Japan

[IanLetton]

Hi,

I'm new here so please be gentle.

Myself and some friends are going to Japan next summer and I am just hoping to get some moer info from the great knowledge base that is KayakMind!

We are specifically looking for best locations, best method of transport within the country and any must sees or dos.

Any help appreciated.

My email is [e-mail]

Cheers,

Ian Letton

[Chris Emery]

The best season to be there for padding is around July, when the summer monsoon hits. I've never paddled it, but the Yoshino River in Shikoku is supposed to be a nice run http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoshino_River

You might also check out the Nagara River, in Gifu, which is mellow (Class2) but has (or at least had) some nice play spots. There is a shop the Nagara called Spirit Paddle Shop, run by a guy name Yoshi, who speaks some English. He might be able to give you some tips. http://r156.com/english/

Hokkaido, the north-most island, also has some good rivers and is nice in summer.

In general, the topography is steep, so the river drain quickly after a rain. If you can link up with a Japanese paddler who can help you figure out what rivers will be running, I'd recommend it.

There are a couple of Japanese members of KayakMind who you might contact:

Coyo: http://www.kayakmind.com/profile/Coyo
Hiroaki Goto: http://www.kayakmind.com/profile/HiroakiGoto?xg_source=profiles_mem...