Staff

Meet the HappyRaft Crew…
We have a great team who love living and working on the Yoshino River. All of our guides are licenced by the RAJ - Rafting Association of Japan, and our canyoning guides hold licences from the CIC. We undergo rigourous training throughout the summer to ensure the safest most fun day possible. Our Kitchen staff make the finest river lunches anywhere.

Mark Treston

Mark is the owner of HappyRaft. He has been rafting and kayaking for twelve years in Australia, Nepal, Canada, and Japan. He likes all water sports, rugby, and snow-boarding. He also likes katsu curries and fish and chips, and will do anything for a meat pie. Mark is married to Sachi -the bagel making genius, and has a daughter named Ellie who is 8.

Teru Katsuragawa

Teru is one of the founding members of HappyRaft. Teru has been rafting and kayaking for 9 years. He has rafted and kayaked some mean rivers in Japan, New Zealand, Chile and Australia. This year Teru competed in the Teva-Red-Bull Wairoa Extreme down-river kayak race and finished alive. Teru owns and runs the HappyGuest-House and is the proud dad of Shanty.

Satoshi Asano

Satoshi has been rafting and kayaking for 7 years. He is an avid climber, and loves snow-boarding. Satoshi has been a lead member of our canyoning program since it began. In winter Satoshi works in Hakuba on ski-patrol. He is a big-waterfall specialist, and likes Katsu-dons cold beer and Tai food.

mezza

Mezza has guided on the famous Zambezi River in Africa. He has a lively and quite unique personality. Mezza brings a smile to the face of everyone he meets. Mezza`s trips down the river are always an unforgettable experience

Steve Anderson

Steve is a New Zeeland native from Rangitata river on the south island. He has over 12 years experience as a rafting guide in 14 countries around the world. You are defiantly in safe hands with Steve on the river. Steve loves salmon sushi and goes crazy for mango pino ice cream snacks

Masayuki Iwamori

Ma is originally from Hokkaido. His long Rasta dreads give him an almost Zen like Bob Marley presence at Happy Raft. You are guaranteed to have a great time with Ma as your river guide. Besides rafting Ma is into surfing and snowboarding. His favorite food is grilled fish.

kobu

Rob

Rob has lived in Japan for 3 years and has now started his rafting guide training. He is determined to become a great new addition to the Happy Raft crew this year. In his spare time Rob enjoys mountain biking and cooking curry.

Yumi Noda

Yumi Noda 10 years guiding experience around the Yoshino river. An avid climber and kayaker, Yumi runs the Midorinotokei (green clock tower guest-house) and can drink beer with the best of them. She is HappyRafts most senior guide and a big sister to us all.