After making a quick base, packraft at a nearby lake.
Recently, I thought to myself. I recently thought, "Camping is a lot more fun than you might think once you get used to it.
In the beginning, I tried to cook elaborate meals, but it was just too tiring for someone who doesn't cook well at home to cook elaborate meals just because we were camping. So I decided to go the chill route. It's fun to just sit around the campfire and drink alcohol, but it's not enough.
In such cases, we recommend a camping style that combines activities. The activities you combine can be anything: MTB, sea kayaking, fishing, etc., depending on where you camp and your own preferences.
We will be camping at the Hikawa Campground in Okutama. There is a lake in that area where even beginners can paddle, so we decided on packrafting as our activity.
Shiromaru Lake is located upstream of the Tama River. Unfortunately, the water was muddy that day due to the continuous rain, but it is usually surprisingly clear.
A packraft, as the name implies, is a raft that can be packed and carried. It is a one-person version of the inflatable boats used for rafting. In addition to leisurely paddling on the lake, this activity is also a thrilling whitewater rafting experience that is rapidly gaining popularity these days.
Kentaro Fukuda is the one who invited us to this camping trip. He is a big fan of camping, which led him to launch the "Wantan" brand.
This brand is also interesting, specializing not in gear but in the bags that hold it. The bags are made of Dyneema, a functional material that allows the contents to show through, and look just like a wonton. I thought it was a little bit out of the mainstream, and perfect for this activity camp.
When you arrive at the campsite, the first thing you need to do is quickly build a base. We brought only the bare minimum of gear. Since this is a base camp, there is no need to bring excessive gear.
Camping with a full load of gear is like moving light."
Mr. Fukuda is right. When camping with a large amount of gear, most of the camping time is taken up by setting up and taking down. It is no longer about the activities.
The camping gear I brought this time was just a chair, table, tent, and cooler bag. It's enough for what we need, right?
After securing a base camp, it was time to go packrafting. There is a place called Shiromaru-ko (Lake Shiromaru) about 5 minutes by car from the campground, which is just right for first-time packrafting. The packraft itself can be carried in a backpack, so it is easy to access by train in the Okutama area.
When you arrive at Shiromaru Lake, prepare your packraft. Well, when I say "prepare," I mean inflate it with air, assemble the paddles, and you're done. This ease of use is one of the charms of packrafting.
A complete set fits in a backpack like this. Since the packraft itself weighs only 3 kg, some people in Alaska travel in this style for long periods of time in the wilderness.
The packraft is inflated with the included inflation bag. Once you get used to it, it takes about 5 minutes. Using a rechargeable air pump makes it even easier.
Finally, Mr. Fukuda went out on a packraft for the first time. However, the packraft is very stable, so he had no problem paddling it on the lake. Mr. Fukuda maneuvered the paddle skillfully and became accustomed to its operation in no time.
It's fun and fresh because it's my first time looking at things from a new perspective."
That's right. Normally, you can only view a lake from the shore, but just floating on the lake in a packraft is quite pleasant.
It's not that we're doing anything amazing, but it's an adventure. You can even float on the surface of the lake with a cool breeze and take a nap.
Be careful of the wind when paddling on the lake. Packrafts are easily affected by the wind, so it is best not to leave the shore too far. Although the packrafts are capable of rafting even in very steep rapids, it is recommended to join a guided tour for your first river rafting trip for safety reasons.
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