I think it’s been about 40 years since I started paddling. Before that, I was involved in surfing, backpacking, and backcountry skiing, and I also spent time working as a commercial diver doing underwater construction and survey work. I feel that all of those experiences have contributed to the way I approach sea journeys by paddle.
I also have a deep interest in and respect for many traditional types of boats. I love paddle surfing with waveskis and SUPs as well, but what makes kayaks special to me is that they feel less like craft and more like clothing or footwear. My idea of kayaking is becoming one with the kayak — becoming a centaur of the sea.
I founded Cetus, a specialty sea kayak and waveski shop, in 1993. At first, we handled sea kayaks in general, but I gradually became especially passionate about folding kayaks because they allowed me to travel anywhere even without a car. By around 1996, about 90% of our kayak business focused on Feathercraft.
Some people around me have kayaked all the way around Japan, and others travel to famous destinations overseas. I also love paddling trips with camping along the way, but more than the sense of achievement or becoming known for doing something extreme, what I enjoy most are one-way paddling trips using trains or buses, traveling to remote islands by plane or ferry and exploring them by kayak, and choosing beautiful places simply for the joy of the journey itself. I have also organized tours like these as part of my work. Even when my tours are commercial tours, they are usually not the kind where everything — kayaks, meals, and all arrangements — is fully provided. Instead, my style is more about acting as a group leader and enjoying the journey together with customers who use folding kayaks.
For me, a kayak absolutely must be foldable. At the same time, TRAK is also the kayak with the best handling and paddling feel I have ever experienced in over 40 years of paddling — including hard-shell kayaks. After Feathercraft disappeared, both my work and personal paddling gradually shifted more toward SUP, and without discovering TRAK, Cetus might eventually have become purely a SUP specialty shop. TRAK reignited my passion for folding kayaks and has become something truly special to me!
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