Nagatoro offers a diversity of activities. You can take an hike along the river to admire the beautiful cliffs that surround the river Ara-kawa. Those cliffs are called “iwadatami“ as it looks like a pile of tatami. The nature there is luxurious, and autumn is recommended to enjoy the leafs turning red and golden. In this Take a traditional Japanese lunch by the river, in this lush environment, that you previously bought in the shopping street of Nagatoro that leads to the river.
In the afternoon, you can take a ride the rapids of the river Ara-kawa in an old fashion Japanese boat. There are three different companies that offers this opportunity. You can find detailed informations at the tourist information center that is located next to Nagatoro train station. The operator’s office are located there as well. There is no need to book tickets the in advance. You can choose between two different courses that both take around 30min. Unfortunatly, we couldn’t try when I was there but I think it’s a must when in Nagatoro !
Just at this entrance of Nagatoro Iwatadami area, you can jump from the cliffs into the river. We had a lot of fun swimming and jumping with locals, and we relaxed there until sunset that offer beautiful lightning.