山本 啓太 Keita Yamamoto
Director of Kiaora Paddle and outdoor guide in Kihoku, Mie Prefecture, an area full of nature
Bio
After graduating from university, Yamamoto majored in outdoor studies at NMIT in New Zealand for two years. He then worked as a sea kayak, SUP, and snorkel guide in the Kerama Islands in Okinawa and Yokosuka in Kanagawa during the summer, while spending his winters in Minami Furano and Niseko in Hokkaido, working as a skiing and snowboarding guide.
Message
I studied Outdoor Studies for two years at a technical college in New Zealand, so I can also guide in English. I specialize in sea kayaking and SUP, and I am available for beginners as well as experienced guides. I am currently guiding mainly in the waters of Kihokucho, located in the southern part of Mie Prefecture, and I also guide on the surrounding seas and rivers on an irregular basis. I work with safety first. I strive to provide tours where you can learn the basics and improve while having fun.
Guide Q&A
Q: What is your most memorable experience in nature?
A scene from a nighttime kayaking trip when I was a student studying sea kayaking in Ebertusman National Park, New Zealand. Paddling a sea kayak under a night sky filled with stars, the paddles also glowed with luminous insects with each stroke. The glowing spectacle created by nature was intensely moving.
Q: What does nature represent to you?
It is a place to enjoy, a place to heal, and a place to work.
Q: What has nature taught you?
Fun, beauty and fear.
Q: What do you hope that people will get out of experiences with you as a guide?
The fun of paddle sports, the joy of playing in nature, and the ever-changing beautiful scenery.
