A Thrilling Walk High up in the Beppu Trees

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:00 JST, January 14, 2021

I felt I was getting out of shape. So I went in search of a place to work out and found Forest Adventure Beppu near Shidaka Lake. It’s a spot where you can move around among the trees. It reminded me of a shoot in Kanagawa Prefecture I’d been on location for when I was doing a TV show.

While I was there, I walked along a platform that was way up in the trees and even crossed a suspension bridge. I’ll be honest you — heights are not generally my thing. Brimming with fear, I looked at the ground far below for some reason. My limbs: shaking. Head: spinning. But I kind of got used to being up there and even started to enjoy the thrill of it all. Pretty weird, right?

At Forest Adventure Beppu, you go from tree to tree and there’s a bunch of obstacles. They have two courses and one is more difficult than the other. But their most popular attraction is the zip line where people tear through the forest. It’s Tarzan-esque!

Before you start the obstacle course, the staff lead you through the safety procedures and also hook you up to a harness that stays on for the entire course. I think that should be enough for even beginners to want to give it a go.

Getting some exercise high up in the trees with all of that fresh air is just the best.

I’m ready for round two!