Just Around the Riverbend

Brooke Dalgleish

For some reason, you can’t help but to belt out the song “Just Around the Riverbend” when you canoe the Yoneshiro river in Futatsui. There is something about the meandering river with all the beautiful nature and wildlife that makes you feel like you’re a part of a Disney movie. Next to the Futatsui michi no eki, is a company that rents out wooden canoes for people to take a guided canoe tour of the local river.

There are three options you can choose from for the length of the tour: the mini course, the 5K or the 10K course. Last year, my friends and I did the 5K trip and we loved it but were left with wanting more. This year we decided to do it again and try the 10K course. We were all worried because the forecast called for rain but it turned out to be a beautiful fall day. A perfect example of the Japanese phrase, “ 秋晴れ”, which means a clear autumn day. If you are interested in canoeing, it is fairly easy to book a trip. You can book online and the guides are always eager to practice their English with foreigners! The link to their website can be found in the October Akita Newsletter on the second page.

If you have a group of six or more people you can even get a discount. The 10K route is the most expensive but you receive a

voucher for a free soak in the local onsen and a free meal at the restaurant attached to the roadside station.

The guides will provide the canoes, paddles, life jackets, shoes so your pair won’t get wet, and hats to protect you from the direct sun. There isn’t a lot of shade so bring sunscreen and water to stay hydrated. Due to Covid-19, everyone must wear masks until you get in the water then you are free to space out and take them off. The guides have stopped driving people to and from the drop off spots so everyone has to use their own cars. Don’t forget to have one car at the finish line (at the michi no eki) to transport drivers back to their cars afterwards.

Once at the put in spot, guides will give a small lesson on how to paddle both forwards and backwards, how to stop, and how to turn your canoe. Then they will assist everyone into their canoes and once everyone is in the water, there is time to practice your new paddling skills.

This is a great experience for beginners because for the most part, the water is very calm. There are a few areas that have “laugh and giggles” which are tiny waves, nothing to be alarmed at, but they make the water look a little white from far away. There are tons of “eddies” which are bodies of water that move back upstream and they usually form after faster moving water. You can find an eddy on the sides of the river which makes it easy to pull up to land to slow your boat or get out.

If you are in the front of a big group, an eddy is perfect to wait in while the rest of your group catches up to you. The guides will be there continuously to help and to teach you how to properly go down the river.

As you enjoy the river, you can take in the breathtaking views that the Yoneshiro river and Fujisato have to offer. The guides are available from late spring to the end of October. This means the views will vary depending on what season you choose. We went in the middle of October and could enjoy the fall leaves changing and we also saw a lot of wildlife. The water is very clear so you can see the small fish swimming below you. There are sometimes water snakes, please don’t touch them, they are poisonous. In the air you can find an abundant number of cranes, blue herons

THE AKITAN and hawks. If you’re a birder, this is a great experience to get up close and personal with them.

Also, if you’re into rocks, I know we have a lot of geology majors out there, one side of the river follows the cliff side so you can get a great view of rock formations. The other side of the river follows more of the roadside mixed with small beaches and some homes with occasional bridges. It’s a very beautiful route and is super calming. The 10K takes about 45 minutes to an hour and it’s a great chance to float down the river and enjoy talking with friends. I highly suggest this experience to everyone, especially those looking to connect more with Akita nature. If you have questions about the canoe experience in Futatsui, feel free to reach out to me and I can give you more details! Also, feel free to check out their website! https://futatsui.com/canoe_experience