The centerpiece of the Kurashiki Historic Bikan District is the canal that runs through the center of the district, with willow trees on each side. In the feudal era, the Kurashiki River used to be the main method in which goods were transported in and out of Kurashiki. Today, you can still experience the view of the town from the river on the Kurashiki Kawabune-nagashi.
Sure, it might seem like a tourist trap at first, but at only ¥500, it’s still at least worth the experience. The boat rides run every 30 minutes, and take around 20 minutes. The actual distance travelled isn’t much, running a round-trip from the boat dock to both ends of the canal, around 150m or a 3 minute walk. However, the change of pace, the different perspective, and the gentle rowing of the boat by the captain makes it a nice way to relax.
