Former Japan National Football Team, Toshito Sato, experienced Crystal Kayak!

Former Japan National Football Team Toshito Sato, former J-Leaguers Kohei Shimizu and Sho Yokotake, who played an active part in numerous professional soccer clubs, experienced kayaking on the Niyodo River, and was different from the land sports that he was familiar with. We asked about the fun and charm of water sports. After the experience, they also talked about episodes of the active era through dialogues.

Introduction

Toshito Sato, who was born in Kasukabe City, Saitama Prefecture in 1982, was promoted to the top in 2000 after junior youth youth use in Jef United Ichihara and Chiba. During his active career, he worked in a number of J League clubs, including Jef United Ichihara and Chiba, Cerezo Osaka, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and Nagoya Grampus. In 2006, he was selected as his twin brother Hayato Sato, a former professional soccer player, and was the first twin in J League history to participate in the International A Match at the same time.

Kohei Shimizu was born in Sozo, Fukuoka Prefecture in 1989. In 2008, he signed a professional contract with Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and has also been active in Shimizu S-Pulse and Ventforet Kofu.

Sho Yokotake was born in Higashi-ku, Hiroshima City, Hiroshima Prefecture in 1989. After working for Junior Junior Youth Youth in Sanfrecce Hiroshima, he was promoted to the top team in 2008 and transferred to Guinare Tottori in 2013. Currently, I belong to Kochi United SC, a soccer club in Kochi Prefecture.

Niyodo River Outdoor Center

The Niyodo River, which flows through six municipalities in Kochi Prefecture and flows into the Pacific Ocean, is a highly transparent river that has been selected as "the best river with water quality" eight times in the past 10 years in the water quality survey of first-class rivers nationwide. Its clear blue and beautiful appearance is called "Niyodo Blue" and is visited by tourists from all over the country.

At the Niyodo River Outdoor Center, which has facilities in the upper reaches where you can feel more about the beauty of the Niyodo River, you can enjoy kayaking and SUP with the guidance of a local guide. A set of tools and life jackets will be prepared, so you can feel free to change clothes or towels.

Experience Crystal Kayak!

Sato and others arrived at the facility while enjoying the scenery along the way to the Niyodo River Outdoor Center. In the experience, you will go around a section of about 500m, but Mr. Shimizu is full of enthusiasm saying, "I'll go from here to the sea!" After wearing a life jacket and learning how to hold a paddle and row a kayak, when I descended to the riverbank, I was excited about the beauty of the Niyodo River that spreads out in front of me.

On a two-seater kayak, a pair of Sato-san and Yokotake-san, and Shimizu-san and his wife, respectively, departing. It was when I left the shore.…"I was nervous, but that's a sportsman!　Grab the tips quickly, and each one starts to move freely on the water.

Enjoy the great nature while enjoying kayaking in the way you want, such as riding a row or enjoying the scenery. In the experience course, there are places that curve largely and places that pass under the bridge, and the guide will explain at each point, so everyone seemed to be happy with a smile from beginning to end.
In addition, the underwater that can be seen directly from the clear bottom of the ship, which is the biggest point of clear kayaking, is combined with the transparency of the water, making it feel like floating in the water.

When the experience was over and I went up to Kawahara, I said, "It was really nice! He was healed,” Mr. Sato. The water was transparent, so I could see a lot of fish from the bottom of the ship, and I felt the depth of the river. Mr. Shimizu, who loves fishing, seems happy, "I enjoyed not only the nature but also the explanation of the fish by the guide." Yokotake, who has lived in Kochi Prefecture for eight years, says, "I touched the beauty of the Niyodo River up close and felt the splendor of the nature of Kochi Prefecture again."

Discussion at the riverbank

Mr. Sato belongs to Sanfrecce Hiroshima since 2005, and Mr. Shimizu and Mr. Yokotake have been to Sanfrecce since 2008. At the same time, everyone who played an active part in the same team, and in 2012, led to the first J1-year overall championship in club history, looked back on their thoughts at that time.

When Shimizu and Yokotake were elementary school students, Sato was already active as professional soccer players, and it seems that they were longing for them. "When I decided to join Sanfrecce Hiroshima, I was very happy to be able to play soccer with Kotobuki," says Shimizu and Yokotake. After seriously saying, "Mr. Sato taught me everything about my way of thinking and how to face it as a professional soccer player," he laughed and said, "I also showed me a man who gave me T-shirts and wallets."

"Both Kohei and Sho listen to the opinions of their seniors, so they were loved by their seniors at that time," says Sato. "But both of them were the kind of thing that they could not give up." Sato says that he visited Kochi Prefecture and watched the game of Kochi United SC, where Yokotake currently belongs. "After the end of the first half, Sho turned his uniform and saw his stomach, but he was tighter than when he was in Hiroshima, and now he looks more like an athlete." I was still running well, and even at the end of the game, I was able to move while thinking about my standing position. "

Mr. Sato and Mr. Shimizu visited Kochi for the first time

Mr. Sato and Mr. Shimizu visited Kochi Prefecture for the first time. "The Niyodo River is so beautiful that I've never seen before, and I was surprised that there is no garbage even though it's a tourist spot," he says. "When I was active, I wasn't able to make my children experience nature much," says Sato. "There are many places in Kochi Prefecture where you can face nature, so I want to come to Kochi with my family this time," he said.

Shimizu says he visited Nikobuchi, a famous tourist attraction on the Niyodo River two days before his kayak experience. "The river was beautiful all along the way to Nikobuchi. I also ate bonito tataki, mehikari, and river shrimp, but if you eat it in Kochi, it is exceptional! I think the water is beautiful, so it tastes good.” Yokotake said, "I've lived for eight years and I think Kochi is a wonderful prefecture again. Through soccer, I want to spread the charm of Kochi nationwide. "

Facility information