Highlights
- Lessons if you need them, otherwise, guiding by the most experienced SUP (Stand-up - Paddleboarding) expert in Shikoku, who also happens to speak English!
- All equipment supplied, rental protective swimwear (shoes, wetsuits) also available
- Close enough to Kochi City, take the train instead of renting a car
Description
This SUP two-day tour by one of Shikoku’s most experienced teachers, guiding you in either English or Japanese, will get you standing up with confidence. Once you’re up, you will set off on an adventure paddling and drifting down one of the most scenic and cleanest rivers in Japan. Looking down, you will see fish and rocks that appear in crystal clear relief.
For a longer, in-depth exploraiotn of Shikoku, we recommend our 4-day Ohenro tour.
Details
According to Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism, for five years running the cleanest river in Japan has been Kochi Prefecture’s Niyodo River. Famed for its cobalt blue color upstream, the river flows 124 pristine kilometers from Kochi’s northern mountain range to the sea. Our SUP supplier is fully licensed to operate on this scenic river, running both Beginner and Beginner-Intermediate tours such as this one.
Your host is one of the most experienced SUP enthusiasts in Shikoku – and in fact, Hiromichi “Rangi” Sasaki has been in the water sports business for more than 23 years. He originally trained and served as a lifeguard in New Zealand (hence his nickname) then returned to Japan to bring his love of watersports here. The result is this wonderful 2-day SUP tour operating on the Niyodo.
In this tour, on the first day you will learn to use a SUP board, paddling techniques, how to read river conditions, and enjoy a short down-river paddling experience. On the second day, you will be treated to an extended paddling route that takes you about 6 kilometers over a period of 6 hours. A highlight of the second day will be a riverside BBQ if the weather allows.
You can be an absolute beginner, and Rangi will have you standing by the end of your first day’s lesson – as well as lying down on the board watching the clouds scud by as you drift downstream. If your party is more experienced (perhaps you have surfed or skateboarded before) then Rangi will tailor your experience to give you more time on the river, letting you enjoy the sheer visual beauty of the riverside forests and the clear water and fish below.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1
10:00 Pick up at Omurajinjamae Train Station (by supplier’s driver)
10:30 Arrive at the home base in Hidaka-mura, then introduction, fitting, and basic instructions
11:00 Packed lunch and snacks, along with an introduction by your host
13:30 Arrive at river departure point, lesson starts, followed by paddling/drifting 6km downstream to pick up point
15:30 Pickup by supplier’s driver, and head back to base
16:00 Change clothes and enjoy hot/cold drinks and snacks
16:30 Driver takes group to nearby hotel
17:00 Free time at hotel
Day 2
09:30 Pick up at hotel by supplier’s driver
10:00 Arrive at base to change into swim gear, then travel 6km upstream for today’s course
11:00 Arrive at launch spot, review of yesterday’s lesson(s), overview of highlights and dangers along the route
13:00 Stop for riverside BBQ if weather is fine, otherwise packed lunch and snacks
14:30 Return to river and continue route
15:30 Arrive at base camp area, pickup by supplier’s driver, and head back to base
16:00 Change and hot/cold drinks
16:30 Driver takes group to Omurajinjamae Train station to return to Kochi
Important information
Included in price
- Priority booking, including customization of experience (extra cost)
- Pickup and drop off from Omurajinjamae train station
- Guide fee, insurance, life jacket, paddle board, accessory equipment, photo data
- Optional: Rental shoes, rental wetsuit
- Overnight hotel with dinner/breakfast, lunch for two days, and snacks
- Chat and voice support in English
Not included
- Vehicle rental, tolls, gas, parking if you decide to drive
- Insurance for vehicle or yourself and passengers
- Admission to any additional attractions that have gate/entry fees
- Vehicle accessories such as child seat, freezer box, etc.
- Wi-Fi Router unless purchased separately, as recommended
- Guides or other persons in attendance, other than the scheduled SUP activity
- Equipment for any activities you may plan to do independently (unless booked separately with us)
Know before you book
- This 2-day expedition has a minimum booking of 4 people, and due to the effort required all party members must be aged 12 or over and be sufficiently fit to paddle for 4 hours a day.
- All bookings must be made at least 1 week in advance, to allow us to prepare equipment and transport.
- This SUP tour depends on availability coinciding with your travel dates, and we may suggest a nearby date if not available.
- The SUP base is fairly remote, so if you have special diet preferences (no meat, no gluten, etc.) be sure to let us know this.
- Accommodation options:
Nearby hotel, Japanese-style room (dinner, breakfast included)
or
Shared guesthouse (8 persons, room, bathroom only, no meals provided, guests may prepare their own meals)
*if staying at the guesthouse, ride into town available (JPY 1,000 per person, pay on site in cash) - You will not need a working (connected to Japanese cellular network) mobile phone for this activity, but if you wish to use one, we have high-performance, reasonably priced WiFi routers available for pickup in Kochi BEFORE you leave on the bus for the SUP base.
- Some parts of the activity may be modified depending on weather and seasonal conditions.
- High Season bookings - there is a surcharge for high-season reservations (Jul 4, 11, 18, 23, 24, 25, Aug 1, 8, 10, 15, 22, 29, Sep 5, 12, 19, 21, 22, 26)
- Cancellation:
2 days prior to the day of your trip: 40 % of tour price
1 day prior: 50 % of tour price
On the day, no-show: 100 % of tour price - Japan is a safe country and this activity is low-risk, furthermore, the activity itself includes insurance coverage while you are with the supplier. However, considering the travel there and back, as well as perhaps wanting more extensive insurance coverage, we advise you to consider personal and third-party travel insurance out of abundant caution
- If you are renting a car to get to Ino-cho, we recommend you buy the car rental company's insurance policy
What you need to bring
- Sturdy pair of water-friendly sandals or shoes
- Swimsuit, towel, change of clothes
- If you wear contact lenses, bring a spare pair of goggles
- Glasses strap if you are wearing sunglasses or prescription glasses
- Waterproof camera if you want to take your own photos and videos
- Waterproof case for your mobile phone and accessories
- Sunglasses, water bottle, and other personal accessories.
How to get there
- By train: Take the JR Dosan Line from Kochi Station and alight at Omurajinjamae (Omura Shrine) station (K08-1 stop). Our driver will be waiting for you at the east-side exit parking area. Trip time: around 30 minutes. Trains leave roughly 30 minutes past every hour. Tickets are available at the ticket office at the Kochi Station for a return trip, or each way, with a machine-dispensed ticket at the Omurajinjamae station.
- By car: After renting your vehicle, set your navigation system to 2658, Hidaka Village, Takaoka-gun, Kochi 781-2120. Get off at the Ino interchange or Tosa interchange, or if taking the Kochi-Nishi Bypass, then the Kamada interchange. We have parking onsite.
Starting point
Omurajinjamae Station
Shimobun, Hidaka, Takaoka District, Kochi 781-2151
Organised by Japan Travel KK
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