Kotatsu Boats Begin Winter Cruises in Yanagawa

Dec 01, 2025 | News On Japan

FUKUOKA - The winter tradition of kotatsu-equipped boats has begun in Yanagawa, Fukuoka Prefecture, where small hibachi braziers are placed beneath the tables on shared boats as the seasonal service gets underway.

Passengers sit around the low table warmed by the charcoal-heated brazier, creating a cozy atmosphere unique to the city’s famous waterways.

Tourists said the experience was both charming and unexpectedly comfortable, with one remarking that they never imagined they could sit inside a kotatsu while riding on a boat. As boatmen gently steer the vessels through Yanagawa’s network of canals, visitors stay warm while taking in the surrounding scenery.

The kotatsu boats will operate through February next year.

Source: TBS

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