Geibikei Gorge
A narrow limestone gorge where flat-bottomed boats are poled through approximately 2 kilometres of canyon flanked by 100-metre cliffs. The boatman sings traditional Geibikei rowing songs as herons and kingfishers fly through the gorge.
1.5–2 hours
¥1,800 (boat)
Boat departures: 8:30–15:30 (Mar–Nov); reduced schedule in winter
March–November; mid-October (autumn)
5-min walk from Geibikei Station (JR Ofunato Line)
Location
Why Visit
- 1
The 1-hour round-trip boat journey passes through 31 named rock formations and 2 scenic waterfalls
- 2
At the turnaround point, visitors throw lucky pottery shards called "fuku-ishi" into a small cave in the cliff
- 3
Autumn leaves frame the canyon walls in a tunnel of red and orange from mid-October
- 4
The gorge water is so clear the limestone riverbed is visible in detail from the boat
Local Tips
The pole-guided flat-bottom boat trip takes 90 minutes round-trip through 2km of dramatic limestone cliffs. The boatman sings traditional folk songs mid-gorge — a genuinely moving experience. Genbikei Gorge (20 min by bus) has a very different landscape and can be combined in the same day.
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