We were ‘stuck’ in Nakagawa for two days in the middle of a planned six-day canoe trip down the Teshio River. This was by design. Haidee had an online academic conference she had to go to, so we holed ourselves up in the Ponpira Aqua Rizuing Hotel for three nights. Big room. WIFI. Onsen on the second floor. Compared with the previous few nights in a tent, we were were living like royalty.
On our first morning walk in Nakagawa, we passed by the Napoto Park information center, and one of the staff (whom I’d met online at a local adventure tourism symposium) concurred that the loop along the Toyomanai River was a nice one.
“I run that loop quite often,” he said. “Just keep left at the junctions, and you’ll make the loop no problem.”
The trail was a bit muddier in places than we’d expected. I was in Keen sandals (with socks…the horror), and Haidee was in very porous bare-foot shoes. We both got a bit muddy, but it wasn’t a huge disaster – there was a shoe-cleaning area in the entrance of the hotel.
It was a nice walk. Not one I’d necessarily make the trip to Nakagawa for, just for that walk. But if you’re there, and you need to stretch the legs, it itches that scratch.
