"Tosa Town Sports Commission" Ask Tomoshi Koga to create a town through sports

The Reihoku region is located almost in the middle of Shikoku. Here are the Saimeiura Dam, which boasts the highest water storage capacity in West Japan, and the Lake Sameura, which is the dam lake. The Tosa Town Sports Commission takes advantage of this lake, which is a local resource, to promote lake-side sports such as canoeing, SUP, cycling and camping, and promote regional development. This time, we asked Mr. Tomoshi Koga, Managing Director General, about community development through sports.

Activities of Lake Sameura and Tosa Town

Lake Sameura is an artificial lake of the Someiura Dam, which boasts the largest storage capacity in West Japan and the largest in Shikoku. The dam was built upstream of Yoshino River, which spans Tosa Town and Motoyama Town, Kochi Prefecture, and has supported the lives and industries of Shikoku. In addition, the lake has a vast water surface (filled area) with a total length of 20 km and a total length of about 7.5 square kilometers, and the magnificent lake surface and the beautiful nature of the four seasons such as cherry blossoms and autumn leaves are healing visitors.

In recent years, the lake has attracted attention as the best spot for lake surface sports and outdoor activities. In the past, however, there were not many tourists other than anglers. 
Why is Lake Sameura attracting so many tourists now? The trigger was Tosa Town, which is working on regional revitalization utilizing Lake Sameura.

In hilly and mountainous areas nationwide, population decline and aging are rapidly progressing, and there is concern that vitality will decline. Tosa Town is no exception. Therefore, Tosa Town has been promoting a rehabilitation plan to utilize Lake Sameura as a tourism resource for a long time. Sports competitions and canoes opened a bright path to the regeneration plan.

Originally, Lake Sameura did not allow non-powered boats in principle, but the lake had an ideal environment for canoeing. One of them is that the surrounding area is surrounded by deep mountains, so it is not affected by the wind and the water surface is calm. The second is that it is a vast water surface that can secure a long distance course of 1000 meters. Therefore, Tosa Town plans to promote sports tourism through canoeing and revitalize community sports. First, we proceeded with discussions with the council to manage the lake surface, enabling the navigation of non-powered boats in the lake.

In addition, we invited former world champion of canoe, Layosh Jokosh, as a leader, and in March 2018, we established the canoe team "Sameura Canoe Academy" to teach elementary school students to high school students. The canoe project bears fruit, and children are still actively working under Rayosh Coach to produce players who are active in the world.

In addition to starting a guided tour around the lake and its surroundings in 2020, Tosa Town also opened the Sameura Canoe Terrace, a nature-based sightseeing base where you can enjoy lake surface activities. In addition, there is a campsite "Sameura Tent Park" where you can enjoy a sense of unity with Lake Sameura, and a "Sameuraso Lakeside Hotel" with a restaurant. Mizuuminoeki Sameura Lake Town, a collective term for these three, has become popular as a base where you can experience the rich nature of Lake Sameura, and is crowded with many tourists.

About Tosa Town Sports Commission

"Tosa Town Sports Commission" was established in April 2021 as an organization responsible for the management of sports and outdoor activities utilizing Lake Sameura. We operate the aforementioned "Sameura Canoe Terrace" and "Sameura Tent Park" as well as the canoe team "Sameura Canoe Academy" to provide tourists with outdoor activities such as canoeing, SUP experience, and bicycle rental. We also conduct hands-on learning mainly on lakes, and are used for off-campus learning and school excursions.

Tomoshi Koga, Executive Director, is from Fukuoka Prefecture. For many years, he worked for a medical device manufacturer and worked in the fields of human resources, public relations, and management based in Tokyo. Koga was unrelated to sports, but he learned about the activities of Tosa-cho when his family was learning about regional and sports promotion. Then, in 2021, the Tosa Town Sports Commission, which had been recruiting the Secretary-General, bought his management skills and took his current position.

For sustainable development

It has been two years since Koga moved from Tokyo. The "Sameura Canoe Terrace", which operates, has become a popular facility that attracts as many as 13,000 tourists a year on the shores of Lake Tosamachi, which has a population of less than 4,000. 
A peaceful and magnificent Lake Sameura, a canoe terrace with refined design, and a tent park overlooking the starry sky. The fact that each attraction has led to its popularity, and that so many people have gathered in a lake that was once visited only by anglers may be a successful example of regional revitalization.
However, Koga says he does not want this place to be a tourist attraction or a sport. This is because for the sustainable development of the region, not only attracts people from outside, but also the presence of local people is indispensable. It is said that if rooted in the community, it will lead to sustainable town development.

The thought of the area can be seen in the concept of "Sameura Canoe Terrace". The canoe terrace is not just a tourist information center. In addition to being equipped with a canoe boathouse and training facilities, there is a cafe on the terrace, so people who are not for sightseeing can easily relax.

At the gym where you can overlook Lake Sameura, not only locals but also people outside the town can train at a low price. This is a place where local people can engage in sports, a place where local people can spend time slowly, and at the same time, a place where visitors can enjoy the nature of Tosacho. It is also a unique complex with a mix of exchange and tourism bases.

Koga, who was entrusted with the promotion of sports tourism and regional development, provided an experience menu for local elementary school students to make them feel closer to the lake sports, and invited a powerful team of canoes to a training camp. We are working to expand the exchanged population through In addition, we invite urban students who learn about regional development and present career plans related to sports. In cooperation with the Sports Agency, we are engaged in activities that lead to the influx of human resources and the retention of human resources in hilly and mountainous areas.

In recent years, "transition of club activities to the community" has become an issue. "Transition of club activities to the community" is a reform in which teachers have been provided free of charge at public junior high schools and high schools to shift guidance to private companies and local organizations. Therefore, the Tosa Town Sports Commission is examining whether it can solve the problem. Specifically, we are exploring what we can do as a recipient of children's diverse sports experiences, as a manager of holiday activities, or as a window for connecting educational institutions and sports instructors. By carrying them, Tosa Town Sports Commission can become an indispensable presence in the community. At the same time, it can also be a profitable company. Mr. Koga considers the significance of the Tosa Town Sports Commission from a broad perspective, with the mission of "operating base for sustainable development".

Cooperation between those who support sports

The Sports Agency has been promoting “town development through sports”, and in recent years, sports commissions have been established throughout the country to support “sports x tourism x regional development”. Most of them are established and operated mainly by the government, and the role of the government is essential when running events such as marathon events and cycling competitions, or when constructing bases such as "Sameura Canoe Terrace". In other words, sports promotion is based on a balance with administrative services, and it is not easy to understand the significance of sports commissions as a single organization for what purpose and purpose. In addition, there are no end to issues that need to be solved, such as securing working human resources, forming careers, and securing business income.

In order to address such issues, Koga is working to create a network of sports commissions nationwide and strengthen cooperation. "Everyone doesn't have to play sports. If various people can work together while supporting each other and face issues in each region. " It is a word that reminds you that there are things that can only be done by people with inexperienced sports.

Finally, "I want people who lead the outdoors to play an active role in sports commissions around the country. I think that will lead to regional revitalization,” said Koga. Pay attention to Koga's future activities, which illuminate new indicators for sports promotion and sustainable regional development in hilly and mountainous areas.

Facility introduction