Yanagawa City, located in the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, is one of the prefecture's leading tourist attractions. The city is crisscrossed with canals, which are waterways dug into the land to allow water to flow, and visitors can enjoy a river ride on a boat called a "donko boat."

In this article, we will introduce you to river boating in Yanagawa. We will explain the charms of Yanagawa, where you can enjoy the seasonal scenery while listening to the boatman's explanations on a donko boat, and try Yanagawa's recommended gourmet food. We will also introduce recommended tourist spots, so please take a look.

What is Yanagawa River Cruise?

Yanagawa City, located in the southern part of Fukuoka Prefecture, flourished as a castle town from the Sengoku period to the Edo period. Yanagawa has a network of waterways called "Waribori" that have been used for agricultural and domestic water and have protected the lives of the people of Yanagawa for a long time.

In the canals of Yanagawa, river boating is a major tourist attraction. We will introduce you to the river boating that is a Yanagawa specialty.

History of river boating

River boating began with the movie "Karatachi no Hana" released in 29. The movie depicts the childhood of Yanagawa-born poet Kitahara Hakushu, and the river play depicted in the movie attracted a lot of attention.

So Yanagawa City came up with the idea for river boating, inspired by people playing in the river. It started with passengers boarding donko boats that were used for playing in the river and starting a river boat tour. Nowadays, the main route is the inner moat route that runs from the boarding point near Nishitetsu Yanagawa Station to the Ohana residence of Yanagawa feudal lord Tachibana, but the appeal is that you can choose from a variety of courses to suit your time and schedule.

How to enjoy river rafting in each season

The key to enjoying river rafting in Yanagawa throughout the seasons is to enjoy the most beautiful scenery of each season. Yanagawa's scenery changes with each season, and there is something new to discover every time you visit.

In spring, we recommend the beautiful scenery of cherry blossoms and rape blossoms along the river, and in early summer, you can visit the iris colonies. The lush green trees cast cool shadows on the river's surface. In autumn, the autumn leaves are at their best, and you can enjoy a river cruise while looking at the colorful scenery.

In winter, we recommend a kotatsu boat to keep warm. Warm kotatsu are provided on the boat, so you can enjoy a river cruise without feeling cold. At times, the quiet snow-covered scenery is captivating to visitors.

By enjoying the different scenery each season, you can fully enjoy the charm of Yanagawa. No matter what season you visit, you are sure to find beautiful scenery and new discoveries.

Boatman's guide

During the Donko Boat trip down the river, the boatmen act as guides to entertain tourists. The boatmen range in age from their 20s to their 80s, and some of the younger boatmen even entertain the crowd with a performance called "Hassou Tobi."

The boatman's songs are also a highlight of the river ride. Each boatman has his own "favourite song", some of which are related to Yanagawa, such as Kitahara Hakushu's children's song "Furusato" or "Yanagawa Odan Bushi", and some even sing enka. It's also fun to see what kind of boatman you'll be assigned to.

Enjoy Yanagawa specialties

Yanagawa has many local delicacies that are known nationwide. Among the most famous are eel and Yanagawa nabe. We will introduce them along with sweets and recommended souvenirs.

The specialty is "steamed eel"

Yanagawa is known as the birthplace of "steamed eel." This dish is made by steaming rice with a sweet Kyushu soy sauce sauce, topped with grilled eel and shredded egg, then steaming it in a bamboo steamer.

The fragrant eel and the flavorful rice are a perfect match for a luxurious taste. This is a gourmet dish that represents Yanagawa, so please give it a try.

Local cuisine "Yanagawa Nabe"

Yanagawa Nabe is made by carefully preparing loach, simmering it with burdock and shiitake mushrooms, and topping it off with eggs. Eating eel and loach has been a tradition in Yanagawa since ancient times, and loach, which is highly nutritious and reasonably priced, has been popular among the common people.

The charm of Yanagawa nabe is its simple, sweet-savory flavor. Loach is in season from spring to early summer, so if you're visiting Yanagawa during this time, be sure to give it a try.

Ariake Sea delicacies

The Ariake Sea is home to a wide variety of fish and shellfish, including many rare and unfamiliar fish such as mudskippers, sand dollar, warasubo, abalone, and scallops.

Yanagawa is known for its delicacies such as processed abalone scallops and dried warasubo, an endemic species of the Ariake Sea. Among them, "Mutsugoro Ramen," made with broth from the popular "Mutsugoro" of the Ariake Sea, is a souvenir representative of Yanagawa.

Local sweets and souvenirs

Yanagawa is home to many sweets beloved by locals, including tart specialty shops with a wide variety of products, baked goods shops serving exquisite chestnut pies, and tarts filled with fruit, all of which are sweets that can only be found in Yanagawa.

We especially recommend the sweets made with local specialties, such as the gelato made with local ingredients and the Yanagawa Amaou strawberry parfait.

Popular souvenirs include Ariake nori, which has a soft texture, and Ariake nori boiled in soy sauce. Sagemon are also perfect as souvenirs for Hinamatsuri decorations. They are small cloth ornaments in the shape of rabbits, cranes, and treasure bags, and Yanagawa balls hung on a string. They are gorgeous and auspicious, so they will be well received.

Sightseeing spots in Yanagawa

After enjoying the river cruise, why not visit some of Yanagawa's popular tourist spots? Here are four must-see tourist spots in Yanagawa.

Yanagawa feudal lord Tachibana residence Ohana

"Yanagawa feudal lord Tachibana residence Onohana" is the residence of the feudal lord "Tachibana family" who ruled Yanagawa during the Edo period. It boasts a vast site of 7,000mXNUMX and is designated as a national scenic spot as "Tachibana family garden".

The current remaining Count's residence was built by Count Tachibana Kanji, the 43th head of the Tachibana family, in 1910. It has retained its appearance from 14 years ago, and together with the Shotoen garden, it is a place where you can feel the history.

Kitahara Hakushu Birthplace Memorial Museum

The birthplace of Kitahara Hakushu, a poet who was active from the Meiji period to the early Showa period, is located in Yanagawa. Hakushu's birthplace, built in the Meiji period, is a designated historic site of Fukuoka Prefecture and is also counted among the "Suigyou Yanagawa" scenic spots designated by the national government.

The Hakushu Memorial Museum, built at the rear of his birthplace, is a museum that introduces the history and culture of Yanagawa and people associated with the area. On the second floor, valuable materials about Hakushu's life and manuscripts written by him are on display. You can also learn about Yanagawa's culture by watching videos of events such as the Yanagawa Festival in the video theater.

Mitsuhashira Shrine

Mihashira Shrine is a shrine dedicated to Tachibana Muneshige, the first lord of Yanagawa, his wife Ginchiyo, and his adoptive father Tachibana Dosetsu.

Lord Muneshige was forced to leave Yanagawa after the Battle of Sekigahara, but later his achievements were recognized and he returned to the position of lord of Yanagawa.

Among the many feudal lords, Muneshige was the only one who was able to return to his original territory, and so he is revered as the "God of Resurrection." This is one of Yanagawa's most famous power spots, so be sure to visit.

Karatachi Literary Footbath

The "Karatachi Literary Footbath" opened in 19 is a spacious footbath that can accommodate up to 70 people at the same time. Panels showcasing photographs and works of literary figures with ties to Yanagawa, such as Kitahara Hakushu, Dan Kazuo, and Hase Ken, are on display.

It is a foot bath that uses natural Yanagawa hot spring water and is said to be effective for cold sensitivity, fatigue, neuralgia, etc. It is a good idea to relax in the foot bath and think about Yanagawa's writers.

Renting a car is convenient for sightseeing in Yanagawa

In recent years, more and more travelers are taking the Shinkansen to tourist spots and then renting a car once they arrive. Renting a car is recommended for sightseeing in Yanagawa.

From here, we will introduce the benefits of touring Yanagawa by rental car and recommended driving courses. If you are thinking of touring Yanagawa, please consider using a rental car.

The benefits of touring Yanagawa by rental car

After enjoying a river cruise in Yanagawa, take a little trip to try some delicious food. There are many tourist spots, including restaurants where you can enjoy steamed eel and Yanagawa nabe.

If you want to visit many tourist spots, we recommend renting a car. The appeal of renting a car is that you can go wherever you want, whenever you want. You can travel to your destination by bullet train or other means, and then rent a car once you're there, allowing you to expand your range of activities.

In addition, rental cars often come with navigation systems, so even if you are unfamiliar with the area, you can get to your destination without getting lost. For a comfortable and safe trip, why not consider renting a car?

Driving courses around Yanagawa

Yanagawa is easily accessible by car from all over Kyushu, so why not visit by rental car? The recommended driving course is from "Yanagawa Mutsugoro Land" to "Ariake Sea Gourmet."

Yanagawa Mutsugoro Land is a tourist facility where you can experience fishing on reclaimed land in the Ariake Sea. You can experience traditional fishing methods such as "kumodeami" (spider net) and "mutsukake" (mutsu fishing), and catch rare fish in the Ariake Sea.

After enjoying fishing, you can savor the bounty of the Ariake Sea at Yoake Chaya. Another great thing about this place is that you can buy souvenirs made with local fish, such as kanroni (sweetened boiled fish) and kasuzuke (pickled fish in sake lees).

Parking information in Yanagawa

There are several parking lots in Yanagawa that offer free parking for one hour. The Municipal Hakushu Tourist Parking Lot is located about a one-minute walk from the Kitahara Hakushu Memorial Museum.

"Repark Yanagawa Inaricho" is a parking lot located near the dock for boats going down the river. It is also within easy reach of the Tachibana Residence, the famous eel steamed in a bamboo steamer restaurant, and the Kitahara Hakushu Memorial Museum.

In addition to the above, there are parking lots where you can park for a day for a maximum of 1 yen. Yanagawa is characterized by having many inexpensive and easy-to-use parking lots near tourist spots.

This article explains tourist spots in Fukuoka. It also introduces popular gourmet foods that we recommend, so be sure to check it out.

Summary

The appeal of the Yanagawa River cruise is not only the beautiful scenery and atmosphere, but also the opportunity to experience the changing seasons and the fusion of cultures. The experience of going down the river while listening to the boatman's stories is extremely valuable. Please come and experience the good old Japanese atmosphere.

After enjoying the river boat ride, we recommend taking a car ride around Yanagawa city and enjoying the local cuisine.

"Uqey" makes it easy to rent a car, as the entire process from reservation to return to payment can be completed on a smartphone. Another attractive feature is that your smartphone acts as the car key, so you can get in the car immediately without having to go through a reception desk.

You can use the app just by registering as a member, so be sure to download the app from the Uqey website and enjoy driving and sightseeing in Yanagawa in a rental car.