Video link: http://youtu.be/Fo4fc8AufeY
During June 4-12, 2011, about 40 rowers from Europe, Australia, and the US visited Shiga Prefecture to row completely around Lake Biwa, Japan’s largest lake.
It is unusual to have so many Western visitors coming to Shiga, so we gave them a warm welcome, especially after the radiation scare in faraway Fukushima. Note that Shiga has had absolutely no increase in radiation levels after the Fukushima nuclear plant accident.
Unfortunately, about 20 people got spooked by the radiation and canceled their trip to Japan. To take the place of these people, the Seta Rowing Club in Otsu (host of this rowing tour) recruited people in Japan to join this Lake Biwa rowing tour. The cost was 120,000 yen which included hotel lodging at Hotel Laforet in Moriyama, meals, and tour fees.
The tour also included a day trip to see Enryakuji temple and Hikone Castle on June 9 when I accompanied the group as a photographer and guide. See the video I took above, when they rowed from Nagahama to Hikone, including Takeshima island.
See the rowing map and schedule here:
http://www.setarc.jp/2011fisatour/11%20FISA%20Tour%20MAP(E).pdf
