Fukuoka’s Unique Boat Adventure

① Recommended Travel Destinations Near Fukuoka

Fukuoka is a Japanese travel destination that is only about 1 hour and 5 minutes away from Incheon.
Thanks to a short flight duration and falling prices due to yen depreciation, many Korean travelers are currently visiting.

Fukuoka is so close that many people enjoy a short trip to the city and return.
If you decide to travel to Fukuoka, there are certain places that Korean tourists must visit.
Most of them can be enjoyed in the nearby city.
If your travel schedule is flexible, it would be a good idea to go on a trip to the suburbs.

‘Yanagawa’, a southern city in Fukuoka Prefecture, is a place you can visit by taking a train from Tianjin Station for about 1 hour.
The city offers a different landscape from downtown Fukuoka.
The city began to develop in earnest after entering the Edo period.
However, the town still retains the appearance of the Edo period in many places.
Among locals, it is said that you can navigate the city by looking at a map made 300 years ago.

Yanagawa is a place where the landscape that allows you to get a glimpse of the past remains.
As a city with a long history, it is a popular travel destination for Japanese people as well.

② The Place Known as the Venice of Kyushu

Yanagawa is known as the ‘City of Water’, ‘The Venice of Kyushu’ in Japan.
The 578-mile waterway, which was developed by bringing in the Jikugo River water, is the biggest feature of Yanagawa.
There are over 200 boats on the canal, and if you walk through the city, you can see the boats coming and going.

The Yanagawa boat ride is a local specialty that continues to this day.
To enjoy Yanagawa boat riding, you need to take a free shuttle bus for about 15 minutes from the Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta Line.
You can enjoy the boat riding after getting off at the Shogatsu boarding place.

The beginning of the Yanagawa boat riding dates back to the past.
The boat riding, which follows the waterway on a Donkobune boat, allows you to feel the unique atmosphere of Yanagawa.
The ‘Donkobune boat’ is named after the Donko fish, a type of catfish.
The feature of the boat is that it is long and narrow, and it moves by rowing with a bamboo oar.

In winter, you can also board a ‘Kotatsubune boat’, which you can enjoy warm thanks to the stove.
The boat is equipped with kotatsu, a Japanese winter heating appliance.
Thanks to Kotatsu, you can enjoy a unique boat ride.

Also, in mid-winter, you can enjoy boat riding with the scenery of the white snow-covered village.
The boat ride slowly follows the waterway while listening to the guide and boat songs of the boatman.
The song sung by the boatman is a work of the poet Kitahara Hakushu, who was active during the Meiji period.
The journey covers about 2.5 miles over an hour. During this time, passengers can take in the scenery of Yanagawa from the boat.

If you board a Donkobune boat for a Yanagawa boat ride, you will have the special experience of passing under a low bridge built in ancient times.
At this time, everyone has to bow their heads and lower their bodies because the bridge is so low.
It’s a special moment that can only be experienced in Yanagawa.

③ Yanagawa Boat Ride Popular Among Foreigners

The experience of Yanagawa boat riding is gaining popularity among foreign tourists.
It’s a time when you can feel the old charm of the traditional landscape of Yanagawa.
The boat ride experience has established itself as a must-visit course when traveling to Yanagawa.
It is also famous as a popular experience among Korean tourists.

Tourists left reviews such as “Even if I give 100 stars, it’s not enough. The time was perfect with the boatman’s singing skills and the scenery”, “The boat ride itself seems to remain as a special experience”, “The boat was a bit uncomfortable because it was narrow, but the boatman’s song made me forget everything”, “It seems to remain as a special memory for my family”.

In addition to the boat riding, it is recommended to taste the eel rice bowl, which is a local specialty in Yanagawa.
It is an eel rice bowl that you can only taste in Yanagawa, unlike other regions.
‘Unagi’, a freshwater eel, is cooked especially.

It is known as ‘Unagino Seiromushi’, which was developed by a local restaurant, Kanso Motoyoshiya, about 300 years ago.
It is a dish that is completed by putting eel seasoning in a bowl of rice in a bamboo steamer and putting sweet sauce on it.
You can enjoy it warmly until the end, and it’s a dish that has the flavor of the eel alive.

You can easily taste Unagino Seiromushi with Unagi all over Yanagawa.
Each store offers a slightly different taste because they each cook traditionally.
If you visit late, all the ingredients may be sold out, so it would be good to note.

By. Mia Han