I’ve never been accused of being an uber outdoorsman. So when I was invited by the Kushiro River Guides from Atreyu in Kawayu-Onsen to tag along on a river excursion while they trained a new guide, I jumped at the chance but would have not a single word to say should the trainee run into any problems.
Our session started at Lake Kussharo atop slightly rough waters. Training was going well, I think, and after a few minutes we headed south, under a low clearance bridge and into the Kushiro River. The river is the only one that flows out of the gigantic Lake Kussharo and can be taken all the way south to the port city of Kushiro 100 kilometers away.
Not five minutes down the river and the training session comes to a somewhat abrupt end. I can’t help but feel a little vicarious relief for the guide-in-training. Kanagawa-san, an expert guide with over nine years of experience, takes over. From this point on the excursion reaches a whole other level. Things started to go very well. The river meandered and twisted its way around wetlands and the adjacent farms in the area as the boat was expertly weaved around fallen trees, within inches of low-hanging branches and taken into calmer areas of the river. The river could be easily classified as calm, but that doesn’t mean the currents and cross-currents aren’t strong. Forty-five minutes later and we arrived back at the homestead.
After taking off the boots and life jackets Kanagawa-san gave an informal tour of the Atreyu Pension (bed and breakfast). The handmade log house and adjacent buildings provide a rustic accommodation for those looking for that authentic Hokkaido nature experience. The idea of a rustic and outdoor experience is driven home even further when the “garden bath” is revealed, something completely awesome and had I not been in Hokkaido, it may have surprised me.
River excursions typically run for one hour and cost ¥5000 per person. While many enjoy taking a river boat or canoe out for themselves, if you’re not an experienced outdoorsman or woman, than perhaps it may be best to leave yourself in the capable hands of an expert such as Kanagawa-san.
