Hozu-Gawa-Kudari /Hozugawa River Boat Ride

The upper course of the Oigawa River flowing through Arashiyama is called the Hozugawa River. In the 1600s, the waterway for transporting goods was renovated by the wealthy merchant Suminokura Ryoi. Because the Hozugawa River was littered with boulders, smaller rocks were hoisted over and then dropped on to these boulders, smashing them up and, thereby, securing the waterway. This is how the Hozugawa River became indispensable in transporting goods to Kyoto and Osaka.
The landscape around Hozukyo Gorge is so captivating that the "Hozugawa Kudari," meaning Hozugawa River boat ride, began for sightseeing purposes in the middle of the Meiji era. Running 16 kilometers from Kameoka to Arashiyama, Hozugawa Kudari is the longest river boat ride in Japan and has been awarded a star on the Michelin · Green Guide. The flow of the river differs depending on the weather and the water level. When the water level is high, the boat zips down the river at a thrilling pace for about 90 minutes. When the water level is low, the ride becomes a gentle 2-hour cruise.
Cherry blossoms in the spring are a sight to behold here, but there are also the singing of Kajika frogs in the summer and harvest colored leaves in the fall to enjoy. In the winter, special boats retrofitted with heated tatami rooms are available for a cozy ride through the riverscape.