Guides
For those looking to connect with a local guide, the profiles of certified Otari Salt Road Guides are listed below. For further details, including fees, please contact each guide directly.
Certified Guides
- Paul Deckret
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Guiding Area(s)：All Courses
Guiding Language(s)：English, Japanese -
I’m originally from the U.S., but now permanently reside in a 140-year-old home in Otari with my
wife and young son, right next to the Shionomichi.
I’m extremely passionate about the Salt Road and spend countless hours walking, running,
guiding, and doing trail maintenance on the route year round. I hope to share its beautiful scenery
and fascinating history with as many people from as many places as possible! Yoroshiku!
Certifications: Otari Salt Road Guide, Wilderness First Responder
- Yoko Watanabe
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Guiding Area(s): Chikuni-goe, Ishizaka-goe, Omine Toge-goe Courses
Guiding Language(s): Japanese - I first visited the village of Otari because of my love for skiing, and eventually, it became my home. I absolutely adore mountain hydrangeas and purple violets. Walking along the mountain paths, I enjoy encounters with the variety of leaves and flowers that change with the seasons. Otari is an area rich in both nature and history. I’d love to take a relaxed walk, and experience and feel the beauty of Otari with you.
- Shozo Tanaka
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Guiding Area(s): All Courses
Guiding Language(s): Japanese - I consider myself a storyteller of the Salt Road, and engage in photography and local history research. For guiding inquiries, please contact me by phone or text.
TEL：090 2547 0265
- Masao Kashiwagi
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Guiding Area(s): All Courses
Guiding Language(s): Japanese - In addition to the Salt Road, I’m also available to guide shinrin-yoku (forest therapy), snowshoeing, and stream fishing (both bait fishing and fly fishing). For stream fishing, I can guide you through everything from tying your own flies to the proper techniques.
TEL：090 4952 4970
- Yuji Sawado
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Guiding Area(s): All Courses
Guiding Language(s): Japanese - I was born and raised in Otari, and am from the pre-war generation, having previously worked as an antique dealer. Otari offers wonderful outdoor opportunities year-round, as long as the weather is kind, with each season bringing its own beauty. Having grown up in a time before cars, I carried everything on my own back. I’d rest here and there, climbing and descending mountain paths every day. Lately, however, my legs have been slowing down quite a bit. From the tough times of food shortages to today’s era of smartphones, much has changed during my lifetime. It would be a pleasure to walk the Salt Road, the path once traversed by oxen and porters, with you.
TEL：090 2762 0041
- Yoneo Matsuzawa
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Guiding Area(s): Chikuni-goe, Ishizaka-goe, Tenjindo-goe, Oami Toge-goe, Omine Toge-goe, Takamachi-goe Courses
Guiding Language(s): Japanese - I have been guiding the Salt Road for 25 years, and offer walks covering any or all of the entire route from Matsumoto to Itoigawa. In addition, I provide tours of famous spots, historic sites, and alpine plants in areas such as the Tsugaike Nature Park, Hakuba’s Happo Ridge, Omachi City, Hakuba Village, Otari Village, Itoigawa City, as well as the Kinasa and Oku-Susobana Nature Parks.
Guide Certification
The Shionomichi Kodo Club also offers guide certification and training courses. For more details, please contact us using the inquiry form below.
Inquire Here