KYOTO – A popular river tour in Kyoto Prefecture reopened Monday following a suspension of several months as a result of an accident in which two were killed when one of the traditional wooden sightseeing vessels capsized with 29 aboard.
Tours on the Katsura River, also known as the Hozu River, in Kameoka, were initially scheduled to restart last week but were postponed when the river’s water level rose due to heavy rain, according to Hozugawa Yusen Kigyo Kumiai, operator of the sightseeing tours.
The first tour left a boat landing spot near JR Kameoka Station at around 9:20 a.m. Monday and finished the 16-kilometer journey in Arashiyama, in the prefectural capital of Kyoto, around 80 minutes later.
Mizuho Mizota, a visitor from Tokyo, said, “The boatmen’s talks were fun and I took the ride with no fear.”
Photo taken from a Kyodo News helicopter shows a traditional wooden vessel moving on the Hozu River in Kameoka in Kyoto Prefecture on July 17, 2023, as a popular river tour reopens following a suspension in the wake of a fatal accident in March. The accident occurred on March 28 when a boatman made a steering error and the vessel hit rocks and capsized, with all those aboard falling into the water and two boatmen left dead. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
Masato Numata, a resident of Kameoka, hailed the enhanced safety measures implemented by the tour operator, saying, “They have perfect and safe control and give a thorough explanation of how to use the lifejackets.”
The accident occurred on March 28 when a boatman made a steering error and fell into the water. The boat then hit rocks and capsized, with all those aboard also falling into the water, leaving two boatmen dead.
The operator released a document earlier this month showing measures it has implemented to stop a repeat of the accident as well as plans it has in case of another emergency.
It said the boats have been upgraded with equipment, including handles and footholds to prevent boatmen from falling, as well as ropes for easier steering.
A traditional wooden vessel moves on the Hozu River in Kameoka in Kyoto Prefecture on July 17, 2023, as a popular river tour reopens following a suspension in the wake of a fatal accident in March. The accident occurred on March 28 when a boatman made a steering error and the vessel hit rocks and capsized, with all those aboard falling into the water and two boatmen left dead. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
As for passengers, the operator has introduced lifejackets that automatically inflate in an emergency.
“We will implement safe operations, remembering that we were able (to resume tours) today,” said Tomoya Toyota, head of the tour operator.
The tours, taken by some 300,000 visitors annually, start from Kameoka and traverse through rapids before ending at Arashiyama on the outskirts of the former Japanese capital.
The tours are popular for giving access to scenic vistas that change with the seasons.
AloJapan.com