MINAKAMI RAFTING
CHALLENGE THE MIGHTY TONE RIVER
In spring (May- June) the mighty Tone River is in full flow, providing over 12kms of grade 4 white water on the half day course and 25kms+ on the full day course. At this time of the year, Minakami has Japans best whitewater rafting. You can also enjoy majestic scenery with the cherry trees in full bloom and snow capped mountains in the background.
In the summer the river flows drop to a more placid grade 2, which is perfect for first time rafters or those that want a more gentle nature experience. If you are up for more thrills in the summer season we recommend trying the minakami canyoning in Minakami.
TONE RIVER RAFTING
The Tone River was the host for the rafting world cup qualifiers in 2001. It is the location for Japans top rafting race event, the "Minakami Extreme" and is well know by rafting guides all over the world. The Spring raft section provides many different sceneries, from majestic mountain backdrops, rugged tight canyon sections and the odd tranquil section through rural farmland.
ABOUT MINAKAMI
Minakami is the premiere four season adventure destination in Japan. Located just 70 minutes from Tokyo it is a very popular destination for weekend getaways, especially in Summer. It is also famous for its hot springs (onsen) and is home to Takaragwa Onsen, Japans largest outdoor onsen.
Recently, the water level has been very low on Tone River where the rafting tour runs, and there are some places where the boat cannot pass through smoothly.
We are still running the rafting tours but we recommend canyoning tours or pack rafting tours, especially for adults.