Yanagawa is sometimes called the “Venice of Kyushu” due to its kilometers-long network of canals. Just an hour and a half away from Hakata City, you can reach this off-the-beaten-path destination and enjoy a river cruise – a perfect for a day trip in Fukuoka.
If you are just like us who prefers less-traveled destination then it’s time to add this to your bucket list.
In searching for day trips in Fukuoka from Hakata City, there are so many options like Nagasaki, Oita, Dazaifu and more! But what caught my attention is Yanagawa because of how beautiful it is during the Spring season.
How to Get to Yanagawa from Hakata Station?
There are multiple ways to go to Yanagawa. All you need to is check it in Navitime and make sure that the last stop is Nishitetsu-Yanagawa Station.
We left Hakata Station at 7:00 AM so we will be early and avoid the crowd.
Once you arrived at the station, go to the information office and they will give you a map on where to start with the boat ride. We chose the one that’s near the station and just few minutes away by walk.
When we arrived, it didn’t open yet so we still have time to take photos with the cherry blossoms just around the area. Since we went there during peak bloom of the sakura flowers, we were so amazed of how beautiful they were.
After taking a loooot of pics, we have decided to line up for the river cruise ride. For each person, the ticket to the river cruise is 2,200 yen.
The one-hour tour is very scenic and peaceful as you pass through traditional houses and cherry blossoms. The boatman is also very funny and, although he speaks Japanese and a little English, he tries to explain the history of the Yanagawa canal. At the end of the river cruise, there is a small area with restaurants and shops where you can have lunch or stroll around. I’d say this town is perfect for us because there are fewer crowds and we can roam around peacefully. Just some introvert things LOL.
Yanagawa’s delicacy is Unagi Seiromushi or Eel that is steamed in bamboo basket. I have eaten a soup Eel in Cebu but not the entire eel so I’m kind of curious and excited. This local dish is very famous in Fukuoka and I’ve read somewhere that if you want to try an eel dish, there’s no place to go other than in Yanagawa. So we didn’t hesitate and went inside a riverside restaurant that has a good view of the canal.
Although it was a little expensive, it was surprisingly delicious, so every yen spent was worth it! The Unagi Seiromushi is sweet with its savory sauce and has a rich umami flavor, perfectly complementing the hot, soft rice.
After our lunch, we roam around the town and bought some ice cream – perfect for the cold weather.
Yanagawa is also known for its “jumping boatman,” which is one of its tourist attractions. What happens is that the boatman performs a stunt by climbing over a bridge with his pole, while passengers lie completely flat to duck under the bridge. He then leaps back onto the boat on the other side of the bridge, like a ninja.
This ride is completely different from ours, which is a regular river cruise. Anyway, we still enjoyed watching it, although we really wanted to try and experience it as passengers on that boat. Maybe next time!
If you’re ready to go back to Yanagawa Station, a free bus will take you back to the main tourist office.
So that’s it for our Yanagawa adventure! Overall, it was really fun, especially with fewer crowds since it’s not mainstream yet.
You can read more about our entire Japan Spring Trip HERE!
