Reviews
Customer Reviews
June 2015 Adela & Niki ★★★★★
Our weekend at Dane’s place turned out to be one of the best trips we’ve ever been to. Both my friend and I tend to travel a lot, so that’s saying something. Dane is a very outgoing and funny guy, who has everything perfectly organised. Thanks to that we managed to try three different sports (Stand Up Paddle Board, Sandboarding and Surfing) during two days. We even went to Aqua Palace (water park and onsen) twice and enjoyed a great international barbecue with other guests. Btw, I have never tasted such a delicious hamburger before! Dane’s wife Madoka was also very welcoming and kind to us. As for the sports which were the main purpose of our visit, we highly appreciated skilled and kind instructors Dane, Laura, Emi and Chris (special sandboarding instructor), because it was the first time for us with every single sport. So beginners don’t worry, with Dane’s team everyone can do it! And thanks to Dane’s great photography skills you will even get photos and videos to remember your first try (if you are curious you can check our photos and videos at the Surfing in Japan Facebook page :) ). The accommodation itself is very nice and comfortable with direct access to veranda where you can sunbath. We literally fell asleep listening to the sound of waves. A complete paradise on earth! We had loads of fun and I hope we manage to come again soon. Thank you Dane :)
May 2015 Nick Luca & Too ★★★★★
My wife, our two year old son, and I stayed at Splash Guest House for three nights. We were blown away by the experience. From the moment we got there to the moment we left, Dane and his family welcomed us with open arms and made us feel well taken care of. On several occasions they prepared a delicious BBQ for us. It was amazing! My mouth is watering simply by writing this review. The location is perfect and our room provided us with a window view of the sea. There was lots of kid-friendly places near by, most notably the Aqua Palace and the Sea World aquarium. My only regret is that we couldn't stay longer. We are delighted that we chose to stay here and are already talking about a return trip. All in all I would say this is a place with great people, great food, and great fun to be had
April 2015 Magnus & Simon ★★★★★
Paradise on earth!
Dane and his lovely family gave us the best treatment we ever had!
Super helpful,arranged with pickup at the train station and we really recommend his guided tours around the beautiful area of Katsuura. With the beach right outside the window, the room was very clean and good size.
Forget overprized hotels. Go visit splash guesthouse NOW!
April 2015 Georgie & Jase from the Australia ★★★★★
On a last minute decision whilst travelling southern Japan after living in Hokkaido for 4 months, My partner and I decided to try something not on Lonely Planet and Head to southern Chiba Beachside. Dane and his family were extremely welcoming with open arms. Dane offers lost of different local tours around the coastline and local secrets that we would not of found without Danes tour. He brought a camera to capture our moments which was an amazing touch. The house is exactly like the photos, Amazing, welcoming and beachy! We stayed in the western room for a treat, the beds were extremely comfortable and Dane was there whenever we needed a lift or even just a silly question about Japanese Culture. Would definitely recommend Splash Guest house to all our friends. Great Beaches, little 7/11 up the road which is really convenient and such a happy environment.
March 2015 Sarah from USA ★★★★★
Dane and Madoka were super accommodating and friendly, and the description and photos were right on target. Very clean and very nicely made and decorated. Their home's atmosphere was lively and vibrant, and the location was amazing; could fall asleep to the sound of ocean waves gently breaking. The view was also incredible, just opened my curtains and could see an unobstructed view of the beautiful blue ocean, as they literally live right next to the beachside!! They were always so punctual with pick up and drop off at the train stations, and their communications were always super fast and smooth. Dane knows a lot about the area and offered many very cool suggestions for things to do. I was impressed with their whole setup and would not hesitate to recommend them to my friends!
March 2015 Mar from USA ★★★★★Wow, Dane was incredibly helpful. He was not only accommodating, but went far beyond the description of a super host. He not only made feel at home in a foreign place, but also made sure all my needs were met. He even went out of his way to pick me up from the Airport, shoe me great surf breaks, arrange wetsuits for me, take me to amazing bath houses, offered extraordinary food, and even helped delivering my boards back to Tokyo while I was out exploring.
I did not only met a super house, but a great person, and made a new friend.
Thank you Dane for everything. I am so thankful for this experience and can't wait to come back and visit.
February 2015 Andy & Randy from Canada ★★★★★Dane and madoka were awesome. Couldn't have asked for more. Surfed everyday and dane has the best local knowledge. The food was really good as well and his beer selection is the best in japan.
Amazing Amazing Amazing time with Dane and his wonderful family at Splash Guest House. After traveling for so long you know how hard it is to find a true genuine experience like the one that Dane offers. So much local knowledge, flexibility, and constant positive attitude. Wonderful dinners at Splash, great SUP and surf gear, and so many fun local tours. We spent 5 days and didn't want to leave. Looking forward to another trip soon with more surf and good times! Get off the beaten track and chill & explore with Dane and Co!
February 2015 Danny & friends from Australia ★★★★★What a great place to stay. Dane was super knowledgeable about the area he is lucky to call home and very prompt and helpful with any insights. The place itself was homely and comfortable and a draw of the curtains reveals the amazing Hebara beachfront in North Chiba. We got fun waves, onsens and some great food thanks to Dane. Would definitely recommend anyone who wants to experience coastal life in Japan to stay here.
January 2015 Nobuko from Japan ★★★★★We're not quite sure why we picked a seaside house in the middle of winter but it turned out to be a good decision. Dane and Madoka and the boys made us feel very welcome, we were given great advice on the many attractions and points of interest in the area and the food and conversation was excellent. Not to mention the beer, of which Dane has a good selection. Their home is spacious and clean and is situated in a very interesting old-style Japanese fishing town with the very narrow winding streets and friendly people. Highly recommended and would stay again, perhaps in summer this time.
January 2015 Charlie from Canada ★★★★★Dane, Madoka, Rusty, and Ralph were very genuine and welcoming. They are full of energy, and made me feel very much at home during my time at the Surf House. This family is very open-minded, cooks delicious food, and they are always having a great time in the living room during the evenings. Dane and Madoka were so helpful in providing me with an insight to the area of Katsuura, I felt I didn't get to see enough of the seaside even after being out by the sea for 2 days. The boys, Rusty and Ralph, have great character, very polite, and always greeted me at every time they saw me.
It's not possible to list all the amazing activities you can do in Katsuura, especially if you're stay with this family at their Surf House. The one thing I would really recommend is to walk along the seaside and enjoy nature!
January 2015 Nozomi from Japan ★★★★★ゴルフのために2名で2泊しました。部屋は2ベッドの洋室と和室で、今回は２室とも使わせていただきました。
同じ家にDaneさんと日本人の奥様、２人のお子さんが住んでいて、キッチンとリビングダイニングを宿泊者とホストご一家とで共有します。日本の民宿に似ていますが雰囲気は大いに違います。
それは親戚の家に泊まった時のような、親しくて、しかし距離を保ったコミュニケーションがあったためだと思います。イギリス流なのでしょうか、ご一家のキャラクターなのでしょうか、不思議な居心地の良さを感じました。
夕食は安い料金で提供いただけるようですが、今回は近くのダイニングバーで素晴らしい食事を楽しみました。
December 2014 Alistair from England ★★★★★Dane's family guest house provided a wonderful experience for us by the beach. Travelling with 2 young kids can be a challenge, but they made us very welcome, with great food and hospitality. And to top it off some great fun on the SUPs just outside the house on the beach. We had 4 fun packed days in the local area, what a great place to escape Tokyo
December 2014 KM from Taiwan ★★★★★I had a great great time at Dane's house just right next to the sea. The room looks exactly as it is in the picture and the house is very clean and got the laid back Hawaiian atmosphere. Dane is very helpful and extremely quick replying my questions, his warm hospitality makes you feel like home. Highly recommended for someone looking for a weekend getaways. Surfing is a must-do in Onjuku, Dane makes sure we had a safe and pleasant surf.
Dane的房子離海邊大概10步的距離。房間和照片完全一樣，非常乾淨，並且帶有悠閒的夏威夷氣氛。Dane非常熱情貼心友善，不管是在遊玩資訊還是生活所需的需求，都會迅速幫助你，給你一種像家人的感覺。強烈推薦給大家。Onjuku是個衝浪聖地，Dane絕對會讓玩的安心愉快。
October 2014 Becca from the USA ★★★★★My husband and I stayed with Dane and his family as a last minute decision, and we could not have been more pleased with our little "find". Dane and his family have set up a very comfortable and clean guest house in their home. They are right on the water, literally, you can fall asleep to the sound of the waves.The best part of staying with Dane however was his local knowledge and tour. Dane showed us the real Japan on a fabulous afternoon tour and had so much local and overall knowledge of the country. It felt like we were able to get out of the hustle and bustle of the city, relax, and really experience a small fishing village.My husband also surfed with Dane. The location is excellent for surfing and SUPing and Dane has everything that you need.
October 2014 Travis from Australia ★★★★★
We stayed with Dane and his lovely family for 2 nights. Our flight was delayed and we didn't get to Katsura until after midnight but Dane and his wife were there to meet us at the train station. After an awesome sleep on a very comfy bed we went on the SUP tour which was great. Dane is very knowledgeable an definitely knows his craft. He then took us to the onsen and a local ramen restaurant for dinner which was excellent. Next day he took us on a site seeing tour and we got to see some beautiful coast line, the fish markets and a very cool temple. I could not fault the service Dane provided and we would go back in a heart beat. Dane is a professional and runs his house as one. So just expect to pay a fee for the tours etc. that said Dane took us to a few places not on tour which we were not charged for and we greatly appreciated. Just go.
October 2014 Tim from the UK ★★★★★
We had a fantastic time staying at the Surfing in Japan Guest House. Dane and his family were extremely accommodating and went out of their way to look after us. The location is right on the beach so sleeping to the sound of the ocean was a welcome change from central Tokyo! We took full advantage of the activities on offer including flatwater & wave SUP tours, a visit to the local onsen spa and tasty BBQs in the garden along with the other guests. I can highly recommend a stay here if you are looking to switch off, relax and let your knowledgable hosts show you around and talk to you about the local area including the best surf spots, beaches and secret coves you'd wouldn't necessarily find on your own!
September 2014 Trey from Central America ★★★★★
Dane and family were great hosts. The accommodations were exactly what we expected. The big surprise was how close we were to the beach.The surf was small, but we had a great time at the break right in front of Denny's (yes, there is a Denny's). I hadn't been a longboard in over 15 years but had a great session, and the locals were super cool.We did a SUP tour in a fishing cove with Dane and a local, Kodai, and it was lots of fun, informative, and beautiful.We had a lot of great moments during the stay, but two of the best were - visiting with Kodai and the host family at a backyard BBQ and in the morning before we left, and sitting on the beach right in front of the home, listening to music and drinking some beers with not a soul around. Great times, a great experience and a very unique way to see Japan and just a quick train ride outside of Tokyo.As a fellow host, I highly recommend the "Surfing in Japan Guest House."
