Experiencing A Punting Boat Cruise at Geibikei (Geibi Gorge) Near Ichinoseki, Japan
If you are traveling through the Tohoku Region of Japan, one place you should add to your Tohoku itinerary is the Geibikei (Geibi Gorge). Geibikei is located just outside of Ichinoseki, Japan and is frequently regarded for its beautiful river cruises and dramatic scenery making it consistently named one of the Top 100 Scenic Views in Japan.
We first attempted to visit the Geibikei Gorge when we were traveling Japan for three months but unfortunately did not get to go on one of the river cruises due to unsafe water conditions. Recently when planning our Tohoku road trip we decided to make a second attempt to visit and this time we were able to enjoy a morning Geibikei boat cruise!
How to Get to Geibikei
How to Get to Geibikei by Public Transportation
The best way to get to Geibikei Gorge by public transportation is to take the Tohoku Shinkansen or Tohoku Main Line to Ichinoseki Station. For example, from Sendai the Tohoku Shinkansen takes 30 minutes to get from Sendai Station to Ichinoseki Station (¥4,190). The Tohoku Main Line takes 1 hour 30 minutes (¥1,690) one way.
Once you reach Ichinoseki Station then take the JR Ofunato Line to Geibikei Station which takes around 30-40 minutes and costs around ¥510.
How to Get to Geibikei by Car
Geibikei Gorge has a large parking lot that is free to use for those who are going on the Geibikei Gorge boat ride. If you are traveling by rental car from Sendai it is approximately 105km or around 2 hours to get to Geibikei from Sendai.
We have traveled to Ichinoseki by public transportation and by rental car. Either option is great for visiting Geibikei but you will need to allow for more time to visit Geibikei Gorge if you are traveling by train and/or bus.
When is the Best Time to Visit Geibikei?
If you are trying to determine the best time to visit Geibikei I would say it all depends on what scenery you would like to see. Boats operate year-round at the Geibikei so there is no bad time to visit. I recommend summer for the beautiful greenery or autumn for the foliage. However, I did my recent Geibikei Gorge boat ride in late spring and that was a lovely time as well!
Another good time to visit is during one of the special seasonal events. In the winter you can enjoy the famous Kinagashi Nabe, a hot pot meal, while seated on the boat under a kotatsu-style table to keep warm.
Another special event happens in late-May when you can book a Tea Ceremony Cruise and enjoy matcha and seasonal Japanese sweets during your boat ride.
Experiencing the Geibikei Gorge Boat Ride
When we arrived at Geibikei Gorge we went to the ticket booth which is located on the outside of the small souvenir shop and boating dock. We purchased our tickets and took some time to use the restroom (located in the back of the shop), grab a stamp for our stamp book, peruse the souvenirs, and sit on the outdoor benches enjoying the cool spring day while we waited for our boat departure time.
Once our time to board arrived we boarded the boat and took our shoes off placing them in the provided shoe rack before stepping on the tatami mats on the floor of the boat. On each side of the boat were cushions to take a seat on with room in the middle to stretch your legs.
After boarding, the staff came around with a basket of snacks and drinks available for purchase to enjoy during the boat ride.
Then we were off on a tranquil journey down the Satetsu River, viewing the gorge sites. While on the first part of the journey our boater shared local folklore about Geibikei as well as information about the places we saw along the way (this part is only in Japanese). The rocky cliffsides, caves, and foliage make for many stunning views.
Although I loved the scenery at Geibikei I often found myself watching the cute ducks that traveled alongside our boat and gazing at the beautiful, colorful koi in the river. If you desire you can purchase duck or fish food inside the souvenir shop before boarding.
Once we reached the end of the boat path we docked on a shallow gravel bar and deboarded. From there, we walked across a short wood bridge to the Wishing Hole. There is also another restroom at this stop if you need it.
The Wishing Hole has an area where you can purchase three clay undama for 100 yen and attempt to throw them into the wishing hole. The clay undama you can choose from include longevity, luck, bonds, wealth, wishes, love, romance, fortune, fate, and income. It is much harder than it looks to throw the undama inside the wishing hole and no one in our group was successful this time! Haha!
After taking time to test our luck we went back to board the boat and made our way back to the main dock while our boatman sang us a local folk song called Geibikei Oiwake on our way back. His singing echoed off the sides of the gorge with only the sounds of nature accompanying him. This part was my favorite!
Something that I found fascinating about the boats is that each of them are hand built by three of the boating guides. It takes around one month to build one boat and are traditionally crafted by hand. Historically, this style of boat was used to transport horses across the river and to keep tradition, they are still built in the same way but now transport people on the liesurely Geibikei boat cruise.
If you have some time left after your Geibikei Gorge boat ride, I also recommend visiting the Genbikei Gorge to experience the infamous flying dango!
Things to Know About the Geibikei Boat Ride
- A Geibikei Gorge boat cruise currently costs 1,800 yen for adults and 900 yen for children. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket counter when you arrive.
- Boats leave every hour on the hour with a few morning and afternoon exceptions.
- The Geibikei boat cruise lasts around 90 minutes and takes you down the Satetsu River viewing the gorge sites.
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