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Kyoto Arashiyama Private Yakatabune: Elegant Boat Ride to Enjoy Seasonal Scenery

Name: Kyoto Arashiyama Private Yakatabune: Elegant Boat Ride to Enjoy Seasonal Scenery
Brand: VELTRA
Price: 18.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 5 (35 reviews)

5.00· 35 reviews

Highlights

Enjoy Arashiyama's scenery on a luxurious private yakatabune
Bring your own food and drinks! Enjoy onboard
Experience elegant boat rides like Heian nobles
Admire Arashiyama's scenery from the water

What to expect

Enjoy the seasonal beauty of Arashiyama on a traditional yakatabune boat, guided by a skilled boatman. Bring your favorite snacks and drinks for a luxurious journey. Book online exclusively with VELTRA, even during peak seasons!

What's included

Cruise fee

Packages (5)

1-Hour Private Rental (Per Person)Dailyfrom USD 94.96

1-Hour Private Rental (2 Persons)Dailyfrom USD 47.48

1-Hour Private Rental (3 Persons)Dailyfrom USD 31.65

1-Hour Private Rental (4 Persons)Dailyfrom USD 23.74

1-Hour Private Rental (5–20 Persons)Dailyfrom USD 18.99

Schedule

Reception at Arashiyama Tsusen North Boarding Area
Set sail for an elegant boat ride in Arashiyama
Enjoy a private yakatabune cruise on the serene Oigawa River, gliding through Arashiyama Gorge's seasonal beauty. Relive the elegance of Heian nobles as you admire the lush scenery. Bring your own food and drinks, including alcohol, or grab snacks from nearby shops to enjoy onboard!
Traditional Boatmanship with a Single Bamboo Pole
A skilled boatman navigates with a bamboo pole, showcasing traditional craftsmanship. Since 1912, Arashiyama Tosen has preserved this Heian-era tradition.
The Famous "Floating Convenience Store"
You may spot "Kotogase Chaya," a 100-year-old floating shop offering snacks like grilled squid and mitarashi dango. Its appearance is irregular, so enjoy the surprise if you encounter it!

*The floating shop operates irregularly, so its appearance cannot be guaranteed.
Tour Ends

Location and Directions

Check-in / Check-out
Arashiyama Tsusen North Boarding Area
Sagatenryuji Susukinobabacho, Ukyo Ward, Kyoto, 616-8385
Itinerary
Look for the blue boat floating upstream of Togetsukyo Bridge and head to the boarding area. Provide your reservation name at the dock to board.
Parking information
No parking at the boarding area. Please use nearby coin parking.

Restrictions

Bringing items like portable stoves or any fire-related equipment is not allowed.
The maximum capacity is 20 people, with infants counted as one person each.
In the event of bad weather or river flooding, service may be temporarily halted. Before visiting, please check the latest operational status on the official website or by calling directly. Please note that phone support is provided in Japanese.
https://arashiyama-yakatabune.com/
For groups of 6, please select the additional fee option when booking.
*Maximum capacity is 20, including infants counted as 1 person each. ^[A]

Additional notes

The activity schedule is subject to change or cancellation due to weather or traffic conditions.
Tables can be provided for guests bringing their own meals. Please request table setup when booking.
For Guests Arriving by Car
Parking is not available at the boarding area. Please use nearby coin parking.

^[A] Applies to: 1-Hour Private Rental (5–20 Persons)

Operated by

arashiyama-yakatabune (Code:193002)

Cancellation policy

On the activity day / No-show: 100%

Reviews

5.00

35 reviews

534

Guest photos 40

Nice hour on the water

Posted Date: 2026/07/14

Ken

Our guide/driver was very pleasant and an hour on the water was cooler and relaxing.

A pleasant and scenic boat ride

Posted Date: 2026/06/23

Kohga-sama

It was a pleasant and scenic boat ride. The boatman pointed out various points of interest to us, and we had a very calm and relaxing ride on the river. It was a welcome respite after a long morning of hiking around the area.

Wonderful experience

Posted Date: 2026/06/17

Court

My friend and i booked a private 1hour ride and it was wonderful. The weather was nice and so was our guide. Bring cash as the have water vendors that sell yummy food & drinks thst can come up to the boat during the ride. I would highly recommend this experience

Amazing!

Posted Date: 2026/05/27

Mel

This was such an amazing time! It was so relaxing to sit in the boat just the two of us. We brought a couple beers and bought two more from the floating market. People packed like sardines in the other boats for half the time were shouting "How'd you get your own boat?" Lol. I highly recommend it! And would pay more to go longer. Our boat driver was awesome!

👌

Posted Date: 2026/04/12

Kate

It was exactly what I was expecting. The bootsman was perfect

Relaxing time

Posted Date: 2026/04/08

やんやん

We used it as a family of three. Since there were three of us, I thought 5,000 yen per person was a bit expensive, but we were able to stretch our legs and relax! The boatman's explanations were great, and we enjoyed a leisurely and elegant time. Personally, I liked it more than the trolley train ❤️.家族３人で利用しました。
３人なので、1人五千円はちょっと高いかと思いましたが、足を伸ばしてゆっくり過ごせました！
船頭さんの説明も良くて、優雅な時間をのんびりすごせました。
個人的にはトロッコ列車より好き❤️

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It became the best memory for our family! A wonderful boat trip where we could fully enjoy the stunning views of Arashiyama.

Posted Date: 2026/04/02

CHU

This time, we used a yakatabune (a traditional Japanese houseboat) with my family, and it was truly a wonderful experience. We were able to see the boatman skillfully maneuvering the boat up close, which excited the kids greatly. The view of Arashiyama from the water was exceptional, and we had a very luxurious time. It was also nice that we could bring our own drinks, allowing us to relax and enjoy at our leisure. The staff were friendly, and I can wholeheartedly recommend this activity.今回、家族で屋形船を利用しましたが、本当に素晴らしい体験でした。船頭さんが巧みに舟を操る姿を間近で見ることができ、子供たちも大興奮でした。水面から眺める嵐山の景色は格別で、とても贅沢な時間を過ごせました。持ち込みが可能なので、好きな飲み物を片手にゆったりと楽しめたのも良かったです。スタッフの方々も親切で、心からおすすめできるアクティビティです。

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A beautiful autumn day floating the Katsura River

Posted Date: 2025/12/13

Nippon Navigators

We made reservations a few months in advance and checking in for our private boat was easy. We had the entire boat to ourselves and we brought some snacks and rinks to enjoy as we floated along. Our boatman kept the boat going smoothly and guided us along but one thing is he really didn’t point out anything not told us about some of the area and sights we were seeing. Luckily several of us are local and knew what things where so we had to point them out to the rest and explain things. We were d… We made reservations a few months in advance and checking in for our private boat was easy. We had the entire boat to ourselves and we brought some snacks and rinks to enjoy as we floated along. Our boatman kept the boat going smoothly and guided us along but one thing is he really didn’t point out anything not told us about some of the area and sights we were seeing. Luckily several of us are local and knew what things where so we had to point them out to the rest and explain things. We were disappointed that the floating snack/ drink boat never came up along side to offer more drinks or other items as we were hoping to enjoy some warm sake and other treats that wood have made the boat ride a bit more fun.

プライベート屋形船のボートライド

Posted Date: 2025/12/13

Aly

素晴らしい体験でした。ガイドはとても親切で魅力的でした。周囲について多くの情報を提供してくれ、静かな川の一角で私たちのグループ写真を撮ることも提案してくれました。彼はとても面白く、ボートの操縦が非常に上手でした。これは京都での最高の体験の一つで、非常におすすめです。Wonderful experience, our guide was very kind and engaging. He gave us a lot of information about the surroundings, and even stopped in a quiet section of the river and offered to take our group picture. He was very funny, and extremely skilled at navigating the boat. This was one of our best experiences in Kyoto, highly recommend.

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Awesome Arashiyama experience!

Posted Date: 2025/12/08

Arashiyama can be very very crowded. For a peaceful, fulfilling start to your Arashiyama trip, recommend to take this 1-hour private boat trip (with table) early at 9am! Worth the money spent, guaranteed.

Amazing

Posted Date: 2025/12/06

Cory K

We loved this ! Super peaceful great experience. Recommend to anyone

A blissful moment, a houseboat in Arashiyama.

Posted Date: 2025/11/26

sheis

I had a wonderful hour relaxing on a houseboat in Arashiyama! The floating convenience store was very appealing. There were so many tempting options like oden, grilled squid, and mitarashi dango!嵐山の屋形船でのんびり楽しめた1時間　最高でした！水上コンビニの販売がとても魅力的です。おでん・イカ焼き・みたらし団子など、そそられるものが一杯！

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As expected, a professional skill.

Posted Date: 2025/11/17

とよ

It was a bit cold, but I was lent a blanket, which made it comfortable. There were many rowboats around, but true to their professional skills, they navigated safely with just a long pole. I also got to hear stories that touched on history, and the autumn leaves 🍁 were wonderful; the hour flew by. Arashiyama was very crowded, and I struggled to find parking, which made me late, but since it was a private tour, they kindly waited until everyone arrived. I really appreciated their warm hospital… It was a bit cold, but I was lent a blanket, which made it comfortable. There were many rowboats around, but true to their professional skills, they navigated safely with just a long pole. I also got to hear stories that touched on history, and the autumn leaves 🍁 were wonderful; the hour flew by. Arashiyama was very crowded, and I struggled to find parking, which made me late, but since it was a private tour, they kindly waited until everyone arrived. I really appreciated their warm hospitality. I would love to do this activity again. Highly recommended! 少し寒かったですが、ブランケットを貸して頂き、快適でした。周りに手漕ぎボートがいっぱいでしたが、さすがプロの技、長い棒1本で安全な航行でした。歴史にも触れたお話も聞けて、紅葉🍁も素晴らしく、あっという間の1時間でした。嵐山は、とても混んでいて、駐車場探しに手こずって遅れてしまいましたが、貸切だからということもあり、全員揃うまで待ってくださりました。とても暖かい対応も感謝でした。また、お願いしたいアクティビティです。
おすすめです。

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Amazing Experience

Posted Date: 2025/11/07

Lulu

Kyoto Arashiyama Private Yakatabune offers a serene and elegant 1-hour boat ride through Arashiyama’s breathtaking seasonal scenery — perfect for groups of four. The experience is made even better by the wonderful guide, who is not only accommodating but also helps capture amazing photos throughout the trip. Communication can be a bit challenging since the guide mainly speaks Japanese, so downloading Google Translate is highly recommended for a smoother and more enjoyable experience.

It was amazing.

Posted Date: 2025/10/25

じゅ

It was relaxing and wonderful. The boatman was kind. We had a table set up and enjoyed drinks and snacks we brought along. The shop boat also came by, and we were able to get warm oden and cold beer. We rented it for an hour, but my companions requested to extend it to two hours next time!ゆったりのんびり、最高でした。船頭さんも親切。テーブルを入れてもらい、飲み物やおつまみを持ち込んで楽しみました♪売店船も寄ってきて温かいおでんや、冷たいビールも入手。1時間の借りきりでしたが、同行者からは、次は2時間で、と注文されました(*^-^)

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Reply from arashiyama-yakatabune

Dear Jyu, thank you for boarding with us this time. On the one-hour private boat, you are welcome to bring your favorite meals and enjoy them. We hope to see you again soon.じゅ様　この度は、ご乗船いただきありがとうございました。１時間の貸切船は　お気に入りの　お食事等をお持ち込みいただき　お召し上がりもいただけます。
また、ぜひお越しくださいませ。

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Excellent Experience- would recommend

Posted Date: 2025/10/02

Nate

Our group of 5 had a lovely time. We didnt bring snacks or drinks but it wasn't an issue because we really loved the restaurant boat that sold fresh grilled snacks. Our guide was friendly and kind: he offered to take a couple pictures for us and showed us many interesting things along the river.

Reply from arashiyama-yakatabune

Did you have an enjoyable time?　Thank you for choosing us.　Please come again.

Very quiet and elegant.

Posted Date: 2025/09/21

ふたみ

Arashiyama was crowded with inbound tourists, and I was exhausted by the time I got there, but the water was private, so once we passed through the boat traffic upstream, it was very quiet and elegant. Being able to bring in beer and snacks was a plus too!嵐山はインバウンドの人混みで、行き着くまではへとへとでしたが、水上は貸し切りなので、上流へボートの込みを抜けると、とっても静かで優雅でした。
ビールとかおつまみを持ち込めるのも◎

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Reply from arashiyama-yakatabune

Dear Futami, thank you for using our yakatabune (houseboat) this time. As you traveled upstream, I hope you were able to enjoy a relaxing experience, free from the sounds of the river downstream. In winter, the yakatabune becomes a glass boat, allowing for a warm and comfortable ride. We hope to see you again soon.ふたみ様　この度は、屋形船をご利用いただきありがとうございました。川の上流へいくと　川下の音がシャットアウトされ　ゆったりとご乗船いただけたのではないでしょうか？冬の屋形船は　ガラス船になり　暖かくご乗船いただけます。ぜひ又、お越しくださいませ。

Machine translated from Japanese

Great experience, great staff. Website needs work.

Posted Date: 2025/08/30

Traveler

Amazing folks all around from boat operator to the people servicing the ticket. But the Vletra website is very old, clunky and confusing, selecting the right number of people was difficult on Veltra website. So I paid for whatever it let me select, then got in touch via email to pay for the rest. Website needs a major update.

Reply from arashiyama-yakatabune

Thank you for coming.　Did you enjoy the houseboat?　Also, please come visit us if you have the opportunity.

Chartered boat elegance

Posted Date: 2025/08/17

あっちゃん

Recently, despite the sudden heavy rain, we were blessed with good weather and enjoyed a private experience without the scorching heat. The boatman explained everything well and was friendly, allowing us to relax for an hour. With a roof overhead, we could enjoy the shade while fanning ourselves in a pleasant atmosphere. After dealing with a lot of unpleasant things lately, I was able to spend time peacefully. Additionally, there were other boats around, and it seemed like everyone was unsure of… Recently, despite the sudden heavy rain, we were blessed with good weather and enjoyed a private experience without the scorching heat. The boatman explained everything well and was friendly, allowing us to relax for an hour. With a roof overhead, we could enjoy the shade while fanning ourselves in a pleasant atmosphere. After dealing with a lot of unpleasant things lately, I was able to spend time peacefully. Additionally, there were other boats around, and it seemed like everyone was unsure of their direction and might collide, but the boatman helped us escape slowly. Thank you very much. 最近ゲリラ豪雨もある中天気に恵まれカンカン照りでもなく優雅に貸切で堪能しました。
船頭さんも良く説明のタイミングがよく
話したら気さくに話をかえしてくれてのんびり1時間過ごせました。
屋根ありなので日陰のなか扇子をあおぎ良い空間を過ごせます。
最近嫌なことが多かった為、心穏やかに過ごせました。また、周りにテゴキボートがいて、みんな行きたい方向がわからずぶつかられそうでしたが船頭さんはゆっくりと脱出してくれました。
ありがとうございました。

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Reply from arashiyama-yakatabune

Dear Acchan, thank you for using our yakatabune (houseboat) service. I hope you were able to refresh your mood, especially since you mentioned that you've been feeling down lately. Here, you can enjoy various beautiful views throughout the seasons. We look forward to your next visit.あっちゃん様　この度は、屋形船のご利用いただきありがとうございました。「最近嫌なことが多かった」とのことですが気分転換は出来ましたでしょうか？
こちらは　四季折々　いろんな景色をご覧いただけます。　またのお越しをお待ちしております。

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The best boat trip to fully enjoy the great nature of Arashiyama.

Posted Date: 2025/07/20

KENTA

At first, I thought, "Isn't one hour a bit long?" and "The price is a bit high (15,000 yen for a private boat for two for one hour)," but now I think, "I'm glad I made the reservation!" Since it was a private boat for two and the first time slot (9 AM), there were hardly any other tourists on board, allowing us to leisurely enjoy the scenery of Arashiyama! The boatman was very kind, often asking, "Shall I take your picture?" and sharing local stories. I really appreciated his kindness! Next time… At first, I thought, "Isn't one hour a bit long?" and "The price is a bit high (15,000 yen for a private boat for two for one hour)," but now I think, "I'm glad I made the reservation!" Since it was a private boat for two and the first time slot (9 AM), there were hardly any other tourists on board, allowing us to leisurely enjoy the scenery of Arashiyama! The boatman was very kind, often asking, "Shall I take your picture?" and sharing local stories. I really appreciated his kindness! Next time, I want to enjoy Arashiyama in the different seasons of spring, autumn, and winter! 最初は「一時間長くね？」「値段ちょっと高いなぁ（二人貸切一時間合計15000円）」と思いながら予約しましたが、今は「予約しててよかった」と思っています！
二人の貸切しかも一番目の時間帯（九時）のため、他に乗船する観光客もほぼいませんし、ゆっくりと嵐山の風景を堪能することができました！船頭さんも何回も「写真撮ってあげましょうか」って話しかけてくれたり、地元の話を紹介してくれたりして、すごく優しい人です！
今度はまた春、秋、冬の違う季節の嵐山を楽しみたいと思います！

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Reply from arashiyama-yakatabune

Thank you for boarding with us. From 9 AM, there are usually not many boat customers, making it an ideal time for a peaceful experience. I believe you can enjoy various beautiful views throughout the seasons. Please do come again.この度は、御乗船いただきありがとうございます。朝９時からは、ボートのお客様も比較的いらっしゃらないことが多く　お静に御乗船いただくのには最適なお時間だと思います。四季折々いろんな景色を楽しんでいただくことが出来ると思います。ぜひ、またお越しくださいませ。

Machine translated from Japanese