🗺️ Mogami Gorge

The Mogami River, listed as one of Japan's three major rapids, is a representative first-class river in Japan. The middle reaches of the river (from the Furukuchi area in Tozawa Village to the Kiyokawa area in Shonai Town) feature a beautiful gorge approximately 15 kilometers long, known as the Mogami Gorge. Taking a drive along the river on National Route 47 is quite refreshing, but if you want to fully enjoy the scenery of the Mogami River, it is recommended to take a boat downstream. While listening to the boatman sing traditional boat songs and narrate with a local dialect, you can admire the stunning views that unfold along both banks. A famous scene from the Japanese drama "Asa ga Kuru" was filmed here, where the female lead leaves her parents to work and rides a bamboo raft down the river. In spring, there are mountain cherry blossoms; in summer, fresh greenery; in autumn, colorful leaves; and in winter, snowy landscapes. The Mogami Gorge has its own charm in every season. There are two companies operating boat tours, each with different routes and nearest train stations, so please pay special attention to this. In winter, both companies offer heated table boats, allowing you to comfortably enjoy the beauty of the snow scenery. Foreign language guides are also available for international travelers (please check the official websites of each company for details). When using public transportation to get there, both companies can be reached via the JR Rikuu West Line, but there is only one train every two hours, so please carefully plan your itinerary.

While listening to the explanations and the sung boat songs at the bow of the boat, enjoy the pleasure of drifting downstream. Please pay attention to the boat schedule when taking public transportation to the boarding area. It is famous for being the filming location of the well-known scene from the Japanese drama "Ashin." Cruising along the river is also very refreshing.