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Refresh your Mind Body and Soul Educational Adventures in the Great Outdoors Canyons is a leading outdoor education provider offering year round adventure activities and team-building experiences in the mountains of Japan. Our fun and flexible programs provide rewarding learning opportunities and unforgettable adventures all within a safe and carefully supervised environment. Students will sample a wide range of exhilarating challenges, each with their own unique set of learning outcomes, and leave with a healthy respect for nature. Our professional team of multi-national “adventure mentors” guide students every step and splash of the way, ensuring that each individual is reaching their potential and of course having fun! From the moment student groups arrive, the mentors are on-hand to see that everyone is comfortable, happy and entertained, leaving time for accompanying teachers to get on with other tasks or even relax! Our adventures are not just about fun. With our “challenge by choice” philosophy, we work towards every student leaving with a feeling of achievement. Our goal is that each Canyons customer will take away a greater understanding of themselves, as well as an appreciation for the great outdoors! We are happy to customise activity elements or overall programs to align with relevant curriculum guidelines, whether these relate to ADVENTURE CULTURE, SERVICE or more specific course topics such as environmental studies, science, geography and cultural studies. Outdoor Education Canyons Ltd,Yubiso 45, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. www.canyons.jp [email protected] tel: +81 (0) 2787-22-811 Refresh your Mind Body and Soul Location and Access Canyons main center is based in Minakami, a traditional Japanese spa town in the mountains of Gunma Prefecture, just a few hours from Tokyo. Minakami and the surrounding area is renowned as one of Japan’s premiere locations for summer and winter adventure sports, counting Mount Tanigawa, Joshinetsu National Park and one of Japan’s most exciting rivers, the Tone, among its many natural attractions. Access is easy. By coach Canyons is four hours from Narita Airport. The bullet train to nearby Jomo Kogen Station (15 minutes from Minakami) takes just over one hour from Tokyo. Canyons provides bus transfers to and from local stations. or can organise transfers to and from airports. Japan Our Playground Come and play in our backyard! We also operate bases in several other areas including Yuzawa, Nozawa, Okutama and Kusatsu, enabling us to take advantage of the best spots for different adventures and stunning scenery to match. Outdoor Education Gunma Canyons Ltd,Yubiso 45, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. www.canyons.jp [email protected] tel: +81 (0) 2787-22-811 Refresh your Mind Body and Soul Our Facilities Alpine Lodge Minakami Our friendly, spacious riverside lodge is the ideal base for a residential camp. A welcoming and relaxed environment to exercise and be energetic, relax and contemplate, or recover for the next adventure. The comprehensive facilities include comfortable onsite accommodation and Canyons very own restaurant, serving a delicious array of international and Japanese cuisine. Your group can relax and socialise on the large, covered deck, try out the skate half-pipe, hone skills on the pool table and table football, or chill out in the TV room. Accommodation Groups of up to 100 people can be accommodated in a mixture of bunkrooms and Japanese-style rooms with comfortable futons on the tatami mat floors. Most rooms sleep 4-6 occupants, however a few larger rooms are available by prior arrangement. The lodge features Japanesestyle male and female bath facilities, showers and western-style toilets in addition to a washing machine and drying room. Should you choose to stay elsewhere, Canyons can recommend and arrange alternative accommodation for your group in one of the many high-quality lodges and hotels in the area. Outdoor Education Canyons Ltd,Yubiso 45, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. www.canyons.jp [email protected] tel: +81 (0) 2787-22-811 Summer Adventures! whitewater rafting, canyoning, nature walks, mountain biking, climbing, canoeing, hiking, bunjy jumping, caving, bbqs, abseiling Refresh your Mind Body and Soul Summer Adventures Green Season in Japan is a long affair stretching from April when the snows begins to melt, until November, when once again the temperatures start to get chilly again. The snowmelt swells the river and makes the Tone a white water paradise with world class rapids. We have a wide range of activites on offer and will customize the level to the needs of your group. Rafting Grade 3-4 rapids in high water season & Grade 1-2 rapids in summer. Canyoning Jumps, slides, swims, waterfalls and ropework. Mountain Biking Downhill MTB on some great mountain trails Lake Canoeing & Kayaking Exploring the environment around the Naramata Lake Bungy Jumping Japans highest and most scenic bungy over the Tone(42 metre) Paragliding Either tandem jumps or learning the basics of take-off, flight and landing on the bunny slope, never more than a metre or so off the ground. Hiking Anything from half day to multiday. Famous peaks or natural outdoor hot springs. Caving Get a new perspective on Japan as you explore below ground. Climbing Introduction to rope skills and climbing techniques. Indoor and outdoor options available. Orienteering/Geocaching Navigate your way around one of 3 courses solving problems as you go. Whitewater Skills Learn the basics of whitewater and river skills. Outdoor Education Canyons Ltd,Yubiso 45, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. www.canyons.jp [email protected] tel: +81 (0) 2787-22-811 Refresh your Mind Body and Soul Team Building With experienced facilitators on staff, our team building programes are popular with corporate clients and schools alike. Challenging, rewarding and fun. Some popular options are listed below, and as with everything we do, customizing to fit the goals of the students is encouraged. Teambuilding games Following the Project Adventure (PA) methodoligy, we use a variety of games and activities to mold your group in to a "performing" team. Each activity is customized to the groups level and stage on the team spectrum. The focus is firmly on communication, teamwork and learning as your team have to brainstorm and experiment together as your ingenuity is put under the spotlight. Raft Building With a team of your peers and the most basic of equipment plan, design and construct a raft to carry to a specific point. Sink or swim depending on your team’s abilities. Adventure Race A multi-discipline day that puts team dynamics, strategy and determination to the test, as your team negotiate the problems and activities along the course. Outdoor Education Canyons Ltd,Yubiso 45, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. www.canyons.jp [email protected] tel: +81 (0) 2787-22-811 Sa leSummer Adventure Camp Itinerary p m Day One Arrive Narita Airport Met by Canyons Staff Bus Transfer to Canyons Alpine Lodge Welcome Meeting Dinner at Canyons Alpine Café Day Two Cooked breakfast at Canyons Alpine Café Half day Canyoning Tour Lunch Half day Rafting Tour Hearty dinner at Canyons Alpine Café Evening Activities Day Three Cooked breakfast at Canyons Alpine Café Half day River Cleaning Lunch Half day Mountain Biking Tour Hearty dinner at Canyons Alpine Café Movie Night Day Four Cooked breakfast at Canyons Alpine Café Full day hike to natural hot spring lake in Kusatsu Picnic lunch Dinner at local restaurant Evening Activities Day Five Half day Lake Canoeing Lunch Half day Paragliding Flight Basics BBQ dinner Prize giving Toasting marshmallows over a campfire Day Six Cooked breakfast at Canyons Alpine Café Transfer to Tokyo Lunch in traditional Restaurant Half day Tokyo Cultural Tour & Sightseeing Depart Winter Adventures! Skiing, Snowboarding, Snowshoeing, Backcountry Tours, Snowmobiling, Cross Country skiing, Snowball fights, Igloo building Refresh your Mind Body and Soul Winter Adventures Japan is famous for great snow and premium skiing. Resorts generally open in mid-December, with dates depending on the snowfall. Midwinter snow lasts through January and February, with spring conditions around mid-March. Higher resorts stay open until the Golden Week holidays at the beginning of May and others finish up a bit earlier. Individual resorts nestle next to each other across the mountains. Each one has its own character and challenges, giving your group different choices to explore. Talk to us and we will work out the best plan to fit your goals, group size and accommodate seasonal factors. Ski School Canyons has a team of English-speaking professional ski and snowboard instructors. Many of them spend the entire year on skifields around the world. They are all selected for their ability to relate to students and provide fun lessons. Our team are passionate about snow and keen to pass that on to their students. Canyons caters for all sorts of challenges, from beginner to advanced level, race training, freestyle, powder clinics, cross country or telemark. Outdoor Education Canyons Ltd,Yubiso 45, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. www.canyons.jp [email protected] tel: +81 (0) 2787-22-811 Refresh your Mind Body and Soul Winter Adventures Snowshoe Tours A snowshoe tour is a great way to appreciate the natural beauty and tranquility of the Japanese mountains - a stunning environment many people never get a chance to see. The hikes up to frozen waterfalls, secret caves or hidden temples are always a highlight of a mountain adventure and students learn en route about the local flora and fauna. Our snowshoe guides are also well versed in local history and legend and they love telling those stories. The mountain environment is a memorable classroom and lessons learned here are especially vivid. Learning in the outdoors, especially with an environmental focus makes for a very vivid experience. Our winter programmes take advantage of our location to help the students understand as much as they can about their winter surroundings. Snow science Snow is so much more than the white stuff that you slide on. Weather, geography, ice crystals, the water cycle and temperature all combine to give the students a fascinating understanding and help them to appreciate the snow they see all around them. Backcountry experience Venture away from the resort and a whole different world opens up. A carefully controlled introduction to safe practices, the equipment and the environment is valuable knowledge, and offers an insight into the beauty and power to be found in the mountains. Snow craft courses Many people see snow and the first instinct is either to make a snowman or a snowball. Snow craft allows the students to indulge their creative side with structured challenges. Armed with the right tools and techniques an igloo or snow shelter (where you will eat your dinner) is a very realistic goal and immensely fulfilling to make. Sculptures are another popular choice. Outdoor Education Canyons Ltd,Yubiso 45, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. www.canyons.jp [email protected] tel: +81 (0) 2787-22-811 le p m Sa Sample Winter Adventure Itinerary Day 1 Arrive Tokyo. Transfer to Canyons Day 2 Ski at Houdaigi Day 3 Ski at Houdaigi Day 4 Half day Snowshoe Tour Afternoon Off Night Ski at Okutone Day 5 Ski at Gala Yuzawa Day 6 Ski at Kagura Day 7 Transfer to Tokyo. Half day Tokyo tour. Depart Refresh your Mind Body and Soul Customised Programs There are plenty of options for your summer and winter adventures and we are happy to design a program that incorporates the elements your students require. In the unlikely event that we can’t do it, we will find someone who can. We work closely with travel agents in Tokyo who can arrange most things in and around the capital. Whether your students are looking for an action-packed adventure, a chance to discover the natural beauty and fascinating culture of Japan, engage in some team building and experiential learning, or get involved in some community service/environmental awareness activities, Canyons can create the ideal program. The options are endless so if you let us know what aspects your require, we will find some options. Some examples: Wadaiko drum workshop Learn the basics to this ancient Japanese drum tradition. Takumino Sato Craft Village A very hands-on learning experience where students have a go at a traditional crafts. Tokyo based cultural tours The capital has so much to offer that a side trip is too good an opportunity to pass up. Community/Environmental River Cleaning /Tree Planting Blogging for local tourism Teaching English to local students Outdoor Education Canyons Ltd,Yubiso 45, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. www.canyons.jp [email protected] tel: +81 (0) 2787-22-811 Refresh your Mind Body and Soul Safety Canyons has an impeccable safety record spanning 14 years of operation and a reputation for outstanding guide capability. All of our operational procedures are based on international best practices and standards. Canyons practices are in accordance with the following professional associations: NZRA New Zealand Rafting Association CIC International Association of Professional Canyoning Guides WFA Wilderness Alert First Aid NZSIA New Zealand Snowsports Instructors Alliance All of our guides and instructors are internationally licensed professionals with a passion for the outdoors. Outdoor Education Canyons Ltd,Yubiso 45, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. www.canyons.jp [email protected] tel: +81 (0) 2787-22-811 Refresh your Mind Body and Soul Teachers Pack We understand that schools and parents have high expectations of outdoor education operators and the teachers that organize trips. In order to make the organization as easy as possible we have created the “Teachers Pack”. A collection of documents to aid in the creation of your trip and inform parents of details. The pack includes: Risk assessment Parental consent forms Pupil record sheet Operator and activity explanation (power point - can be used for school and parent briefing) Quote generator Insurance details Outdoor Education Canyons Ltd,Yubiso 45, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. www.canyons.jp [email protected] tel: +81 (0) 2787-22-811 Testimonials Just wanted to say thank you very much for everything last week. It was a great trip and I have had so many emails from the parents, I have attached them below as they are raving about the instructors and thought it would be nice for you guys to hear. We were very impressed with the slickness of the whole trip, it seemed that nothing was forgotten and everything had been thought of. (It may have not felt like that to you! But it definitely was one of the best and easiest ski trips I have taken) I think all of the instructors and staff that worked with our students were fantastic. That alone would ensure a return trip from us. Working everyday in a school environment it can be easy to be critical of coaches and instructors, but it was faultless for every instructor. In my experience this is a difficult task, but your instructors managed to be constantly enthusiastic, fun, patient, kind, and extremely professional. I haven’t seen our kids waxing so lyrically about their instructors before, and never have the teachers felt like such a spare part and even feeling like it was a “holiday” trip and not just work!! (although better keep that quiet to all the other staff here!)? We had a group of mixed athletic abilities but the fact that every student walked off the slopes every day with an enormous feeing of success and at the end of the week, all were keen to come back on a ski trip again is testament to all of the instructors. Snowshoeing was great and a good break for the students. They really seemed to get together and were a lot more outgoing and chatty after that for the rest of the week. The Japanese meal was great and again something that they felt was well worth doing. We liked the ski resort at Houdaigi and it was a great beginners and intermediate range. It was great to go to Kagura and see something new too as well. Emma Hall Head of Senior PE, Tanglin Trust School, Singapore Our school has taken about 40 upper high school students on a three day outdoor challenge trip in early November for the last 6 years with Canyons Japan. We complete most of these activities each year: canyoning, caving, downhill mountain biking, rafting, rock climbing, orienteering and a campfire at Canyons base on the banks of the Tone river. Each year there is a waiting list for students to go on the trip and our school is in the process of expanding to a winter trip to include skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing. Canyons provides all equipment, which is well maintained and very functional, in one central location on the Tone river, the venue for most of the water activities. The Minakami base has hot showers, change rooms, restaurant, skateboard ramp, pool table and a huge indoor/outdoor deck overlooking the river. Students move easily from one activity to another meaning that they can experience much with little downtime. Canyons transport us on their own buses between activities, to and from our hotel and the local station. They also have on site accommodation at their base on the river banks. Students on all our trips invariably have a great time. They are challenged, in ability level groups and rise to the occasion doing things they would never ordinarliy tackle. Canyons encourages teachers to join in with students in the activities. It is rewarding and reassuring for teachers to know that students will love this trip, will gain great outdoor experience and a respect for the natural environment. Students will also gain a valuable insight into the Japanese reverence for nature and will be effectively organized, instructed and led by the Canyons staff. We will continue our relationship with Canyons Japan into the future as these trips meet our needs for quality outdoor education. Dave Gotterson Department Head, High School Social Studies, The American School in Japan Outdoor Education Canyons Ltd,Yubiso 45, Minakami-machi, Tone-gun, Gunma Prefecture, Japan. www.canyons.jp [email protected] tel: +81 (0) 2787-22-811