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Yanagawa Canals

Yanagawa was originally constructed in the mid-16th century by the Kamachi clan. Before then, it had been a traditional farming village, with the canals used for irrigation; Tanaka Yoshimasa (Japanese: 田中吉政; 1548 – 1609) ordered the canals to be maintained and built a castle in Yanagawa, which is still maintained today.

Yanagawa is popular with Japanese tourists because of its 470 km of wide canals (930 km inclusive of all watercourses). Yanagawa riverboats, called "donkobune", are used to take tourists around the city.

Yanagawa River Cruise.
The river cruise is about 3 kilometers long. The view of the town seen from the river presents a slightly different face than when walking. The view of the Namako walls, reminiscent of the town’s days as a castle town, and Yaemon Bridge that is just barely big enough to admit one boat at a time, as well as the green tunnels made by the branches of willow and cherry blossom trees arching out into the water is spectacular.

  • The pilot stands at the end of the boat, skillfully guiding it with a long pole.
  • The songs the captain sings are nursery rhymes penned by the local poet Hakushu Kitahara. The soft singing voice is the perfect match for the leisurely speed of the boat.

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Location

Location: Yanagawa, Fukuoka, Japan