Fukushima: Lake Inawashiro symbol preserved

The Yomiuri Shimbun

11:36 JST, September 11, 2022

INAWASHIRO, Fukushima — The Kamemaru sightseeing boat has resumed operation on Lake Inawashiro in Fukushima Prefecture, transformed into a restaurant vessel.

Kamemaru, which takes 90 minutes to explore the lake, is usually chartered for group tourists, with meals available on board through advance reservation.

Kamemaru was once in danger of being scrapped due to its operator’s bankruptcy. But it was taken over in June last year by Inawashiro Kankosen Co. in Inawashiro Town and converted into a restaurant boat.

The boat’s rental fee is ¥67,000 for groups of up to 30 people, and an additional fee of ¥2,000 is charged per person for groups of 31 people or more. Meals are charged separately. The company said it plans to offer morning cruises with meals or lunch cruises for individual customers.

A commemorative event was held on the boat on July 26, the day when the ship resumed operation, with an Italian meal course served to those invited.

“We finally were able to resume operation of the boat. I want to preserve the symbol of Lake Inawashiro,” Inawashiro Kankosen President Eiichi Watanabe, 70, said.