Canal Boat Resumes Service in Japan’s Toyama After Winter Break

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:44 JST, April 8, 2026

TOYAMA — Pleasure cruises on the Fugan Canal in Toyama restarted for the year on Mach 20, following a long winter break.

Passengers aboard the first boat of the year enjoyed views from the canal.

Launched in 2009, the Fugan Suijo Line is run jointly by Toyama Prefecture and the city of Toyama. Boats depart from Fugan Canal Kansui Park and other places. As many as 69,582 people used the service last year, beating the pre-pandemic record in 2019.

A ceremony marking the restart of services was held on March 20 and was attended by about 30 people. During the ceremony, a message from Toyama Mayor Hachiro Nitta was read out by Ichiro Miyazaki, the head of the prefecture’s tourism promotion bureau.

“The Suijo Line has distinct appeal that can’t be found elsewhere, such as in its ‘water elevator’ — the Nakajima Lock Gate — and the town walk in Iwase,” the mayor said in his message. “We’ll work together with the city government to satisfy visitors.”

An elementary school student from Kanazawa rode the line with his parents. “I could feel the wind and got to see beautiful scenery, so it was fun,” he said.

The service will continue through Nov. 23.