It can be a tricky thing finding balance in life but the city of Makinohara seems to have found a formula that works for many, including a population of surfers and others who have settled nicely into a life by the town’s Pacific Ocean beaches. The laid-back surf town in central Japan’s Shizuoka Prefecture offers an easy mix of pleasures derived from its proximity to both mountains and sea, and is as welcoming to the visiting surfer and beach lover as it is respectful of the local wave riders. Makinohara is also close enough to urban centers like Tokyo and Nagoya to make a short trip fea…READ FULL ARTICLE