My brother and I are Australians in Japan for two weeks and spent a couple days in Kagawa Prefecture. A highlight is the half a day we spent kayaking with Ryu Kinoshita.

It was end of January in winter, and a beautiful clear day. We were provided so many warm water proof layers, that you didn’t feel the cold at all and just enjoyed the peace and quiet.

The tour was well worth the price, with an amazing service. We got picked up from the train station and dropped off at our accomodation, all equipment provided, a hot shower and hot chocolate afterwards, and I haven’t even started talking about the kayaking.

We’ve done a bit of kayaking before, but it was clear the course would also be suitable for complete beginners as the guide went through the basics. But then, I think because we were speedy, we got to do some extra rapids and learn some tricky techniques. Our guides English was amazing, our Japanese not so much.

I cannot emphasise enough that this is a great experience and I’d recommend it to anyone in the Oboke area.

Ryu is an amazing teacher and I had a great time kayaking through the splendid nature of Oboke George.

I only have been kayaking once before on a very calm river and I had a very hard time paddling straight. Ryu really made the technique easy to understand, so now I can actually row in the direction I want!

We went through some beginner friendly currents (they were still very exciting for me though!) and I made it.

In the end he showed me some intermediate techniques to try out.

Even though it was December, he lent me a wetsuit and everything else necessary, so I stayed warm and cozy.

The tour had the perfect length, I was tired afterwards and I could feel my shoulders the next day, but nothing too bad.

I absolutely recommend this tour, if you want to try out kayaking on a beautiful river and try some slightly fast currents.

This was my first time kayaking, and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. Ryu was an exceptional guide, with a deep knowledge of Iya Valley and its history. The views were breathtaking, the atmosphere unforgettable, and I’m already looking forward to coming back.