Go off the beaten path at Yanagawa, an idyllic day trip from Fukuoka. Once a small castle town, Yanagawa now enjoys the reputation of being the ‘Venice of Japan’. This is due to the 470-kilometre labyrinth of canals that wind through the town, meandering along traditional buildings, and narrow alleys.

The canals previously functioned as moats built to keep the Tachibana clan’s enemies away. They were then used to irrigate farmlands; today, they’re not only used by the locals for agricultural purposes, but have also been transformed into the town’s greatest attraction.

Framed by majestic willow and sakura trees, the canals are best explored on a donko-bune (small wooden boat). Each river cruise lasts for approximately an hour, guided by a boatman who will navigate the canals with ease using a one-metre-long stick.

The boatman regales passengers with stories of Yanagawa’s history or, and this is my favourite part, enthrals with local folk songs. Just imagine: floating along the serene waters, surrounded by the marvellous acoustics of a low gravelly voice reverberating off the tunnel walls.

You’ll also pass through some low tunnels — don’t forget to duck!

You can either choose a shared boat course, or a private boat course. We opted for the shared one, which would be shared with up to 22 passengers. We set off from Shogetsu Punting Station, and alighted at Ohana. Cruises generally run from 9.30am to around 4pm, and leave every half an hour. It costs approximately JPY1,650 (~SGD16.90) per adult.

After the cruise, hop on the free shuttle (that runs from 12pm to 5.30pm) to either Shogetsu Punting Station or Nishitetsu Yanagawa Station. If you’d like, you can also rent a bicycle to explore the rest of the town.

Before you leave, don’t miss out on trying the local speciality: Unagi Seiro-Mushi. It comprises unagi (freshwater eel) that’s grilled, then brushed with soy sauce. It’s placed on strips of egg and rice, before being placed in a bamboo steamer. You’ll find many restaurants offering this dish; we recommend choosing one that boasts great views of the canals and, even better, comes with tatami mat seating for the full Japanese experience.

How to get to Yanagawa

Take a direct 45-minute train from Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station (around 10 minutes from Hakata Station) to Nishitetsu Yanagawa Station. The canal area is easily reached from the station by foot.