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Note: There was a typhoon which passed through Yanagawa just a few days before I went there. That’s why the water in the canals was all muddy. The locals told me that usually its very clean and more transparent.
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Yanagawa: The Hidden Beauty of Kyushu – Exploring the City of Water | 2023.08.11
A city in southern Fukuoka Prefecture , Yanagawa is often called “the city of water” and “the Venice of Kyushu” because of its 930 kilometers of waterways, which were originally built as irrigation channels using the waters of the Chikugo River. Yanagawa now offers slow, scenic cruises down the waterways in flatboats known as donkobune, poled along by boatmen in traditional wear.
While you’re in Yanagawa, tour the former home of Yanagawa’s dominant clan, the Tachibanas, who ruled during the country’s feudal era. Also be sure to sample its signature food, unagi—locally caught eel that’s got a rich taste and plenty of protein. Unagi is especially good during the hot summer months.