Japan has a vibrant surfing culture, with tanned surfers sporting bleached hair seen even in the coldest months of winter at Shonan beach near Tokyo.

But hardcore surfing aficionados tend to head overseas, particularly to Hawaii, due to the dearth of good waves at home.

The western prefecture of Wakayama, just south of Osaka, plans to make a reef out of natural stones and shaped like a boomerang, which would produce waves of up to 1.5 meters to 2 meters (6.6 feet).

The reef, to be built off the coast of Nachikatsuura, a seashore village, will not only target experienced surfers but also beginners, said Koji Naka, a local tourism official.

"There is a growing number of surfers in the local region as well as surrounding areas. We hope to attract surfer tourists and make it as famous as Shonan," he said.

The reef will be built on sand, which will be safe for beginners, he said.

It will be built six meters below the water surface and will measure 50 meters (165 feet) by 4.5 meters (15 feet).

Construction is slated to begin late December or early January 2008, Naka said.