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Japan
2012
Good morning
We awake in the
morning, reorganize from
Lincoln's house to Yoshi's van and head to the Tonegawa. The Tone is a
larger volume river, we did it on our last trip and it was awesome,
somewhere around 5,000-10,000cfs of pure fun. So much fun commercial
rafting companies were not rafting it.
Cody Howard, Tonegawa 2011
Cody Howard, Tonegawa 2011
This year has less snow
and rafting
season seems to be in full swing. The river looks entirely different.
What was booming IV-V is now fun class III. The scenery is still
unique, a remote feeling canyon that opens up into the heart of
Minikami.
2011, less snow, less
water, lower
stress but still lots of fun.
The Tone is a quick run
with no scouts
and we obviously didn't spend too much time taking pictures. It's
interesting to note most the hotels are empty because of a major
economic bubble that happened in the late eighties.
Last year we'd looked at the Yunokoyagawa but it was flooding. I figured if the Tonegawa was that much lower, so would be the Yunokoyagawa. We made the quick drive out of town, heading up the Tonegawa to where the Yunokoyagawa comes in. At the confluence things look good so we head up the road and run into a gate. It's supposed to open in five days. There is nothing like earning your turns, so we hike up the road until the river starts to look a little too junky, and put on above a small dam.
Apparently the Japanese
government
controls rice prices to promote industry in the rural areas. Amazing to
see that some plots are still planted by hand.
Last year we'd looked at the Yunokoyagawa but it was flooding. I figured if the Tonegawa was that much lower, so would be the Yunokoyagawa. We made the quick drive out of town, heading up the Tonegawa to where the Yunokoyagawa comes in. At the confluence things look good so we head up the road and run into a gate. It's supposed to open in five days. There is nothing like earning your turns, so we hike up the road until the river starts to look a little too junky, and put on above a small dam.
A rare shot of the
author enjoying a man
made boof.
Diane Gaydos on the same.
Our gracious host and fellow water enthusiast, Yoshi.
Yoshi runs one of the many fun drops on the Yunokoyagawa.
Being as we put on late in the day, it is a short run so we take our time to scout the larger rapids, which have interesting moves. Lara Farrell boofs.
At take out is a strange waterfall. Super clean in one way, very undercut on both sides in another. We didn't run it with high water last year, but at these flows it looks pretty good.
Multiple lines can be had and Rok Sribar takes the far left line.
The author chooses to boof down the center.
Diane Gaydos
Diane Gaydos on the same.
Our gracious host and fellow water enthusiast, Yoshi.
Yoshi runs one of the many fun drops on the Yunokoyagawa.
Being as we put on late in the day, it is a short run so we take our time to scout the larger rapids, which have interesting moves. Lara Farrell boofs.
At take out is a strange waterfall. Super clean in one way, very undercut on both sides in another. We didn't run it with high water last year, but at these flows it looks pretty good.
Multiple lines can be had and Rok Sribar takes the far left line.
The author chooses to boof down the center.
Diane Gaydos
Just do whatever the
raccoon with the
flag says.
It's almost dark by the time we wrap up the Yunokoyagawa. Three rivers in two days, not a bad way to start our time in Japan. We make a quick drive back to Minikami and take advantage of Lincon's hospitality once again.
On to the Nakatsugawa.
It's almost dark by the time we wrap up the Yunokoyagawa. Three rivers in two days, not a bad way to start our time in Japan. We make a quick drive back to Minikami and take advantage of Lincon's hospitality once again.
On to the Nakatsugawa.
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