Promoting world-class adventure tourism

Written by JNTO, translated and adapted by Nikki Cook
Originally published Friday 6th August 2021

First, a little background; JNTO stands for Japan National Tourism Association. The JNTO is involved in a broad range of activities both domestically and worldwide, to encourage international tourists to visit Japan. Check out their website for more information, available in more than 16 languages. 


Minakami Town, Gunma Prefecture, is a quiet hot spring resort in the mountains. Mike Harris, from New Zealand, is working to expand the spots for exciting activities in the wilderness. Mike, currently runs "Canyons," which offers a range of adventure tours such as canyoning and rafting. We ask him how he has become rooted in Adventure Tourism (AT) in Minakami Town, and how AT may take root in Japan in the future.


People who are tired of traveling around tourist spots come in search of AT

— Please tell us, Mike, how did you first discover Minakami Town?

"I visited Minakami Town because my acquaintance introduced me to it. When I played in the river, it was very interesting because there were torrents and waterfalls that were comparable to the river in New Zealand,  the home of AT. In addition, Minakami Town has four distinct seasons. I am a skier, so in winter it is also attractive that there are mountains where you can enjoy amazing skiing, perhaps the best in the world! I felt that it was top-class. 

I think that it is actually quite rare to be able to do various activities while feeling nature and the seasons in a well-balanced manner; with rivers and mountains in the summer, and snowy mountains in the winter. I also thought that the location of being an easy-to-visit place that can be accessed from the big city of Tokyo, in around 2 hours, would be a great advantage when considered this as a business opportunity.

In the 1990s, tourism was literally about seeing the places you visited. At first, I think that the image of "danger" was preceded by doing activities that require a guide to accompany you in the wilderness. The travel agency that provided rafting that I worked for became popular, and when I created the canyoning department there, the number of customers increased. It probably fits the needs of those who have been tired of the tourism pattern of simply "seeing". I think that one of the reasons why I gained momentum was that it was rare and was picked up by various media. After that, I launched Canyons independently in 2000. "

—What kind of tours do Canyons offer? What kind of people join the tours?

"At Canyons, we offer a varying array of tours. Rafting, where several people can share one boat, Canyoning, where customers are able to enjoy natural waterslides and descend waterfalls, and Packrafting, where participants experience the river in their own raft, in addition to other options and alternatives. Even if the extreme side is not for you, we offer glamping where you can experience the sights and sounds of nature from your own riverside getaway. Regarding activities, we have graded each into 6 stages, so that you can choose the course according to the ability of the participants; from adults to children I try to make everything safe to enjoy.

About 70% of Canyons customers are repeaters. Many of our foreign customers have visited Japan numerous times and love to join tours when they are here. I have the impression that people who have already visited the remarkable temples and shrines and tourist spots are seeking a new adventure. Among them, there are many families and backpackers.

Since there are many repeaters, it is necessary to create new experiences so that they will want to come again and again. While working as a tour guide, I try to develop courses and activities by carefully checking what customers are reacting to and enjoying the most. This season we have already created three new courses. 

All of our courses can be adapted by the guide on the day, based on the client’s ability level and safety. For example, in canyoning, a course that uses a rope to go down a 20 m waterfall can be popular, but if the guide judges the ability of the customer and finds it impossible, they can lower the level and change the course.

The competence and awareness of each guide is very important and training is time-consuming and costly, which is why our guides are an integral part of our product. "

In order to provide high-quality AT, it is necessary to create a high-quality system.

— I have the impression that AT is now rooted in Minakami Town. Did you have any issues?

“When rafting became popular and attracted a large number of customers, many vendors began similar tours. The challenge that has continued from that time to the present is that no industry group has been formed to control the quality or set standards. Therefore, even if a poor quality supplier appears, there is no clear standard for selecting a tour provider, so the customer will often simply choose a place with a low price. 

However, the field of AT is ‘nature’ and a cheap price does not mean a bad experience but if an inexperienced guide acts inappropriately, it can be life-threatening for customers. This also has a further impact on mountains and rivers. If we do not limit the number of people who can enter, it may lead to overuse of nature and environmental destruction. In the future, I strongly feel that clear standards, via laws and regulations, should be created to maintain the quality and environment of the tour and the industry.

Leaving poor quality vendors unchecked will not only affect the development of AT, but also the reputation of Minakami Town as a whole. Actually, I myself once left Minakami Town because the place was rough due to the crowd of traders. My belief from that time is "ensuring safety," "guaranteeing the quality of guides, etc." and "preserving the environment, which is a tourism resource," and I believe that true hospitality can only be achieved if these three function together. I think we need a system in which a third-party organization checks whether these three factors are being carried out reliably."

— Is there anything you are doing to solve the problem?

"In New Zealand, rafting and canyoning tour guides are required to achieve national qualifications. When using the river, documents are submitted to the government to decide whether or not to accept it. However, such a system has not yet been established in Japan. 

I think that Japan, which has such abundant nature and is likely to promote AT, should aim for the world's top-level AT. To do so, we have the means to guarantee the knowledge and ability of the guide. It is necessary to take measures, secure equipment, and safety measures, and conserve the natural resources in the field. Unless these are properly prepared, there is no future for AT. Therefore, guidelines are being prepared for the country now which I am working to create. 

The knowledge and ability of guides is what proves the quality of the company; Canyons trains each guide according to global standards. Rafting guides strive to maintain a high level at all times, including the certification of guides by the International Rafting Federation (IRF), which is a member of organizations from 46 countries around the world. 

A good guide supports AT. I feel that Japan should put more effort into developing excellent human resources, such as conducting practical training in partnership with a training school that has a proven track record in developing excellent AT guides overseas. By doing so, I think that excellent guides from overseas will come to Japan, and by interacting with them, the quality will improve, and AT will become even more exciting. "

AT has the role of passing on local resources to the next generation

— Can you give some advice to people in the area who want to promote AT?

"For those who have lived here for a long time, local resources naturally exist, and I think they tend to be too “natural” to be recognised for their goodness. Therefore, it is necessary to incorporate an external perspective first. Isn't it? So, I think it would be good to get the cooperation of someone who can see the land objectively.

If local resources and overseas needs are matched, "nothing" will be valuable. And when value is found, it is important for everyone involved to have a vision of the goal. I couldn't understand it in words alone, so in my case, I took stakeholders such as the mayor and lawmakers to Queenstown, New Zealand. If you actually experience AT or participate in workshops, you will be able to understand the systems and draw a concrete picture of what you should start in your own town. Once you've decided on your dreams and goals, all you have to do is work together and move on. In the case of Minakami Town, it led to the enactment of the Outdoor Sports Promotion Ordinance. "

— Finally, what do you think about the value of AT?

"If AT is properly carried out in consideration of the natural environment, I think it will have a sustainable effect of passing on the resources of the region to the next generation. Inheriting the important culture and nature of the regions can create a new profession. For the participating customers, you will be able to discover new aspects of yourself by experiencing something new through AT.

Nowadays, the need to experience nature is increasing, and the government and local councils are also willing to support it. AT and sustainable tourism will surely become the mainstream of tourism in the future. Let's take this opportunity to create a solid system and make Japan an AT powerhouse that we can hold up against the best in the world."




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