NAGATORO

NAGATORO

Nagatoro is famous for river cruising. The highlight of the cruise is viewing Iwadatami. a huge rock terrace, 80 meters wide and 500 meters long, eroded by the Ara-kawa River along the river.

Nagatoro Funadama Matsuri festival is held on August 15 every year. Many lanterns are floated down the river along side colorfully decorated boats with musicians playing traditional music. It is a fantastic festival.

The river cruise offers two 3-km courses operating from March to December. Each course includes both gentle streams and thrilling rapids and takes about 15 to 20 minutes. The boatman points out the sights while skillfully poling the boat. Enjoy the contrast of lush greenery and steep rock cliffs.

From the opposite side of the river as the station, a 15-minute walk brings you to Hodosan Shrine, awarded one star in the 2011 Michelin Green Guide Japan. The shrine was founded in 110 AD for the guardian deity to ward off fires and thefts. The many elaborate carvings in the colorful rooms are worth seeing. A 5- minute cable car ride from Hodosan Sanroku Station takes you to the top of Mt. Hodo with its many seasonal flowers, such as Japanese allspice, azaleas and winter cherry blossoms. At Hodosan Zoo, you can see Japanese monkeys, deer, sheep and rabbits. The shaved ice of Asami-reizo uses ice made from the naturally pure mountain water of Mt. Hodo.