A First Timer's Guide to the Hozugawa River Cruise in Kyoto

Journeying through the rugged mountains of Arashiayma on a traditional boat is truly one of the most underrated things to do in Kyoto. In late autumn the gorge is lined with bright orange maple trees, and in springtime there are cherry blossoms in bloom!

Though I went on the Hozugawa River Cruise just a few weeks before the fall colors changed, it was still perhaps the most memorable and fun thing we did in Kyoto! The gentle and scenic ride was a welcome slow-down in the midst of our packed Japan itinerary, accompanied by playful commentary from our goofy Japanese boatmen who pushed our boat along with bamboo poles.

In this article I’m sharing everything you need to know before doing the Hozugawa River Boat Ride in Kyoto, including a little historical context about this boat journey, how to get to the dock from downtown Kyoto, some tips to make the boat ride most comfortable and efficient, and what to do after arriving in dreamy Arashiayma.

🛶 BEFORE YOU GO: Click here to make a reservation for the Hozugawa boat ride!

☀️🌺🌿 Article Outline (Jump Ahead)

Hozugawa River Boat Tour: What to Expect

The Hozugawa River wasn’t always navigable for boats—in 1606 a wealthy merchant named Suminokura Ryoi began excavating parts of the river to transport timber, rice, and charcoal from the mountains to Kyoto and Osaka. The wood transported down the river was used to build some of Kyoto and Osaka’s most notable temples and landmarks, including Osaka Castle and Tenryu-ji Temple in Arashiayma (which I recommend visiting after the boat ride!)

📍 Route: Kameoka to Arashiyama, along the Hozu River, through the mountains
📏 Distance: 10 miles (16 kilometers)
🛶 Boat ride duration: About 2 hours
🦅 Wildlife to see: Japanese macaques (monkeys), deer, heron, and wild boar
📆 Best time to do it: Late autumn/early December for fall colors, springtime for cherry blossoms; the boat ride happens less frequently in winter and can close when water levels are low in summer

A few more details to know:

You’re welcome to bring your own food and drinks on the boat, and there is a floating vendor with beer, soda, and a few snacks at the very end of the boat ride
Everyone is required to wear a life jacket on the boat
The boat service may be cancelled if there is flooding or shallow water
Children shorter than 80 cm are not allowed on the boat, and those under 13 years old must be accompanied by an adult
Individuals with a wheelchair are welcome on the boat, but must be accompanied by a companion who can help transfer them onto the boat (and foldable wheelchairs can be stored on the boat for the ride)

My Experience Start to Finish

We made reservations for the boat ride several weeks in advance on Klook. It was my first ever experience with Klook, and everything worked perfectly. After paying, I immediately received an email with an attached PDF voucher with our QR code and detailed English instructions on when and where to arrive for the boat tour. When we arrived, we showed our QR code and boarded the boat within a few minutes!

Kyoto Station to Kameoka Station

The boats depart within walking distance of Kameoka Station, which is located along the San-IN JR line. It’s a 27 minute train ride from Kyoto Station, and the train only comes about every hour, so be sure to arrive early and make your train!

Hozugawa Boat Tour Check-in

The walk from the station to the embarkment point took us less than 10 minutes. We arrived right on time for our 11am reservation and had just enough time to use the bathroom before our boat number was called for boarding.

The embarkment building also has a gift shop and restaurant where you can get food, snacks, water, and even sun hats and sunscreen before your ride.

Boarding the Boat

Right before boarding we were handed life jackets, then led onto the boat. If I did it again, I’d try to sit in the front row for the best views, or even in the back for a little more space!

We were near the middle of the boat with four of us sharing a row of seats. It was a little cozier than I would have liked, but the ride itself made up for the slightly uncomfortable seating.

You might be wondering if you’ll get wet if you sit on the side seats—in our experience no one on our boat got wet. The river was fairly calm throughout the whole ride with very little splashing!

The 2-Hour Boat Ride

The boat ride took almost exactly two hours, just like we were told.

The ride was smooth and peaceful, and watching the three boatman push us along with bamboo poles was impressive! We went through a few ‘rapids,’ which our boatmen jokingly hyped up because they really weren’t rapids.

The three boatman traded places throughout the ride and shared goofy commentary, pointing out live monkeys and birds, along with rocks that look like Pokemon. They all spoke broken English, enough to keep us entertained throughout the journey.

The 10 miles of river we traveled along is almost completely undeveloped, besides a few bridges. After the busyness of our Japan travels, it was nice to be out in nature and on the water!

Right before we reached our destination, we approached a floating vendor boat with cold beer, soda, and a few snacks. We tried the teriyaki mochi and it was delightful—my first time eating savory mochi! (Bring coins for this!)

Arriving in Arashiyama

While the scenic 2-hour boat ride itself was exceptional, I honestly think the best part was stepping onto land in Arashiyama, feeling like we were arriving in a completely different era! (Arashiyama does have that old-Japan-feel, but more about what to do in Arashiyama next!)

We disembarked just steps from the iconic Togetsukyō Bridge. We were quite hungry at this point, so we headed straight to lunch. Truthfully, we wish we went somewhere else for lunch, these are the lunch spots I’d check out:

Shoraian: My top choice, a riverside restaurant serving traditional set menus (reservations highly reccomended)
Banh Mi Kyoto Arashiyama: Quick grab-and-go option with delicious Vietnamese sandwiches
M’s Bento: Traditional bento box lunches made vegan
Tenryuji Temple Shigetsu: Zen Buddhist cuisine served inside the Tenryuji Temple (reservations needed)

Afterward, we spent several hours exploring moss-adorned temples, bamboo forests, and Edo-era streets in Arashiyama. I share my full one-day Arashiyama itinerary here.

⚠️ Important: The Hozugawa boat ride isn’t a hidden gem anymore—it’s popular, and the time slots do sell out, especially in cherry blossom season and autumn! You can reserve tickets on Klook, I recommend a morning reservation so you can explore Arashiyama for the rest of the day!

What to Bring With You

🪙 Coins: You will need small change to buy snacks from the floating boat vendor near the end!
🧢 Sun protection: Even in mid-October, the sun was quite powerful. A hat, sunglasses, and long sleeve sun shirt would be ideal.
🧥 A light jacket: Though it was quite hot when we visited, you may need a jacket in the later autumn and winter months.
💦 Water: Drinking water isn’t provided and you won’t have a chance to buy anything until the very end of the 2-hour ride. Make sure you have plenty of water and snacks if needed.