Things to see and do in Yanagawa

Yanagawa is known primarily for its hundreds of kilometers of canals, and this is what pulls in the tourists.

Yanagawa was originally a farming village, and the canals were built hundreds of years ago for irrigation. They have since been restored and today are plied by donkobune–low flat boats powered by a man with a pole–that take tourists on short cruises known as kawakudari (going down the river) around the town.

The Kawakudari boat rides cost 1,500 yen for adults, 800 for elementary school age children. The ride lasts 70 minutes, though a 30-minute course is also available.