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The crisp sunlight that can only be found on the plateau sparkles on the water. The pure water is clear all the way to the bottom of the lake, and the green of the surrounding trees reflects on its surface. The blade of the paddle creates small waves on the smooth water . The gentle breeze carries the quiet echoes of children's laughter.
Surrounded by the Shinano Five Peaks, Lake Nojiri sparkles like a jewel. During the Taisho era, foreign missionaries discovered its natural beauty and refreshing summer climate, making it a popular summer resort. It continues to be beloved by vacationers and visitors who eschew the hustle and bustle of popular tourist destinations like Karuizawa, and even today, it exudes a sophisticated and tranquil atmosphere . Water sports like canoeing , yachting, and board sailing are also popular, and many people return to Lake Nojiri . SUP cruising has been gaining attention in recent years . Its popularity allows visitors to fully enjoy Lake Nojiri's natural beauty on the ideal slopes within Joshinetsu Kogen National Park. The pioneers of this "lake SUP" are the husband and wife duo, Hayato and Haruna Maruyama. In the summer, they host SUP schools and tours , sharing the joys of SUP with visitors to the lake.
The Maruyama couple will be a familiar name to anyone who enjoys snowy mountains and snowboarding. Known by his nickname "Bubbles," Maruyama Hayato is one of Japan's legendary snowboarding riders , boasting a career spanning nearly 40 years. After a successful professional career, he left the competition world behind to focus on freeriding, traversing snowy mountains around the world. He currently rides for GENTEMSTICK , synonymous with the popular " snow surfing " style that has opened up new possibilities for snowboarding , and as a snow ambassador for Patagonia , he is spreading the joy of snowy mountains. Haruna also rides for the same brand , continuing to carve lines in the powder snow with her beautiful, relaxed riding style.
The two have been devoted to snowy mountains since their teens , and now live in Shinanomachi, on the shores of Lake Nojiri, where they enjoy activities in both seasons and fields : "winter and summer" and "snowy mountains and lakes." They first encountered SUP in 2010. Both of them first tried it in the Shonan sea. Haruna vividly remembers the impression they had at that time.
"The waves were so strong I couldn't even stand up once. I was on all fours (laughs). My muscles were so sore that the next day I could n't even go down the stairs . " It was probably not a good first experience, but Haruna had a different opinion. "I thought, 'This is great!' It was like the best training ever. At the time, my upper body was skinny and only my legs were developed, but as I continued, my balance improved so much. My skating also changed. I really felt that my snowboarding had improved, so I wanted to spread the word to everyone."
"Since I started SUP , my body has felt so much better when snowboarding season starts. I used to have back pain, but now it's completely gone. " The two started SUP as part of their snowboarding training , but it didn't take long for them to become attracted to it.
"We used it as a travel tool ," says Bubbles. "We both surf , and if we had an SUP in the car , we could paddle out to places we wanted to go even when there weren't any waves. It gave us more time to play." When they went on a road trip around Kyushu at the time , the SUP was also the perfect travel partner . "We'd look at the map and say, 'This island looks like it could be made,' and we'd cross the ocean with little momentum , and once we'd gone beyond the cape we'd get swept away by stronger currents and winds than we'd expected, and we'd often experience the harshness of nature (laughs)."
Now, the Maruyamas are blessed with two children: a 5- year-old son, Keito, and a 2- year-old daughter, Aina. "Before we had a family, I felt like I could go anywhere I wanted, even to go skiing, and I didn't care how long I left home," says Bubbles.
"Until I had children, I only thought about my own snowboarding . I would work and use any money I had to go snowboarding. I would go to New Zealand in the summer and think about snowboarding all year round," Haruna agrees. But now, "my family is my standard for everything, but rather than being indispensable, they're an absolute presence there," says Bubbles. For Haruna, " they're my energy source for everything." Her lifestyle has also changed dramatically. She now spends more time in her hometown and has deepened her connections with the local community and people. Haruna grows vegetables in her garden at home and even hosts an organic market in town. Her relationship with SUP has also changed as her children have grown.
"I had a great experience last summer," says Bubbles. "I went tandem with Keito in the ocean in Okinawa, went out to the rocks offshore, snorkeled and fished, and then rode the broken waves off the reef back to the beach . I realized there are so many ways to enjoy SUP , and above all, it's something the whole family can enjoy."
Keito used to enjoy jumping off his SUP and splashing around on the water, but even that has changed. "There's an island on Lake Nojiri, and we usually go back and forth on tours, but this spring Keito paddled back and forth by himself for the first time. It's only a distance of less than two kilometers , but it's amazing to see him grow right before your eyes," Bubbles says with a happy smile. The Maruyama family paddles their SUP on the lake . Snowboarding is an extreme sport that can sometimes be dangerous. For the two of them, SUPing as a family is probably a relaxing time. They are a close couple. "He's both kind and strict," Bubbles says, while Haruna respects each other, saying, "He's very serious and family-oriented." " We work and play together all the time, so we sometimes clash, and sometimes we fight. But spending time in nature through snowboarding and SUP helps us connect," they say with a smile . What kind of SUP life will the Maruyama family lead in the future ? I'm sure the more you paddle, the more smiles you'll have.
Maruyama Family Favorite Items
