Hozugawa River Boat Ride

Sixteen kilometres of river between Kameoka and Arashiyama, taken in a flat-bottomed wooden boat with three boatmen: one poling at the bow, one rowing, one steering with a long oar at the stern. It takes about two hours and it is the oldest working river transport in the country.

The route was opened in 1606 to float timber and rice down to Kyoto, which is what it did for nearly three centuries before anyone thought of selling seats. Tourist boats have run since 1895. The gorge is narrow, the walls are wooded, and in three or four places the water speeds up enough to soak the front row; the boatmen know exactly who is going to get wet and enjoy it.

Partway down, a small boat comes alongside selling grilled squid, oden and beer, poled between the passenger boats. It is a strange and excellent thing.

In March 2023 a boat capsized in the gorge and two boatmen were killed. Operations stopped, procedures were rebuilt, and life jackets are now compulsory for everyone on board. Say yes to the briefing and wear the jacket properly.

Tickets run around 6,000 yen and are sold at the boarding point in Kameoka, about ten minutes on foot from the JR station. Booking ahead is wise in autumn. Boats run all year; in winter they are covered and heated. High water after heavy rain stops them entirely, so check on the day.

The standard pairing is the Sagano scenic railway one way and the boat back down, which puts you in Arashiyama at the end with the bridge and the bamboo grove.