Located in the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, Yanagawa flourished as a castle town during the Edo period (1603-1867). This famous sightseeing town is often referred to as the “Venice of Kyushu”.
A 930-km long network of canals known as horiwari flows throughout the town, leisurely like the passage of time.
While simply taking a leisurely stroll alongside the canals is enough to escape from the ordinary while enjoying the beauty of Yanagawa in each of its four distinct seasons, nothing beats a boat cruise down the canals themselves.
Yanagawa’s famous boat tours take you around the town’s network of canals in small boats known as donkobune.
From your little gondola-like boat you can immerse yourself in the relaxing sounds of the flowing water and the beauty of the many seasonal flowers, the willows swaying in the breeze, and the beautiful townscape of white walls above.
You can also enjoy the thrill of passing through tiny sluice gates, as well as the boatman’s skillful pole handling as he sings a song and shares a fact or two about the town.
If you take the moat tour course, when the outer and inner moats meet you can enjoy the views of the red brick Namikura warehouses. These structures were built in the Meiji era (1868-1912) and represent a very traditional Yanagawa scenery.
The river cruise takes about 60 to 70 minutes.
There are four boarding locations within a 5-10 minute walk from Nishitetsu Yanagawa Station.
You can also enjoy exclusive seasonal cruises in summer and winter.
The summer hikaribune (boat of light) cruise offers superb views of the moat lit up at night, usually offered from mid-July to early October.
In winter, you can enjoy the kotatsu-bune cruise, in which a kotatsu (a table with a brazier in it) is placed in your boat to keep you toasty warm while you enjoy some amazake (sweet sake) and other drinks.
Taking a boat cruise while warming up under a kotatsu with a warm drink is a special experience you can only have during this season.
In November, a fantastic water parade called the Hakushu Festival Water Parade is held at sunset.
After your cruise, you will find many restaurants where you can enjoy steamed eel, a delicious Yanagawa specialty and favorite among those visiting from the city of Fukuoka.
This makes the perfect finale to finish off your river cruise.
Other local delicacies include Yanagawa nabe (hot pot) as well as seasonal delicacies including unique kinds of seafood fresh from the Ariake Sea.
The historical sights of this former castle town are also not to be missed.
For example, one popular sightseeing spot is Ohana, former residence of the feudal lord of Yanagawa’s Tachibana clan. The entire site, which measures 7,000 tsubo (some 23,000 square meters), has been designated a National Site of Scenic Beauty.
Have the former lord’s living room all to yourself as you enjoy a meal from its ryotei (traditional Japanese haute cuisine) restaurant, and visit the Tachibana Museum, where you can see swords, armor, and other national treasures and important cultural assets belonging to the clan’s successors.
Yanagawa can be reached by car from downtown Fukuoka in about an hour, or by express train from Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Station to Nishitetsu Yanagawa Station in about 50 minutes.
This is one sightseeing spot that you should be sure to visit when you come to Fukuoka.
– Basic Information –
Shogetsu Punting Station
c/o Yanagawa Kanko Kaihatsu K.K.
Location: 329 Takahatake , Mitsuhashimachi ,Yanagawa-shi, Fukuoka 832-0826
Phone number: 0944-72-6177
Hours: 9:30-14:30
Open all year round
https://www.yanagawakk.co.jp/kawakudari/index.html
Yanagawa City Tourist Information https://www.city.yanagawa.fukuoka.jp/kanko/
Yanagawa City Tourism Association https://www.yanagawa-net.com/
