Yanagawa is known for waterways, eel cuisine, Ohana, and, don’t forget, Yoko Ono. Yanagawa is located in Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyushu.

Tachibana Munashige ruled the Yanagawa Clan and his descendant, the 18th heads of the Tachibana Family, runs OHANA, a restaurant inn.

Canal networks characterize Yanagawa. Yanagawa, a low-lying marshland along the Ariake Sea coast, was plagued by flooding, and Yoshimasa carried out large-scale flood-control projects and worked hard to address the problem. It was Tanaka Yoshimasa, an excellent urban planner, who planned and managed the project to control floods and promote agriculture and commerce.

The waterways for river rafting is a part of people’s lives

Yanagawa was once located on the Ariake Sea and has a unique topography shaped little by little by our ancestors since the Yayoi period. By digging the soil and drawing in water, land was created, and people secured a place to live. They collected rainwater in the canals and used it for drinking water and agricultural water.

In addition, river boating (canal tours) was not just a tourist attraction but also a part of people’s daily lives.

When we visited Yanagawa, it happened to be the time to drain the castle moat, so we could not enjoy river rafting. Water draining, called “Mizuwari,” is an annual event held in mid-February to maintain clean water quality.

OHANA

The Tachibana Family was a feudal lord who ruled the area from 1620 to 1871. The 5th generation of the Tachibana family, Sadayoshi built a residence in Yanagawa for his family. The 14th generation, Tomoharu, built the Japanese garden, a Grand Hall, the western style building. The 16th generation of the family, Fumiko and Kazuo started a restaurant & inn to preserve the residence, and now the 18th generation runs “OHANA”, a landmark hotel in Yanagawa.

We stayed at Ohana for one night and enjoyed dinner and breakfast. It was divine!  The quality of service, facilities, and hospitality was the most memorable because we understood how the Tachibana family fostered “Ohana” in their residence as well as an inn and restaurant, transcending Japanese culture and a sense of beauty.

In the Grand Hall, guests can overlook the Japanese garden while listening to the birds’ singing. At night, the garden is lit up. The Noh was performed from time to time, which was a family tradition of the Tachibana Family. Noh is a Japanese stage drama, mainly appreciated by Samurai warriors.

Yoko Ono’s grandfather, Eijiro Ono was born in Yanagawa and was a retainer of the Yanagawa Clan. Yoko Ono has a root in Yanagawa.

“OHANA was featured as “Grand residences where you can experience the splendor once enjoyed by feudal lord’s families, and former consulates and governors’ residences that once bustled as centers of diplomacy and politics”.

(Source: KATEIGAHO JOURNAL, Discovering a Sense of Place)

How to Get To Yanagawa From Tokyo:

Haneda AirportDeparture

planeApproximately 2 hours

Fukuoka Airportvia

subwayApproximately 10 minutes

Nishitetsu Fukuoka (Tenjin) Stationvia

Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta LineApproximately 50 minutes

Nishitetsu Yanagawa