Ibaraki is one of the few prefectures that I lived in Japan. This is also where I first learned how to kayak properly.
I tried kayaking in one of the Ibaraki’s famous rivers, Nakagawa. This long river starts from Nasu, Tochigi, then stretches to cross over Ibaraki and finally connects to the pacific ocean. It’s not a wild and scary river as one might think. Although it’s wide in some areas, it’s relatively peaceful with lots of fish and flying herons all around.
I wandered off in the small rural town of Hitachiomiya, around 30km away from Mito Ibaraki. If you’re coming from Mito station, you can take an hour-long busride headed to Nakagawa-ohashi. There is a picturesque red bridge, surrounded by mountains and a very lovely river.
There is a Kayak Shop that does tours and even just trying out river kayaking for the first time. It does sound intimidating but you can first opt for a nice paddle around the area to get a feel of the river. The area is near the dam where the water tends to get quite silent. It’s a perfect spot to paddle around, exploring casually with friends and family. If you’re up for a short trip, you can take one of the kayak trips where you start a bit upstream and you paddle through with a guide. Nakagawa is a friendly river, and highly recommended for beginners as well.
The river is one of my favorite nature spots. It’s a great getaway from the scorching summer heat of the city, it’s bustling with wildlife. Wherever there is clean water, nature thrives. Before summer, during the final leg of the rainy season, you can also experience the pretty floating fireflies along the riverbanks as well.
Autumn season also calls for the Salmon homecoming. I find it very amazing that Salmon fish will always go back to where they were born to spawn. These adult salmon enter from the ocean and swims against the currents of Nakagawa, going all the way to the mountains. This means from Ibaraki all the way to Tochigi! Also, if you’re up for full immersion, you can stay over and camp out by the river. I enjoy this non-luxurious kind of experience, hearing the cries of cicadas, fighting the mosquitoes and enjoying a nice barbecue after a day of paddling.
Definitely straight out of a summer scrapbook.
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