The Taxi Trade / Nankai Trough Megaquake - Living in Japan
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Japan Times
5 hours ago
- Japan Times
A tiny mountain hamlet keeps traditional log rafting afloat
I'm standing near the front of a 30-meter-long wooden raft a few minutes into a journey down the Kitayama River in northern Wakayama Prefecture's Yoshino-Kumano National Park. Piloted by a team of four drivers in traditional straw hats, the craft snakes its way toward a white-water section of the river appropriately nicknamed the 'Nose Dive.' The raft plunges into the rapids, followed by a wave of water washing over the 20 passengers, who laugh and whoop with excitement. They said we'd get wet — and they weren't wrong. With a population of less than 400, the tiny village of Kitayama is the only place in Japan where you can experience traditional ikada-kudari (log rafting). It's been on my radar for some years — I enjoy adrenaline-packed activities such as bungee jumping, tandem paragliding, canyoning and abseiling, but this was something unique: a natural rollercoaster through a remote gorge steeped in centuries of forestry history. In between the adventurous parts of the hour-long trip, there is plenty of time to sit down and soak in the surroundings aboard the raft: the emerald-green river, dramatic rock formations and waterfalls cascading down cliffs. Then, whenever we approach sections of rapids, the call goes out: 'Everybody up!' This certainly makes it more thrilling for the riders, but more importantly, it's easier for the raft to be steered and balanced, as our ikadashi (raft drivers) swiftly navigate the river, leaping from log to log as if it's second nature. During the rafting season, crews lash together logs and install seats and railings every morning. | KITAYAMA VILLAGE Earlier that morning, I'd watched the day's rafts being carefully lowered, section by section, into the river by crane, where they were then fitted with seats and handrails for the passengers. This painstaking work, repeated each morning during the rafting season that runs from May through September, is overseen by Masayuki Yamamoto, the president of Kitayama Shinko, the company commissioned by Kitayama to operate rafting as a tourism activity. 'We're protecting the landscape and nature of Kitayama,' Yamamoto says. 'Our mission is to preserve this long-standing tradition.' The remote hamlet's ikada-kudari dates back over 600 years, when the Kitayama River was the only viable route for transporting lumber from the forested mountains to the urban centers of Kansai. Kitayama's high-quality cedar was sought after by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, unifier of Japan in the late 16th century, for building his strongholds, creating a boom in timber transport. As the use of rafts to transport lumber increased, the practice of ikada-kudari was formalized in the 17th century, with a systemized distribution network put in place. At its peak, there were several hundred ikadashi in Kitayama. Logs were felled in the mountains and then rolled down the slopes, where they were tied together into long rafts. Drivers would then guide the lumber more than 60 kilometers downstream to the port of Shingu on Wakayama's southeastern coast, a journey that usually took two to three days. They made the return journey on foot, carrying their oars with them. It takes about three years of training to become a full-fledged "ikadashi" raft driver. | KITAYAMA VILLAGE The men who undertook this dangerous work were well paid for braving the currents to guide the massive rafts down the river. A local story surrounds the naming of Otonori, the starting point of the rafting trips. The original meaning was 'younger brother riding' — a reference to how families preferred to send off a younger son, deeming the job too risky for a precious oldest son and heir. The last rafts of commercial lumber went down the river in 1965. Roads had improved by then, making it more practical to transport logs overland. However, the tradition didn't disappear. In 1979, Kitayama launched sightseeing raft rides as part of a regional revitalization project, ensuring the legacy would float on in a new form. 'Luckily, some of the former log riders were still around, and they passed on their skills to a new generation,' says Yamamoto, who has been riding the rafts for more than 30 years and now heads a team of 16 ikadashi. He says that the job isn't just about physical strength. Teamwork and keeping a cool head are important for being a good river runner, too. 'The conditions are always changing in this job, so it keeps you on your toes,' he says. The log rafting season in Kitayama runs from May through September. | KITAYAMA VILLAGE Nevertheless, customs are evolving. In August 2024, 21-year-old Moko Ono made history when she joined Kitayama Shinko to become Kitayama's first-ever female ikadashi. Although the former gym instructor from Shingu had never actually ridden the rafts before, she responded to a call for new drivers based on the appeal of an active job outdoors, even though she admits that her mother wasn't keen on the idea in the beginning. 'Before I started the job, we took a test ride together,' Ono says. 'She was a bit worried, asking if I'd really be able to do this since it's a physically demanding job, and there are risks like falling off the raft. But she respected my decision and now she understands my wishes.' As Ono approaches her first work anniversary, she still has some way to go before completing the three years of training required to become a full-fledged ikadashi, but she says she hopes to see more women joining the ranks in the future. Outside of the rafting season, the ikadashi work other jobs, and Ono can often be found behind the wheel of the village bus, ferrying schoolchildren and seniors who can no longer drive. Some of her colleagues take part in forestry and conservation work or help with cultivation of jabara, a distinctive citrus fruit and Kitayama's other major industry. Native to Kitayama, jabara has a bold, tangy flavor that falls somewhere between an orange and a lemon, making it popular for use in products like jams, sauces, sweets and juices. Ono recommends a ponzu-style local product called Japon, which she says goes perfectly in nabe (hot pot) dishes or as a dipping sauce for gyōza dumplings. "Ikadashi" drivers use long poles to guide the log rafts down the Kitayama River. | KITAYAMA VILLAGE Kitayama has another unique distinction as Japan's only 'enclave village': though officially part of Wakayama, it is entirely surrounded by Mie and Nara prefectures. When Japan's feudal domains transitioned into modern prefectures, Shingu was aligned with modern-day Wakayama, so Kitayama chose to follow suit because of the historical and economic ties to its neighbor down the river. At the end of our trip, I join my fellow passengers on the bus that ferries tourists between the Kitayama Village Tourism Center and the rafting departure point. A change of clothes and a welcome dip in the onsen (hot spring) await at the neighboring hotel, which is open to day-trippers as well as overnight guests. I'm dripping wet, but my enthusiasm for the experience — and the enduring history it represents — is undampened. Kitayama's log rafting runs twice daily on weekends in May and June, and then daily except for Thursdays through the end of September. Riders must be between the ages of 10 and 75 and in good health. Rides cost ¥7,700 for adults and ¥3,300 for children under 12. Advance reservations are required. Due to the remote location, an overnight stay is recommended. For more information, visit the Kitayama Village website . Travel and accommodation for this story were provided by Wakayama Prefecture. No portion of this story was shared with any third party prior to publication.
NHK
16 hours ago
- NHK
More strong quakes hit remote island chain in southwestern Japan
Seismic activity remains high around a remote island chain in Japan's southwestern prefecture of Kagoshima. Two strong jolts hit one of the islands shortly after 2 p.m. on Sunday. The Japan Meteorological Agency said quakes with magnitudes of 4.9 and 5.5 hit the island of Akusekijima at around 2:01 p.m. and 2:07 p.m. They had an intensity of upper 5 on the Japanese scale of zero to 7. The island was rocked by a quake with an intensity of lower 6 on Thursday. A temblor on Saturday registered an intensity of upper 5. Seismic activity has been continuing around the Tokara island chain, which includes Akusekijima, since June 21. The agency said the two strong jolts hit in succession due to the heightened seismic activity. As of 6 p.m. on Sunday, 1,518 quakes with an intensity of 1 or greater had occurred in the area. That is far higher than in 2021 and 2023, when seismic activity also increased. The agency is urging caution for possible quakes with an intensity of up to around lower 6 for the time being.
Japan Times
18 hours ago
- Japan Times
Locker-to-hotel luggage delivery service expanding in Japan
As the nation's tourism boom continues, a delivery service that transports traveler's luggage from train station lockers to hotels is expanding in Japan. The service allows users to leave their luggage in lockers and have their items delivered the same day to the hotels where they are staying. Last year, West Japan Railway and Osaka Metro launched the service in Osaka Prefecture, which has been attracting many visitors due to the World Expo. East Japan Railway and Tokyo Metro are increasing the number of stations in Tokyo where the service is available. Tourists bringing large suitcases onto trains and buses have sometimes caused problems. The expansion of the locker-to-hotel delivery service is expected to ease congestion on public transportation. To use the delivery service, the luggage must be placed in a specific locker. Fees vary depending on the size of the luggage and location, ranging from around ¥1,500 to ¥3,500. In March last year, JR West launched the service with lockers in Shin-Osaka Station and Universal-City Station, the closest station to Universal Studios Japan. In Osaka, the service is currently available at seven stations. The monthly average number of users in March-May this year was up roughly threefold compared with the period between April last year to February this year. A JR West official said that the service is thriving due in part to inbound demand. Spacer, a Tokyo-based company that manufactures and operates lockers for the service, said that the firm launched the business in Osaka by collaborating with railway companies and others in anticipation of train congestion after the kickoff of the Osaka Expo. "The service has gradually spread," said Daisuke Tokunaga, president of Spacer. Osaka Metro has also teamed up with Spacer to provide the service since December last year. Tokyo Metro, which launched the service at Oshiage Station in May, plans to boost the number stations where the service is available to around 20 in the capital. JR East Smart Logistics Co. entered the business in September last year. It has lockers for the service at 15 stations in Tokyo, including Tokyo and Shinjuku stations. The firm also set up the lockers at four stations belonging to Keihan Electric Railway in Kansai in April and at Kyoto Station in June in collaboration with Central Japan Railway. "We are still in the phase of gaining recognition (for the service,) but usage is increasing gradually," said an official of JR East Smart Logistics.
