[Western Interview with Migrants] Kentaro Kobori "Tosa Shimizu City has flown through a trip. A new dream I found here.”

Kentaro Kobori traveled around the world in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, and the United States in their 20s and 30s. He, who is also a surfer, arrived about five years ago in Tosashimizu City, Kochi Prefecture, located at the southernmost tip of Shikoku. Mr. Kobori has come to see a new dream after staying in this area. We asked about the reasons for immigration and the charm of Tosa Shimizu City.

20s and 30s who traveled in Japan and overseas and repeatedly asked questions themselves.

Kobori is from Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture. As a boy, he was a cheerful child who caught crayfish in irrigation canals and played in the sea in summer. When I was in my third year of high school, I started surfing and continued surfing even after entering a university in Kanagawa Prefecture. 

After graduating from university, he returned to his hometown and got a job. I worked at a restaurant or a surf shop, but said, "I want to travel. It is said that he has always had the desire to see the other world.”

This is a turning point for Mr. Kobori. A fellow surfing Australian came home and invited me to "let's go together." Mr. Kobori quit his job and got a working holiday visa and went to Australia with a friend. While experiencing various jobs in the field, I also experienced camping and mountain climbing that my friends taught me from scratch, as well as backpacking trips across the continent.

Mr. Kobori spent about two years in Australia. At that time, the Great East Japan Earthquake struck, and an accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station occurred locally. Mr. Kobori returned home, saying, "I want to know what's going on locally," and was involved in volunteering and setting up temporary housing. 

After that, Mr. Kobori, who went on a trip again, travels to New Zealand, Indonesia, the United States, Hawaii, Cambodia, etc. In Japan, he traveled around Shikoku, worked in Toyama Prefecture, and lived a world-wide "traveler" life. 

Looking back at that time, Mr. Kobori says. "I was traveling because I wanted to enjoy surfing, and I was moving in search of waves. And travelling was what I wanted to do. But in fact, I was wondering what I wanted to do."

Tosa Shimizu City where I met the ideal wave and warm people

Mr. Kobori repeatedly asked himself while traveling after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Five years ago, the place where he drifted to "want to ride a big wave" was Tosashimizu City, which took about three hours by car from the center of Kochi City, the southernmost tip of Kochi Prefecture.

“There’s a dream in this wave. There's a wave I want to ride, that's the reason why I came here." Like Mr. Kobori, my wife, who enjoys surfing, moved together, and I was blessed with a daughter here. Currently, Kobori works as an instructor at the Malin Shop and works in forestry outside of summer. 

In fact, Tosa Shimizu City was the first time Kobori settled in the same place for more than a year after traveling in his twenties. 

"In the countryside, people connect more and more while we live. We are taking care of not only seniors at the Malin Shop and masters of forestry, but also the masters of the nearby yuzu farmers, the peasants of the village, the fisherman's uncle, and everyone. I came to this place because I was attracted to the big waves, but the power of people continues to live."

Mr. Kobori, who has seen beautiful mountains and seas around the world, says, "I think the beauty of Sakurahama in Tosashimizu City is proud of the world." "The sunset is so beautiful, and the more you live, the more beautiful the scenery and the better the water. I like coral reef too."

"If I lived there, I would like more and more things other than the waves. My family has increased, and I want to live in this area, my daughter's hometown for a long time. It was a coincidence, but I guess it was inevitable. I think there was a relationship.”

Live with your family here.

Mr. Kobori, who works at the Malin Shop, also conducts training on water rescue using jet skiing with his seniors. In order to enjoy surfing safely with large waves, rescue by jet skiing is indispensable. Mr. Kobori said, "I want to be a professional with the skills. Helping people is not usually the case. That’s why if you learn technology, you’ll be confident. We want to improve the environment and encourage local children to enjoy surfing.” 

In addition, I would like to focus on forestry in the future. In addition to that, Mr. Kobori has another dream.

It is to make an outrigger canoe with a large tree about 1 meter in diameter that you got. "I want to float on Sakurahama someday. When my daughter grows up, I want to ride and play with her.” Kobori, who was lost in his 20s and 30s, was one of his goals to travel. However, now that I have come to live in Tosa Shimizu City, I seem to be seeing more and more what I want to do. “I’m doing what I want to do honestly. I like my job right now.”

Mr. Kobori, who has traveled around the world and broadened his horizons, is now heading for a new dream with his family here.

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