The study concerning the wave forces acting on breakwater has been conducted by numerous scientists and engineers both in field and in laboratory,, While few studies have been carried out on the wave forces acting on sea wall which is located inside the surf zone. In this paper are summarized the main results of the experimental studies conducted at the University of Tokyo, Japan, in relation to the subject on the wave forces against a vertical or inclined surface wall located shorewards from the breaking point, and also is proposed an empirical formula of wave pressure distribution on a sea wall on the basis of the experimental data. The computed results obtained by using the above formula are compared with the field data of wave pressure on a vertical wall measured at the Niigata West Coast, Niigata Prefecture, Japan, and also with the experimental data of total wave forces on a vertical wall; the project of the latter is now in progress at the University of Tokyo.