3-day Kumano Kodo and river trek, Japan

I am a NPOMG (Nagano Prefecture’s Official Mountain Guide) guide specialising in guiding treks and hikes on mountains in the North Japan Alps like Mt Shirouma. I live in the village of Otari, next to Hakuba, and from here I can access the mountains in the North Japan Alps very easily!

I started to climb when I was a university student. Immersing myself in the nature has always been my favorite way of spending time in the mountains, and particularly enjoyed multi-day long ridge traverses. I’ve been working as a hiking guide since 2014 but before that, I’ve worked with an International organization, Outward Bound based in Japan, which focuses on developing youths through outdoor experiences. I’ve also spent 2 years volunteering in Tanzania, teaching physical education at a local school there.

In my early high school years, I had a pivotal moment in my life during my first wild outdoor experience when my uncle took me on a 4 day sailing trip. That experience changed how I measure value in life - became more confident - and I became interested in contributing to other people’s development. Through both mountain guiding and developmental education, I want people to have life changing moments and experiences, just as I had!

In my free time in the summer, I like to go for a 5-6 day sawanobori trips up beautiful rivers like Kurobe (one of the top 100 beautiful canyons in Japan). We’d spend the time enjoying Sawanobori, do some fishing in the river and have dinner by the fire without anyone else around you. I also travel to popular places like Kumanokodo and Yakushima in search for beautiful Sawanobori canyons.

I feel that the best experiences in the mountains comes if you stay overnight on the mountain, whether it be at a hut or in a tent.
Please join me to see and feel the beauty of the Japanese mountains and the countryside, and have life changing experiences!