"Kumano River Play Club" is an activity that beginners are welcome to participate in! Go river rafting with your dog at the nationally designated scenic spot, Dorokyo Doro-kyoGorge

On the Kumano River Play Club's Doro-kyoGorge Gorge Packraft half-day tour, you can experience river rafting on the Kitayama River with your dog in a highly stable packraft. The Kitayama River flows along the border between Mie, Nara, and Wakayama prefectures. The spot that you pass on the river rafting tour, Doro-kyoGorge, surrounded by sheer cliffs, has such a rare topography that it has been selected as a national special place of scenic beauty.

Doro-kyoGorge is a place recommended for beginners, as the river flows slowly and the scenery is beautiful. On the Doro Doro-kyoGorge Packraft Half-Day Tour, you can move around freely in a packraft and enjoy the spectacular scenery.

This was Ko-kun, a dachshund,'s first activity and he was scared at first, but by the second half of the tour he had gotten used to playing in the river and was going with the current.

Doro-kyoGorge is beautiful no matter where you look, but there are a few spectacular spots you should definitely see. The head of the river play club will give you easy-to-understand explanations of the waterfalls, the oddly shaped rocks, the valley with the refreshing breeze, and more. It's also refreshing to go up close to the waterfall in a packraft and drink the water from the waterfall. Being so close to nature is also one of the attractions of the tour. You won't just see beautiful scenery, you'll also be able to feel the cool breeze blowing from the valley and the spray of the waterfall.

In places where the current is calm, you can even lie on your back on the packraft with your dog on your stomach. Looking up at the cliffs from below, you can experience something you can't get in your everyday life, with only the chirping of birds and the sound of the flowing river to hear.

For beginners, we recommend Doro-kyoGorge Gorge Packraft Half-Day Tour. The first practice session will be in the nearly flat three-prefecture border zone in front of the Toro Hotel, where you can get used to maneuvering the packraft. Once you're comfortable with it, you can practice in a zone with a slightly faster current, then start your 3-kilometer river rafting adventure!

The half-day tour course is a beginner's course with many gentle currents. Even the timid Ko-kun enjoyed standing at the front of the packraft. Sora-chan, a curious Papillon, stood at the front of the packraft from the beginning, and seemed to relax as she got used to it.

At the end of the course, there is a place called "Rap" where the current is fast, but by the time you get here, you will be used to maneuvering the packraft, so you can enjoy the feeling of splashing along. If you feel like "I want to go down a river with more current" on the half-day course, next time try another course such as the full-day course!

Here we will introduce some items that are unique to traveling with dogs and useful items from a dog lover's perspective.

[Essential items to bring]
・Life jackets for dogs that can be put on a leash *These are not available for rental, so please bring your own for safety.
・Leash *It's okay if it gets wet (it's convenient to have a spare lead)
·towel
・Sickness bag

[Things that are useful to have]
・Rash guard for dogs
·brush
・Protection against the cold ※Your dog will get wet so please take precautions according to the season and breed

By the way, there is no fee for dogs to participate in the "Kuma no River Play Club". If you have a small dog, you can bring two on a single-seater packraft. For medium-sized dogs, please use a single packraft, and for large dogs, please use a two-seater packraft. Dogs vary in size, so if you are unsure whether your dog will fit on the boat, please ask when making your reservation.

"Kumano River Play Club" offers a spectacular river tour that you can enjoy with your beloved dog. The half-day course is suitable for beginners and novice dogs.

By the way, the day we visited was cloudy and looked like it might rain, but on a sunny day the river and greenery sparkle under the blue sky, just like in the photo. On a cloudy day with no wind, the surrounding scenery is reflected on the calm river's surface, and on a sunny day, the contrast between the blue sky and the greenery is stunning!

Why not try the Kumano River Play Club river rafting tour with your dog, where you can enjoy beautiful scenery no matter what the weather?

Address: 1520 Asari KihoTown Mie Prefecture, 519-5718
Meeting point for half-day tours: 8-1 Tamakiguchi, Kumanogawacho, Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture, 647-1231
Access: About 45 minutes from Kumano Otomari IC on the Kumano Owase Road via National Route 42, National Route 311, and National Route 169
*The meeting place varies depending on the tour, so please check in advance.
Parking: Available (free)
Opening hours: Open according to tour reservation times.
Closed days: None *Tours are held according to reservations.
Phone number: 090-1077-1725
Official site: https://www.kumakawabu.com/
Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/kumano_kawaasobi_bu/