Conversations from Kochi: Kimihisa Taniguchi and Ryosuke Ito (Shimanto Canoe and Camp Village Kawarakko)

Located along the tranquil and scenic Shimanto River in west Kochi,Shimanto Canoe and Camp Village Kawarakko is a facility with lots to offer, boasting about 100 canoes in addition to kayaks, SUP, and even a Mega SUP meant for eight people. “This might be the only place in the prefecture that has one of these!” says Kawarakko director Kimihisa Taniguchi (60). The massive SUP takes up a good deal of space even in their spacious storage facility.

Inside the light and airy community center of the management office, there are documents and pamphlets carefully laid out on the table before we even arrive. This is just one of the many hints at Director Taniguchi’s bureaucratic past. Wearing a Kawarakko polo shirt and sitting straight-backed at the thick wooden table, he is joined by English-speaking instructor Ryosuke Ito (32). The two couldn’t be more opposite, with Ryosuke in sandals and a mop of partially bleached hair precariously held back by a black plastic headband.

The backdoor is open, letting lilting birdsong filter into the room with the morning sun. Right across from the wide campsite in the backyard of Kawarakko stretches the Shimanto River. At 196 kilometers in length, it is the longest river in Shikoku.

Kimihisa was born and raised here in Shimanto, located in western Kochi. “When I was in my 20s, I was very into canoeing, and after a 30-year break, I came back to it.” Those 30 years were spent at Shimanto City Hall, which explains his incredible preparedness and confident demeanor. “I took early retirement at 57 and wanted to give back to the community. I thought working in tourism would be a good way to do that and to make use of my experience. It’s been three years since I came to work here and my aim is to give customers a great experience.”

Ryosuke was born in Miyagi Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan. His journey here to Kawarakko could not be more different from Kimihisa. “I was a backpacker for six and a half years,” he says, “traveling around southeast Asia and Europe. I came back to Miyagi Prefecture when the pandemic happened.” Having never been west of the Kanto region, he hopped on a moped and journeyed to western Japan, in particular, to Shikoku. “I didn’t have an address or a job–it was a crazy impulsive thing to do,” he laughs. So, what made a seasoned traveler like him decide to settle in Kochi?

“I liked the pilgrimage culture and the warm and friendly people. Plus, the fish here are so good! I like fish even more than chicken or pork and beef now. The food culture really wowed me. It’s so beautiful here in Hata-gun. When I got here on my moped, I just thought, ‘Wow, I’d really like to settle here.’”

Given how enamored he was with the natural environment, I asked if he had always been fond of nature. “Not at all, actually,” he says, almost sheepishly. “I’m the opposite of Director Taniguchi: I never really went to the beach or to rivers. But when I came here, a lot of the work was outdoors, like logging. I saw an advertisement looking for people to help with kayaking and it looked fun, so I applied.”

Not being the strongest swimmer, Ryosuke recalls being intimidated by the water. But, conquering that fear and learning how to kayak from expert colleagues, he is now able to help visitors who may have similar fears get out on the water and have a good time.

When Kimihisa is asked what draws people to the Shimanto River, he thinks for a moment before deciding, “It’s the untouched wilderness. There’s nothing man made here, the houses are few and far between. The water itself is pristine and the river is perfect for beginners. It’s just the perfect place for it.” Ryosuke echoes his sentiments, adding, “Once I’m out on the water, nothing else matters. Even if there was something stressing me out that day, it just rolls away out there.”

Kimihisa agrees, “It feels different on land than on the river. Time flows a little more slowly out there and you forget about the world that’s waiting for you back on land. We get a lot of customers who tell us the same thing.”

It’s not just time that feels different, but sound as well. “When you’re on the river, there’s nothing but the sound of nature. When the weather is clear, all you can hear is birdsong. It’s a really extraordinary experience,” says Ryosuke. Even sitting in the community center, I can relate to what he’s saying as birdsong punctuates the conversation.

Each year, Kawarakko sees more and more international visitors, many of whom are experienced in canoeing and kayaking. Each trip begins with a lecture from a seasoned guide and safety is always priority number one. “I would say more than 90% of our visItors leave completely satisfied with their experience,” says Kimihisa, sounding like a government worker again for a moment. “When I hear visitors say they had a great time, it just brings me so much joy. It brings joy to all of us here.”

Both Kimihisa and Ryosuke look for a balanced approach to visitors. “If they seem comfortable on the river, I’ll try and strike up a conversation about where they’re visiting from or where they’re staying. It makes the experience more friendly.” For Ryosuke, he tries not to talk too much or too little, “If it looks like a guest has a lot of questions, I try to stick with them and give them answers. If I see two guests talking, I’ll give them space to talk. I try to spend half of the time giving them information and half of the time letting them take in the Shimanto River.”

For the differences in this odd-couple, from their personalities to personal histories, they certainly can agree on one thing: Kawarakko’s future and where it lies. They both speak of the need to stay current. True to his role as director, Kimihisa has a vision: “Our facility was designed so that visitors can come and camp at our campsite or stay in our bungalows, or even in a cabin made of local Shimanto cypress wood, and enjoy outdoor activities in the meantime. In the future, who knows how canoeing or outdoor activities will change. That’s why my aim is to keep improving our selection of activities that align with the values of our facility. I’d love to find other facilities and tourism resources and bring them in as well so that we can increase the number of visitors and how long they stay.”

For Ryosuke, SUP—a hugely popular outdoor activity—is an area he’d like to expand on in the future: “SUP are a bit easier to handle than kayaks. My hope is to keep up with the times and the trends, making changes where possible.”

Like the seasonal changes of the great Shimanto River, Kawarakko too rolls on through the times and into the future. Watching Kimihisa and Ryosuke chat with one another while posing for photos, you get a sense of the teamwork and camaraderie among the staff. They look less like colleagues and more like family. By the time we leave, we all feel a little like family as the pair sees us off and waves until we are no longer in sight.

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Shimanto Canoe and Camp Village Kawarakko
Address: 24 Tadenokawa, Shimanto City, Kochi
Best season: Spring to fall
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