Things to see and do in Yanagawa
Yanagawa is known primarily for its hundreds of kilometers of canals, and this is what pulls in the tourists.
Yanagawa was originally a farming village, and the canals were built hundreds of years ago for irrigation. They have since been restored and today are plied by donkobune–low flat boats powered by a man with a pole–that take tourists on short cruises known as kawakudari (going down the river) around the town.
Also of interest is the Yanagawa Ohana (pictured below), the villa of the Tachibana family, which ruled Yanagawa from roughly
The building pictured is a western annex known as Seiyokan and was completed at the beginning of the 20th century.
Yanagawa Ohana is a massive Western style mansion intended to impress. Directly behind it is a Japanese structure that looks out onto a koi (carp) pond and the lovely Shotoen garden. Tel: 0944-73-2189.
After the canals and Seiyokan, Yanagawa is known for Hakushu Kitahara, a local writer. Hakushu Kitahara was a poet and writer of children’s songs who grew up and spent his life in the town.
The signature dish of Yanagawa is eel, which is eaten as a pick-me-up, especially in summer. There are several well-known eel restaurants in Yanagawa.
柳川の見どころとアクティビティ
柳川は数百キロにも及ぶ運河で知られ、観光客を惹きつけています。
柳川はもともと農村で、運河は数百年前に灌漑用に建てられました。彼らはその後復元され、今日では、町の周りを川下りと呼ばれる短いクルーズで観光客を連れて行く、竿を持つ男が動力を与える低いフラットボートであるドンコブネが運航しています。
また、柳川大花（下の写真）は、柳川を1600年から1868年まで統治していた橘家の別荘です。
写真の建物は西洋館と呼ばれる西側の別館で、20世紀初頭に完成しました。
柳川オハナは、印象的な西洋風の豪邸です。直接その背後に外を見ている日本の構造である鯉（コイ）池と美しいShotoenの庭。
柳川は運河や西洋館に続き、地元の作家である北原白州で知られています。北原白州は育ち、街で過ごした童謡作家でした。
柳川の名物はうなぎで、特に夏はお出迎え。柳川には有名なうなぎ屋がいくつかあります。
AloJapan.com