Tokyo Hirefusu – Swiss Army Knife
The Tokyo Hirefusu is the Swiss Army Knife of the Tokyo shortboard range.
Designed by Lee Willoughby and Bill Atlee, the Hirefusu was developed to deliver the speed and responsiveness of a performance shortboard while retaining the paddle power, acceleration and forgiveness that make a good groveller so much fun to surf.
But this isn't a conventional chunky groveller.
The nose is pulled in, the wide point is moved back and the thumb tail is narrowed, giving the Hirefusu a more refined outline and a much more performance-oriented feel. Foiled rails and a significant edge allow the board to respond quickly under pressure, while the low rocker keeps it moving fast through flatter sections.
The five-fin setup is where the Hirefusu really earns its name. Ride it as a conventional thruster, switch to a quad for speed and drive, or run it as a twin plus trailer for a looser, more free-flowing feel. Tokyo team rider Esmee Gregorious particularly enjoys the twin + trailer configuration.
Each setup gives the board a different personality, making the Hirefusu remarkably adaptable to both the conditions and the way you want to surf.
Small summer peaks, weak beach breaks, clean shoulder-high walls or the occasional day when the forecast has got everything completely wrong — the Hirefusu is the board you can reach for with confidence.
One board. Multiple personalities. No need to overthink it.
Design Philosophy:
The Hirefusu was designed around a simple problem:
What if a small-wave board didn't have to feel like a small-wave board?
Rather than building a wide, thick groveller that simply generates speed through volume, we wanted to retain the characteristics of a genuine shortboard while giving it enough hidden volume and planing area to work when the waves aren't cooperating.
The wide point has been moved back and the nose pulled in, creating a more performance-oriented outline. The narrower thumb tail allows the board to fit into tighter sections, while the foiled rails and pronounced edge provide positive response when pushed onto the rail.
Underneath, a subtle double concave and deeper V help the board generate speed while maintaining control through turns.
The relatively flat rocker is central to the design philosophy.
Flat is fast.
The Hirefusu uses that speed as its foundation, then gives the surfer multiple ways to control and release it through the five-fin configuration.
The result is a board that can be whatever the session needs it to be.
Design & Construction:
Designed by: Lee Willoughby & Bill Atlee – Tokyo Surfboards
Master Shaper: Bill Atlee
Team Rider Influence: Esmee Gregorious
Concept: High-Performance Groveller / Shortboard Hybrid
Construction: Individually hand-shaped in Britain.
Rocker: Low / relatively flat.
Rails: Foiled performance rails with pronounced edge.
Bottom Contour: Subtle double concave flowing into deeper V through the rear of the board.
Fin Configuration: Five Futures boxes — Thruster, Quad or Twin + Trailer.
Construction Options: Available with custom resin tints, pigments and bespoke artwork.
Designer's Notes:
The Hirefusu was never intended to be the easiest board in the rack.
It was designed to be the most useful.
Some days you want a thruster. Some days you want a quad. Sometimes you just want to throw a twin plus trailer in and see what happens.
The Hirefusu gives you that freedom without changing boards.
Its groveller DNA provides speed and wave-catching ability, but the narrower nose, pulled-in tail and foiled rails keep it feeling responsive and precise rather than bulky.
The five-fin configuration lets you tune the board to the conditions and, perhaps more importantly, to your mood.
That is why we call it the Swiss Army Knife.
It's not necessarily the specialist tool for every job.
It's the board that can handle almost any job you throw at it.
Ideal Conditions:
Wave Size: thigh high to almost head 1 1/2 – 5+'.
Wave Type: Small beach breaks, summer peaks and weaker everyday surf, with enough shape for the board's speed and responsiveness to shine.
Skill Level: Intermediate to Advanced.
Best For: Surfers wanting one highly adaptable shortboard capable of changing character through different fin configurations.
Not Designed For: Surfers looking for a dedicated competition shortboard or a specialist small-wave groveller.
Size & Dimension Matrix:
5'6" × approx. 20" × approx. 2 7/16" • Approx. 30L — Compact and lively for lighter, experienced surfers.
5'8" × approx. 20¼" × approx. 2½" • Approx. 33L — A balanced everyday size with speed and versatility.
5'10" × approx. 20½" × approx. 2 9/16" • Approx. 36L — More paddle power while retaining a responsive shortboard feel.
6'0" × approx. 20¾" × approx. 2⅝" • Approx. 38L — Maximum volume and stability without losing the Hirefusu's performance character.
Custom dimensions are available upon request.
Tokyo Design Philosophy:
Every Tokyo Surfboard begins as a conversation.
Ideas are sketched, prototypes are built, outlines are refined and details are questioned until every element earns its place.
We don't chase annual model releases or passing trends. Every design in the Tokyo collection exists because it solves a problem, offers a unique surfing experience or reminds us why we fell in love with surfing in the first place.
Each board is individually hand-shaped in Britain by master craftsmen using carefully selected materials and construction methods chosen for longevity rather than planned obsolescence.
We believe the most sustainable surfboard is one that remains in the water for decades, not seasons.
Tokyo Surfboards was founded on a simple belief:
Build better boards. Build fewer boards. Build boards worth keeping.
