Nagatoro is a town in Saitama Prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, Japan. It’s known for the Nagatoro River, with its white-water rapids. In the south, the Saitama Museum of Natural History has dinosaur bones found in the region. At the foot of nearby Mt. Hodosan is the ornate Hodosan Shrine. At the mountain’s summit is the Nagatoro Hodosan Wintersweet Garden, with its sprawling grove of plum trees and seasonal flowers.
Nagatoro is a popular spot for day trippers from Tokyo looking for river boat cruises, wild water sports and hiking in largely unspoiled nature. River cruise on the Arakawa River is one of the most popular activities in Nagatoro.
The whole town of Nagatoro has been designated a prefectural nature park and preserve.
River boating is serious business in Nagatoro.The river cruises are done by tour boats carrying about 20 passengers and steered by two men with long poles. They travel along high rock walls and through some excitingly rough waters.
At the end of the trip down river, the passengers are brought back to central Nagatoro by bus. The boats are lifted from the river by crane and transported back to their starting point by truck. Those boats are built to go down river, they can’t make the trip back on their own.
Tickets: Available both in front of the train station and at the boarding point. Various tours are on offer. Course A and B are 1600 yen per adult, children (3 – 12 years old) 800 yen. Course C is 3000 yen per adult and 1400 yen per child.
Access
Take a limited express along the Seibu Ikebukuro Line from Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo to Seibu-Chichibu Station, then take a short walk to Ohanabatake Station and take the Chichibu Railway to Nagatoro (about 2 hours).