Wakayama: Seasonal Sightseeing Boat Tour Begins on Historic River; 90-Minute Tour Showcases Parts of UNESCO Site  

The Yomiuri Shimbun 

18:08 JST, March 22, 2025

SHINGU, Wakayama — A sightseeing boat tour on the Kumano River has begun its operations for the season in Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture.  

The Kumano River Boat Tour is a 90-minute ride down an about 16-kilometer-long course from the Kumanogawacho district to Kumano Hayatama Taisha Grand Shrine, both in Shingu.   

Ancient nobles are said to have traveled the river by boat when they visited the three Kumano Sanzan shrines. Because of the history, the waterway is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site designated in 2004 along with the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes. 

The boat tour was launched in September 2005.  

According to the river boat center, which manages and operates the tour, 5,568 people took part in the tour during the last season, with about 70% of them visiting from overseas, including the United States and Taiwan. The boat center said they have received a stream of bookings from overseas this year. 

On March 1, the first day of the season, a Shinto ritual was held at the river to pray for the safety of the trip. One ride was offered that day, and five people took part.  

A 35-year-old Hungarian man, who was visiting the pilgrimage routes with a friend, said he was excited as the surface of the water was very close to the upper edge of the small boat’s gunwales.  

The pleasure boat with a capacity of eight people departs at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily. Each trip costs ¥4,950 for passengers junior high school age and above and ¥2,200 for children from 4 years old.