Do you know what kanji are in Dorokyō’s name?
If you speak Japanese, you might think that the “doro” comes from “mud”, which is pronounced the same way, but in this case the Kanji for “doro” means “stillness”, and evokes the image of a gentle, quietly flowing river. Said river is the namesake of this great gorge, which was designated a Place of Scenic Beauty by the Japanese government.
If you come to the gorge by car from Totsukawa, you’ll end up in an area called Dorohacchō. The name comes from a Japanese expression “Kuchi hacchō te hacchō”, which means “both eloquent and skilled”.
What does a place with such a lofty name look like? Take the path to the viewpoint after parking your car, and all of a sudden you’ll be hit with a jaw-dropping view of sheer cliffs. You’ll be shocked not only by the overwhelming scale of the cliffs, but by the bright, beautiful, emerald green river that flows between them. Your first thought will be, “This kind of scenery exists in Japan?!”
After climbing down the stairs you’ll reach the shore of the river. There, Mr. Higashi of Kawasemi Sightseeing Riverboats will take you on a riverboat tour of the gorge. He’s a native of Totsukawa and grew up playing in the gorge.
“We used to swim in the river, dive down from the rocks, and catch fish with spears. This river is home to sweetfish, red-spotted masu salmon, eel, and mitten crabs. We would catch and eat them together. When I was a kid I used to take buses on all kinds of expeditions, but this was the best hangout spot.”
As we listened to Mr. Higashi recounting his memories, the engine of the riverboat roared to life. Just as the gorge’s name implies, the current was completely smooth, and we slipped along the river’s surface easily. As we passed between rough, towering cliffs that closed in on either side, we began to feel as if we were embarking on an exciting adventure.
The water was so clear we could see the riverbed beneath us, and when we moved into a brightly sunlit place, the surrounding scenery reflected perfectly on the water’s surface. It was magical. It made us think of the Uyuni Salt Flats in Bolivia, famous for their glorious reflections of the sky.
“Dorokyō is like a natural dam. It’s about 25 meters at its deepest point.”
“This part originally jutted out of the water. See those deep cracks on the rocks of the cliff face? That’s why it’s so steep.”
“Up until now we’ve been in Nara Prefecture, but this side is Mie Prefecture and that side is Wakayama. Dorokyō is on the border of three prefectures.”
Here and there he would slow the boat down and explain the history of the gorge or the sights around us.
“In the spring the birds are very lively, and even kingfishers appear. In fall you can clearly hear the cries of the deer, and sometimes you can even see wild boar crossing the river. There are lots of animals here.”
“I really recommend coming here on summer mornings. Especially in June and July--the morning mist is beautiful. That or on humid summer nights. In the setting sun, the rocks are painted in a stunning red light, so the reflections at dusk are really something.”
Listening to Mr. Higashi tell us about his memories and experiences made us feel a connection with him as well as the gorge.
That’s probably why every year, between April and November, the Kawasemi sightseeing riverboats are such a popular attraction. Between 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., more than 100 visitors a day, on busy days, ride on Mr. Higashi’s boat. There are even some regular customers who come to see the gorge in each of the different seasons.
──How many stories do you have about Dorokyō?
Jeez, I don’t think I could count them (laughs).
──You know it like your own backyard, right? Tell me about some of the memories you’ve made here.
In the past, boats would come up from Shingu City in Wakayama, and they’d take about seven hours to get here. I used to sail around in an air propeller boat, like a little house boat, with tatami mats inside. Before the Japanese economic bubble, around the 1950s, a lot of people used to come to Dorokyō. Engine technology improved at that time too, so instead of seven hours it only took four to get to Shingu. Since we didn’t have any roads yet, that’s how I used to get around.
──Have you always lived in Totsukawa?
Nah, after I graduated school I left for about 20 years. But for family reasons I came back when I was 35. At first I worked in tile manufacturing and logging, and then I started the riverboat tours in 2004.
──What made you decide to do riverboat tours?
Well, my parents did business in the area and always said they wanted to start a riverboat touring company, but because this is a national park we couldn’t get permission. Then after a little while they relaxed the rules, so we decided to try it. I’m glad I played outside so much as a kid. I feel like I know how to make the tourists happy. I could be wrong though (laughs).
──So you got to fulfill your parents’ wish. It’s really nice that the place you used to play in as a child became your workplace later on in life.
(Laughs). Nature is my only companion, so it can be kind of tough sometimes, but I never get tired of doing it. I love it when the guests gasp in surprise when they see the gorge, and when I have time, I can fish for eel and catch crabs. I can make money with the boat and enjoy the river at the same time. That’s pretty nice.
──What’s tough about it?
It’s not easy when it rains a lot. We can predict when typhoons are coming, but during the monsoon season no one has any idea of how long it will rain for. The rain clouds are endless. When it’s really bad I drive the boat downstream and take it out the water, but that’s when it’s hardest. When we had that huge flood in the Kii Peninsula in 2011, it rained for four days straight, and the water in the gorge rose almost all the way to the top. My boat got damaged. It was a hard time.
──It’s hard to predict the weather, so that can be discouraging. What do you love about the gorge?
A lot of tourist places in Japan were changed a lot during the economic bubble, but this place hasn’t changed at all in 100 years. That might be the best thing about it for me. Also, people are free to do whatever water activities they want here. There are kids who do paddle surfing and canoeing here, and many people hike and eat picnics on the shore. There is really no other place like this in Japan.
──We think so too. Please tell us more about what makes this place special!
The kids of Totsukawa have stopped coming here to hang out. So what we have to do is protect this scenery and make it more enjoyable for them. In December last year, we held the Dorokyo Valley Music and Workshop Festival 2019 on the banks of the river, and there’s lots of other things in the works, so even I’m excited. I hope they’ll come to the gorge to hang out at least once.
We believe Mr. Higashi has stories just for you, too. If you want to hear more from this local, go meet him for yourself!
