Horikawa Moat Boat Ride — Roofed Boat Through Castle Town

Published: Jun 3, 2026

Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Horikawa moatboat ridecastle townkotatsu boatlow bridges

Horikawa Moat Boat Ride — Roofed Boat Through Castle Town

Horikawa Sightseeing Boat (堀川めぐり) navigates the 3.7km moat surrounding Matsue Castle, passing under 16 bridges (some extremely low-clearance) through the historic samurai district. The 50-minute ride on traditional roofed boats features boat pilots who narrate local history, point out historic sites, and manually lower the boat roof for ultra-low bridges (passengers duck flat).

The moat preserves Matsue's Edo-period castle town layout, with willow trees, stone walls, samurai residences, and traditional gardens visible from water level. Different seasons offer distinct experiences: cherry blossoms in spring, fireflies in summer, autumn leaves in November, and kotatsu-heated boats in winter.

Opening Hours

9:00 AM–5:00 PM (April–September, last boat 5:30 PM) | 9:00 AM–4:30 PM (October–March) | Departures every 15–20 minutes

Closed: No regular closures; year-round including winter kotatsu boats (December–February)

Entrance Fee

¥1,500 adults; ¥800 children under 12; all-day hop-on pass ¥2,500

Best Season

December–February (kotatsu heated boats, unique winter experience); April (cherry blossoms over moat); November (autumn leaves reflected in water)

Visit Duration

50 minutes per full circuit; allow 10 minutes to walk to nearest boarding point from Matsue Station

Getting There

Access Information

Three boarding points: Karakoro Hiroba, Fumai-an, Ohte-mae. ¥1,500 adults, ¥800 children. Hours: 9:00–17:00 (summer until 18:00). Boats depart every 15–20 min. Visit duration: 50 minutes per circuit. Winter kotatsu boats: December–February (heated blanket tables onboard).

Insider Guide

Premium

**Low bridge experience:** Four bridges have ultra-low clearance requiring the roof to drop and passengers to duck completely flat (lying back on seats). The boatman manually cranks the roof down whil