Stand-up Paddleboarding

We’ve heard so much about summer activities in Niseko: golf, cycling, horse riding, rafting, tennis and countless others that we thought its time to bring you something different!

Introducing… Stand Up Paddle boarding (SUP)—a new summer activity now available in Niseko.

SUP stands for either Stand Up Paddle surfing or Stand Up Paddle boarding and as Niseko doesn’t have waves, we will go with the Boarding.

The history of SUP dates back in the 1960s when a few Stand Up Paddle surfers were first seen in Hawaii. This new style was originally intended to train surfers back then. However, the big surfboard was re-developed into an inflatable surfboard in Colorado and other states, making SUP possible in rivers with its improved stability and shock resistance. SUP really is one of the mainstream outdoor activities in North America and now the world.

Shonan Beach (a surf area near Tokyo) is one of the most popular place for Japanese to surf and with the quickly growing number of Stand Up Paddle Surfers increase, you will see numerous beaches with an abundance of SUP riders as you drive along the coast.

There are different size of boards – short boards are approximately 2.9 meters long, and long boards are typically 3.2m length, but the best thing is that you can deflate it and easily take your board anywhere.

As soon as we found out that one of the fastest growing outdoor activities in the whole world was available in Niseko, we booked our first river SUP experience with our friends at NAC (Niseko Adventure Centre).

The rain stopped on the day, and we were all thrilled, donning our dry suits to protect us from the cold water of the late spring snow melt.

Firstly, we learned how to stand up on the board, how to hold and use a paddle. Then we took a group photo and we’re off to explore the local river. Thanks to the friendly, experienced guide, it didn’t take long for us beginners to balance on the board and to feel comfortable and safe. Taking in the beautiful deep green trees, and follow to flow of the river, we kept paddling down stream

After a short while we stopped for a rest break at a scenic waterfall, but not for long, as SUP fun continued, passing through a tunnel made of tree branches, enjoying the slow current of the river as watching some of us plunging into water- either by accident or for fun. After numerous smiles and laughter with SUP buddies, we soon reached the 3-4km basic course goal point.

For those wearing glasses or sunglasses, straps are required to keep them on, or we advise to wear disposal lenses if you wear contacts. Other than these basic suggestions, anyone 6 years old and over is welcome to this SUP tour. The suits worked well to keep our clothes dry and body warm; even after occasional plunges, which was a big surprise.

This time SUP tour was operated by NAC (Niseko Adventure Centre) who have been providing guided tours for years in Niseko. Our guide Tsubasa was very friendly, allowing us to get the most out of SUP experience comfortably the entire time.

Contact NAC or the team at SummerJapan.com for more information, and plan for one of your most memorable summer days in Niseko.

SummerJapan.com 0136 22 4611 / NAC 0136 23 2093