Japan Elevator Service Judo Club is an activity experience in the Niyodo River!

The Japan Elevator Service Judo Club, which is the general manager of the Sydney Olympic Judo 100kg gold medalist and former director of the Japan Judo National Team at the Rio de Janeiro Tokyo Olympics, visited Kochi Prefecture for the first time in December 2023. In addition to conducting various exchange activities, we visited Niyodogawa-cho on holidays and enjoyed activities that can be enjoyed even in winter.

Japan Elevator Service Judo Club Visits Kochi for the first time

Japan Elevator Service (Jes) Judo Club is a business team established on April 1, 2023. Yasuo Inoue, a former director of All Japan Men's and a 100-kilometer gold medalist for the Sydney Olympics in 2000, is the general manager, and Tomokazu Inoue, the elder brother of Yasuo, is the director. And as of February 2024, five members, including Sanshiro Murao, who has been nominated as the 90km class representative of the 2024 Paris Olympics, Ryunojo Takahashi, Kodai Kaneno, Alexander Saimoto, and Takeshi Yoshida, belong. You.

Jes Judo Club visited Kochi Prefecture for the first time. During your stay, participate in judo classes and sporting events for elementary and junior high school students in the prefecture. In addition, we interacted with the children of Kochi Kuroshio Kids, which nurtures promising players in the future, and visited the prefectural high school judo club.

This time, the interview team accompanied the players for their first experience and first challenge activities. The group who visited the upper reaches of the Niyodo River, a clear stream representing Kochi, enjoy river activities in the wilderness, such as the latest activity "Mizukami Kotatsu Experience", SUP, and tent sauna. We also enjoyed the scream suspension bridge & Zip line, which was newly born in Kochi.

Other than summer, water kotatsu experience & tent sauna

The first Jes Judo Club visited was the Doi River, a tributary of the Niyodo River. The Niyodo River is a clear stream known as 'Niyodo Blue'. Above all, the upper basin, including the Doi River, boasts transparency so that it can be seen to the bottom of the river at a depth of 5m.

Here, we enjoyed a new sense of "water kotatsu experience". The water kotatsu experience is a new sensational activity where you can enjoy a walk on the water while entering the kotatsu in a calm area with almost no flow. Winter is very clear, but it's cold! In response to the voice, it was developed in 2023 to enjoy the Niyodo River besides summer.

There are two water kotatsu prepared on the riverbank. Who's going to ride? After such a consultation, all five players went to one kotatsu together. You can see the good relationship between Jes Judo Club.

Then, after floating in the river, row the paddle slowly, change direction, and leave yourself to the flow of the river.

Players who relax and enjoy coffee and sweets. Everyone is usually busy with practice, games and busy days, but on this day he seemed to be able to relax in the wilderness. I made a U-turn on the way and returned to my original location in about 30 minutes.

And then there is free time. SUP, water bicycles, tent sauna, etc. are prepared, and "Please enjoy each of them freely," said Mr. Furumi of the Niyodo River Outdoor Center.

(Central photo: Komi-san, who is also the creator of Kotatsu Sup)

The first person who jumped into the tent sauna was Yoshida. "It's so warm! The sauna often goes. I'm a little embarrassed to see everyone," he smiled.

Takahashi and Saimoto challenge the water bike. “It’s very difficult to fly. "I don't go in the direction I want," he said, "It's not like a normal bicycle, but it's fun."

The players also challenge the SUP. I'm just training on a regular basis, so I can stand up and paddle right away. Meanwhile, Kinno, who has a strong service spirit, goes into the water! The directors and managers watching over the riverbank are very exciting. And Kanano twisted Takahashi and Saimoto and broke the balance, and everyone went into the river brilliantly. The players who returned to the riverbank laughing, "Cold ~" were warming their bodies in the sauna.

On the other hand, Yoshida and Murao enjoyed the sauna first. When you get out of the tent, the steam rises from the whole body, and go straight to the river instead of cold water bath! Everyone was enjoying the Niyodo River in winter.

On the riverbank, you can also enjoy salted grilled sweetfish and barbecue. Kochi Prefecture has clear streams, including the Niyodo River, flowing throughout the country, and is famous for eating delicious sweetfish. The players who wore salt grilled with seven wheels said, "Delicious! Fucking!" “It’s so good!” he praises. Director Inoue said, "It's very delicious. I'm from Miyazaki Prefecture, but there is also a place where you can eat sweetfish locally. I feel like I've come back naturally. It's great!" he was pleased.

New activity! Japan's First Scream suspension bridge & Zip Line

Next, the party headed to Niyofla, a zip line gliding over the Niyodo River.

This is a tea farmer who grows the local specialty product "Sawando tea" wants to make Niyodogawa-cho more energetic! It is a new attraction that opened in 2023.

(The staff of Niyofla)

The course is 100 meters long, and the height is 30 meters! Take the course, walk the suspension bridge, and return on the zip line.

Immediately, the players filled out the necessary information at the office and put on the harness. Move to the start line and cross the suspension bridge to the other side of the river in line.

This suspension bridge, where you can enjoy the view of the valley from a high place that you cannot usually see. But that's not the only fun. In fact, suspension bridge’s scaffolding changes every 10m. At first log, then square wood, and rope. Of course, it is safe because the harness is attached, but the scaffolding that changes one after another is hilaring and thrilling! It is a thrilling aerial walk with a height of 30 meters.

And when we arrive on the other side, we will return to the original point on the zip line. The players ran through the sky at once to the starting point.

“The second half was pretty fast!” "I thought it wouldn't be so fast for what I saw, but it was surprisingly fast!" After the end, take a break with specialty tea and sweets. Everyone who enjoyed the extraordinary feeling.

A word from the directors and players

Finally, the coach and the players gave me their impressions of their stay in Kochi.

First, I'm Director Inoue.

"I think that I was able to communicate the appeal of judo to children who are doing judo, children who do not, and adults, such as visiting elementary schools and teaching boys judo. . Also, today I felt the wonderful nature charm of Kochi Prefecture, and I think it was a good experience for the players. "

We also asked the director about his impressions of Kochi Prefecture.

"What I felt when I came to Kochi Prefecture was your hospitality. Everyone involved is kind and warm. And the food was delicious, and I felt that it was the charm of Kochi. In addition, there were people who were doing judo everywhere they went, and I was able to feel the connection between people."

Next is the players.

Takahashi: "Kochi Prefecture is full of nature, and it was good to be able to do various things such as SUP and water kotatsu experience. The sup was fun!” 。

Kanano: "It was my first time in Kochi Prefecture, but it was really fun! The best is SUP. The meat was great too!” 。

Saimoto: "I was able to feel the nature and refreshed. I don't usually have the opportunity to go to play, but in this way, I had a very fresh experience, such as playing in the river and experiencing zip lines. The zip line was really fun.”

Murao: "I've been to Kochi once when I was a child. It was from Shimanto River. I remember that. I had never done a zip line I experienced today, so it was fun."

Yoshida: "Kochi's rice is delicious. I had never experienced playing in the river, so it was fun! The water in the river was very clean.”

I would like the members of the jes Judo Club to come to Kochi again and receive guidance on judo. Also, this time we visited Niyodogawa-cho, but there are famous places in Kochi Prefecture and there are delicious things. Next time, I hope you will enjoy the different charm of Kochi again. Ladies and gentlemen, we are waiting for you. And this time, thank you very much.

Facility introduction