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HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > The Shogawa River Cruise
Take a pleasant cruise through the gorge's winter landscapes blanketed in snow
Toyama Prefecture
The Shogawa River in western Toyama Prefecture has been used since the Edo Period (the 16th century) as a water transportation system for transporting cut timber downstream from the mountainous Gokayama and Hida areas. Today, visitors can enjoy its beauty and the changing seasons on a pleasure boat that connects Komaki Dam and Omaki Onsen.
The construction of the Komaki Dam began in the late Taiho Period and was completed in 1930 as Japan’s first high river dam. It received a lot of attention at that time as the largest arch-gravity dam in East Asia.
The Shogawa River Pleasure Boat arrives and departs from the Komaki Dam’s Komaki Harbor on two separate courses. One is the Omaki Spa Course, which is a one-hour round trip to Omaki Spa, a famous hot springs destination that can only be reached by boat. The other course is the Nagasaki Bridge Course which takes you through the beautiful scenery of the Shogawa Gorge in 25 minutes. The pleasure boat is equipped with heating inside so that it can be enjoyed even in winter. From within the boat, you can listen to folk songs from Gokayama and take in the view through the windows as you travel through the Shogawa Gorge.
How to get there
From Shin-Takaoka Station, take the Kaetsuno bus for approximately 70 minutes and get off at Komaki. The destination is a short walk from the bus stop.
From Toyama Kitokito Airport, the destination is located an hour away by car.
73-5 Komaki, Shogawamachi, Tonami-shi, Toyama-ken
