Published Seasonally
F r om t h eEdi t o r
PUBLISHER Outdoor Japan G.K.
T
his issue has felt like a trip down memory lane. The late 90’s were a memorable time to be in Japan. There were some colorful characters and it seemed like many of my crazy friends were building some interesting businesses. It was a creative time with the Internet booming and travelers to Japan starting to get off the beaten track. Outdoor Japan was born during this halcyon period and a few of the old guard featured in this issue contributed to the momentum that drew intrepid visitors to explore Japan’s great outdoors. Paul Chetwynd was an elite class mountain biker for years in Japan back in the day and I’m still certain he could dust off an old racing bib and finish top ten in any race he enters. He’s been guiding custom MTB tours since his days competing and has created a very cool new base in southern Nagano in the shadow of Yatsugatake’s eight peaks. Find out more about what drew him there and how Yatsugatake Cycling is helping visitors explore the area. Burkey (Mike Burke) has been a long-time fixture in Minakami helping design and build Canyons Alpine Lodge and residential homes for many in the area. His latest project is bringing high-quality glamping tents and luxury glamping lodges to Japan that are built to deal with the unique conditions here. Glamping is a great activity for friends and families to get away during these times. Kieron Cashell has been involved with media and golf in Japan for a couple decades and has created a glamping destination called Haga Farm in Tochigi. It’s part of the Reiwa Golf Resort and offers some cool stay and play packages. Also in Tochigi, Rie Miyoshi talks to Daniel No, an Australian training in the art of yabusame (horseback archery) who recently had the honor of being selected first rider to usher in the Reiwa Era. And there’s Ben Kerr up in Hokkaido. I’ve known Ben since he was raft guiding in Niseko before the boom and he’s continued to ride the wave, building several successful businesses from real estate to organic farming. His latest passion is Niseko Aviation and I caught up with him to learn more about becoming a pilot and flying his XCub in Japan. Quinlan Faris has hiked just about every mountains in Tohoku and has shared his top five spring hikes with us. He’s also created a fun, informative YouTube channel called Go North Japan where you can dive even deeper into Tohoku, a beautiful, resilient region. It’s hard to believe ten years has passed since the Great Tohoku Earthquake affected so many people in Japan. A decade later we are enduring another unforeseen crisis that has permeated nearly every part of our daily lives—jobs, relationships, health, mental well being—and how we as a collective navigate this global crisis is what will define us for years to come. One thing it has definitely taught us is if you are going to do something, do it now. Travel restrictions vary depending on your area, but if you are traveling responsibly and taking precautions for you and your family’s situation, there are countless options for responsible travel to beautiful areas around Japan this spring. Road trips, hiking trips, rafting trips, cycling trips are all possible with a little planning—particularly now without the crowds. Enjoy all the travel tips and ideas in this spring issue and get the most out of this beautiful season in Japan!
DIRECTORS Mike Harris, Charles Odlin, Gardner Robinson FOUNDER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Gardner Robinson MEDIA PRODUCER / EDITOR Rie Miyoshi CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Bill Ross CONTRIBUTORS Joan Bailey, Linda Ding, Quinlan Faris DESIGN Outdoor Japan
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©2021 OUTDOOR JAPAN G.K. all rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Views expressed herein are not necessarily those of OUTDOOR JAPAN G.K. Printed in Japan.
Cover Photo: Niseko Aviation
Spring 2021 | 5
