becomes a huge source of motivation.

Becoming a shaper while still active – the reason behind the choice

— What sparked your interest in becoming a shaper?

Actually, I once took a university entrance exam. At that time, I wasn’t getting the results I wanted in competitions, and I think I felt a lot of anxiety about whether I could really make it as a professional surfer. I wanted some kind of “backup plan” just in case things didn’t work out, so I chose to take the exam.

In the end, I didn’t pass the exam, and when I asked myself, “So what do I really want to do?” the idea of becoming a shaper, which I had been curious about for some time, came to mind. Around that time, I started living alone in Chiba, and I found a little free time between my surfing practices. I wondered how I could use that time effectively. That’s when I asked Aino-san, “I’d like to eventually work as a shaper—could you teach me?” He said, “Well, let’s start with repairs first.” And ever since, I’ve been continuing with repair work.

— You were told it would normally take 10 years, so why did you decide to launch a brand in just 2 years?

I had been learning various things for about two years while continuing my training. At first, Aino-san told me, “It takes about 10 years starting from repairs to become a shaper.”

I thought, even while continuing as a competitor, I could train in repairs during breaks from practice, so I joined the workshop.

The reason I ended up launching the brand in just 2 years was partly because I wanted to grow Cocona Shapes Design while still competing, and honestly, I was struggling with travel and activity expenses. I wanted to have a way to earn independently, not just relying on sponsors and prize money. When I discussed this with Aino-san, he said, “I’ll support you in every way I can.” Those words pushed me forward, and I was able to start the brand at the end of November.

— How have you thought about balancing life as a current competitor and as a shaper?

Well, since I’m pursuing both being a professional surfer and a shaper at the same time, I feel I have to put in more effort than anyone else.
That’s why I’ve made a personal commitment to myself: “If I decide to do this, I’m going to see it through properly.”

Because my actions and my mindset are fully aligned, I feel that sponsors and supporters were more encouraging than saying, “Shouldn’t you just focus on competing?” They’ve mostly supported me in both roles.

— Do you feel that shaping your own boards has brought positive changes to your competitive performance?

Honestly, before I didn’t really notice much difference between boards being “good” or “bad.” Every board shaped by a professional shaper felt like a good board, and I didn’t feel a huge difference. But when I compared a board shaped by Onno-san and one I shaped myself, I started noticing many differences for the first time.

For example, I wondered why, even though I’m properly set in position and turning, the rail doesn’t engage well, or the turn doesn’t extend as expected.
Thinking through these sensations one by one, I feel that now, as I continue to compare boards in the future, I’ll gradually understand “what to check” and “what differences appear” more clearly.

— As a shaper, are there particular aspects you find challenging?

Shaping the rails, the nose, and the tail is really difficult. Even after watching Mr. Aino’s demonstrations over and over and repeatedly feeling the boards to understand the sense, it still turns out completely different, and sometimes I wonder, “Why can’t I make it the same?”

Trying to bring a customer’s envisioned image to life makes it even more challenging. But I also feel that it’s precisely this difficulty that makes it interesting.

When I’m shaping, the tension is so high that my hands literally sweat, but including that tension, I really do enjoy it.

The Depth of Surfboards Seen from the Maker’s Perspective

— When do you feel the appeal of shaping?

Honestly, even just slightly changing the way I shape the rails can completely change how the board feels in the water. When I’m shaping, I sometimes think, “This rounded rail looks perfect,” but after laminating, the finished board can turn out squarer than I expected. Each of these small differences is really challenging, but that’s also what makes it interesting.

It’s also very enjoyable to shape while imagining the final board being handed to the customer, or designing it based on their riding style. And when I see a customer riding the board smoothly and enjoying it, that feeling is truly rewarding.

Being a Female Shaper

— How do you see yourself as a female shaper?

At first, I honestly didn’t think much about it. I was just doing it because I wanted to. There were times in the factory when I was warned, “It might not be good for a girl to handle these materials,” since some substances aren’t great for the body. But I really wanted to do it, so I continued without worrying.

There still aren’t many Japanese female shapers. Initially, I didn’t even notice it, but looking back now, I realize, “Yeah, there really aren’t many.”
So now, I hope I can show kids and girls who want to pursue being a pro that “this is one possible path,” and offer them an example of a different way of living.

Not just riding waves, but shaping the future as an athlete

— As a competitor, what kind of vision are you aiming for?

My goal as a competitor is, of course, to make it onto the WSL Championship Tour (CT). To get there, the WSL Qualifying Series (QS) and WSL Challenger Series (CS) are absolutely essential steps, so I want to challenge myself fully in those.

That said, to be honest, even if I were to reach the CS or CT right now, I feel that I don’t yet have the skills to compete at a sufficient level. You can’t advance to the CS without first competing in QS, so there’s still a lot I need to do.

That’s why I plan my yearly schedule carefully. Rather than entering every single competition, I choose the events I’ll compete in selectively. This allows me to spend the remaining time training overseas and developing the skills I’ll need to perform strongly once I reach the CS. I want to grow as a competitor while balancing both competition and skill development.

— As a shaper, what kind of boards do you want to deliver?

I plan to make all of my boards custom-made, so I want to develop the skills to create boards that make each person’s surfing life more enjoyable. Because I’ve competed as a professional surfer myself, I understand how important a surfboard is to a surfer. That’s why I want to provide surfboards that not only meet that need but truly respond to it. I’d also be happy if girls and kids could ride them in the future, growing together with the boards.

— As a shaper, how do you envision expanding your work in the future?

Looking ahead, I want Cocona Shapes Design to be a place where I can offer surfing lessons as well. Not only will I make surfboards, but I also want to share the joy of surfing and the mindset behind it. Through surfing, I hope to give back to the industry and contribute to the next generation.

— As both an athlete and a shaper blazing a new path, what message would you like to share with the younger generation who are about to take their first steps?

I believe it’s difficult to change everything all at once or achieve results immediately. That’s why I strongly feel that the small, daily efforts really matter. Rather than doing something extraordinary, it’s important to focus on doing what needs to be done each day. Those small, consistent actions eventually build into a great strength, and I hope they value that.

Profile

Cocona Kawase
A professional surfer from Mie Prefecture, Japan.
She has been familiar with surfing since childhood and became the youngest female surfer at the time to receive JPSA pro certification at age 13, winning her first JPSA title at 15. Building her career while competing in domestic and international tours, she demonstrated her presence on the global stage by finishing 2nd at the WSL QS4000 Baler International Pro and winning two WSL QS2000 events in the 2024–2025 season.

Currently, alongside her competitive career, she has launched her own surfboard brand, Cocona Shapes Design, embodying a new model of professional surfer who combines the perspectives of both athlete and maker.