Conversations from Kochi: Norihiro Kanzawa (Niyodo Adventure)

Located inside an old school building on a steep hill overlooking the Niyodo River in central Kochi, Niyodo Adventure owner Norihiro Kanzawa (37) was already waiting for us when we arrived. Stepping into what was clearly a former classroom, complete with a large blackboard covered in a beautiful, hand-drawn chalk illustration of the azure-colored Niyodo River, the atmosphere was laid back. Reggae-rock played softly in the background as Norihiro, barefoot and wearing a Niyodo Adventure shirt, sat down across from me on a chair meant for an elementary schooler.

It wasn’t so much that Norihiro had a love of the outdoors growing up, but rather, a love for exercise and moving his body. Hailing from Saitama near Tokyo, he grew up playing basketball from his school days all the way through university. But when it came time to choose a career path, “Going to big venues like Tokyo Big Sight (a massive convention center) for career fairs, I just hated it. Wearing a suit and being on a packed train–it wasn’t for me at all,” he recalls.

He worked in Gunma for a while before going to New Zealand. “I went there for work and met a Japanese person who had worked in Kochi City in Shikoku for ages. He told me that instead of wasting time in Gunma, I should come to Shikoku, and that’s what I did.” Having never been to Kochi before, he worked as a guide in Otoyo, as well as in countries abroad like New Zealand, Australia, and Canada, before striking out on his own.

“When I came here (to Nanokawa, where the Niyodo River is located), there were no outdoor tourism businesses. That was what I wanted to do, and the river is this beautiful shade of blue, so that inspired me to open my business here,” Norihiro says.

When asked what drew him to the Niyodo River, he speaks of clear waters and the beauty of the gorge, as well as the kindness of the people in the area and the accessibility. “There are some places where the rivers are insanely beautiful, like the Grand Canyon (US). But it’s really hard to get to that river. Here, however, it’s easy to get to the river, plus there are riverbanks, so you can camp or go canyoning or whitewater rafting. There’s a wide range of options.” This wide range of options is one of the biggest draws of the Niyodo River.

Most of the customers who come to Niyodo Adventure are first-timers and the client base is diverse with Japanese and international visitors often being paired together. “Here at Niyodo Adventure, it’s often a mix of Japanese visitors and international visitors. The building we use here isn’t super big either, so they’re kind of forced to communicate with one another, and I think that’s a good thing. Japanese people are so friendly toward people from other countries. Even Japanese people who say they can’t speak English secretly want to speak English, so this provides them with an opportunity they might not have otherwise. Being out here is an extraordinary experience, which means it’s easier to accept things out of the ordinary, like speaking English, for example.”

Norihiro speaks of watching the personalities of customers change once they’re out on the river or in the wild, saying that many of the Japanese customers come in very polite and even shy, but once out in the wild, they start to show their true personality, as if the nature around them awakens their true nature as well. “Some of them go back to being their polite selves afterwards,” he chuckles, “but most stay the same, friendly person they were on the tour.”

Having worked in several countries, Norihiro has developed a keen sense of how to read people, preferring, it seems, to let others talk rather than talk about himself. He treats everyone the same, and whether they’re a first-time visitor or a repeat guest, he is sure to include everyone in the conversation. He steps away from our interview to take a phone call in English, casually leaning against the reception desk in the room. Norihiro is comfortable in his own skin, a quality that you would want in a tour guide.

What does he hope customers will take away from their experience here? “My hope is that customers enjoy themselves, plain and simple. That they would want to recommend us to other people and get what they were looking for here,” he says. While the company offers tours from March to November, the best time to come, in his opinion, is after the long Golden Week holiday in May ends until the beginning of the rainy season (typically in June). “The greenery is so beautiful, and fewer people are traveling, too.”

The majority of international visitors here are repeat visitors to Japan looking to go somewhere off the beaten path and not overcrowded with tourists. Somewhere they can relax and enjoy the unspoiled nature that abounds here in Kochi and especially around the Niyodo River. Offering whitewater rafting, canyoning, pack-rafting, family tours, and more, there is something for everyone in every age range and skill level.

WIth more than ten years of experience on the water, numerous licenses and certifications under his belt, not to mention a disarmingly charming and frank personality, it’s easy to see why Niyodo Adventure has a five-star rating on Tripadvisor. His closing message? “Invite your friends! We have a variety of tours for all experience levels. Plus, it’s closer to the Kansai area than you think!”

Tucked away in Nanokawa, Niyodo Adventure is on a mission to get people moving and have them experience the lush natural landscape that the prefecture is blessed with. But no doubt many of the visitors here are taken in by Norihiro’s sharp wit and determination that helped build the company and brings visitors back time and again.

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Niyodo Adventure
Address: 450 Nanokawa, Niyodo-gawa, Agawa-gun, Kochi
Best season: Spring through fall
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