The "Raft Race" on the Tama River in western Tokyo

The 20th Annual Raft Race on the Tama River was held in late July this year. Several dozen teams constructed rafts out of just about anything that will float and then navigated them along a two kilometer course down the Tama River on the western edge of Tokyo.

すごうで勢揃いの選手達　

Our raft was made from truck tire inner tubes
and VERY thin plywood sheets.   We tried to make it as light as possible for speed.  Five rowers, including Ms. Tomoko Suzuki, an employee of Komae City Hall dressed up as a “water fairy”, braved the   -er-  rapids to complete the course in record time (at least for us). Actually, I think the raft this year was designed to only carry four rowers. We were underwater about three inches most of the way down the river. It was very hot that day, so I didn’t mind at all.

But I think we will have to try a different design next year. It was more like a submarine than a raft.

キーワード: event, Komae, race, Tama River, Tamagawa, travel, いかだレース, イベント, 多摩川, 旅, 狛江