Daiwa Living Co., Ltd., a member of the Daiwa House Group, signed a Gold Partnership agreement with the Japan Paracanoe Federation in 2023. We share the federation's slogan, "The ultimate barrier-free world on the water," and will work together to support the creation of a society where everyone can enjoy the water.

About Paracanoeing

Described as "barrier-free on the water," the number of participants is increasing every year. It was adopted as an official Paralympic event at the Rio 2016 Games and is primarily aimed at people with lower limb disabilities. Within the "sprint" category, where participants compete for finishing order on a 200m straight course with no current, there are two events, "kayak" and "vaa," which are played only with single (single-seater) boats. Furthermore, participants are divided into three classes depending on the level of disability.

・Kayaking: A single-seater competitive boat with a length of 5m and a width of at least 10cm at the point 50cm from the bottom, which is propelled by a paddle with blades on both ends. It became an official event at the Rio Paralympics in 1.

・Vaa...A competitive boat up to 7 meters long with a buoyancy device attached to one side and rowed with a paddle with a blade on only one side. This style was introduced at the 30 Tokyo Paralympics.

Paracanoe Classification
・L1...A class in which the torso cannot move at all and the rower must use only the strength of their shoulders and arms.
・L2...A class where you row using only the strength of your torso and arms.
・L3...A class where you row using only the strength of your hips, torso, and arms.

The appeal of paracanoeing, as told by Japan representative Monica Seryu and others

Monica Seto started canoeing in her first year of junior high school, suffered a spinal cord injury in her first year of high school, and after rehabilitation, decided in her second year of high school to aim for the Paralympics as a paracanoe athlete. As a member of the Japanese national team in the L1 class, she placed 8th at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, 5th at the 2019 World Championships, competed in the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics, and achieved her personal best of 6th place at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.

We asked Seta about the appeal of paracanoeing.
"The appeal of paracanoeing is that it's 'barrier-free on the water.' When you're in a wheelchair, there are often steps that prevent you from moving forward, and even when traveling with friends, I often find myself taking a different route. But once I was on the water, I was able to move forward just like everyone else. What's more, there are no speed limits or stop signs on the water. I was deeply moved by the fact that someone like me, with a disability, could move around freely."

According to Ms. Yoko Ueoka of the Japan Disabled Canoe Association,

"Canoeing is a sport that allows you to see a completely different world. People who are familiar with paracanoeing often say that they forget they're in a wheelchair. In fact, when we interact with people in wheelchairs, we are inevitably at different eye levels, which can make communication a little awkward. But once we get in a canoe together and are out on the water, able-bodied and disabled people are at the same eye level. It even makes each other's hearts barrier-free, which makes communication smoother, which is what makes it so appealing."

Message from Seta

"Paracanoe is a sport that cannot be done alone. When I first got injured, I would feel sorry or apologise whenever someone helped me in my daily life, but someone told me, "Try changing that 'sorry' to 'thank you,'" and that changed the way I deal with my disability. When I express the happiness I feel from being helped with a smile and say 'thank you,' the other person becomes happy, and that happiness comes back to me. It was at that moment that I realised I didn't need to feel inferior for receiving support. I would be delighted if the success of us para athletes could inspire more people to regain their self-confidence despite their disabilities. To that end, I will continue to challenge myself."

We strongly sympathize with the guidelines of the Japan Para Canoe Association, which aims to realize an inclusive society where everyone can participate, starting with parasports. Yamato Living will continue to support athletes, as there are many families, friends, and organizations that support them.