小堀の渡し
In Japanese, “小” means little or small, “堀” means moat, and “渡し” suggests a boat which crosses a canal.
Strangely, even not many Japanese can read “小堀” correctly because it is read as おおほり(ō-hori), and this sound makes people imagine “大堀“, which means a big moat(大: “ō” signifies “big”), totally opposite meaning of Kanji. As you think, it is definitely confusing.
This boat is constantly cruising among three areas such as a boarding point near Toride station and the Ōhori district area.
You can feel the flow of the Tone River up close and experience the nature of Toride on this sightseeing boat.
It is operated by Toride City and used by citizens as a means of transportation.
Let us introduce a short cruising you can enjoy in just 10 minutes walk from Toride Station.
Going through the East Exit of Toride Station, you can shortly arrive at a riverbed called “Toride green tract of land Sports Park.”
This is a popular space for Toride citizens to play basketball and baseball, and walk around.
There is a wharf called “Toride contact Pier of Ōhori” in this park.
It is only 10minutes walk from Toride Station.
The picture on the top of this article is a boat called とりで号(Toride go :The Toride) which is in operation.
The Toride is a new boat that has started its cruising in March 2020.
The boat is designed in the motif of kingfishers (the color is blue and yellow) which is designated as the bird of Toride City. Regardless of the small capacity of this boat (maximum 12), the flight deck at the front is enough wide-open that you can enjoy a cruise in great nature.
This boat makes an excursion connecting “Toride contact Pier of Ōhori”, “Toride green tract of land Sports Park parking” and “Ōhori” in about 50 minutes and return to the first boarding point.
You can enjoy an extraordinary moment either by joining a one-way or a round-trip tour.
Why don’t you take “the Ōhori no Watashi” boat to enjoy the view of Toride City on the Tone River?
DATA
●Ōhori no Watashi
Address : Toride 1, Toride City, Ibaraki Prefecture
Access : 10minutes walk from the East Exit of JR Toride Station
Days out of service: Every Wednesday, The Year-End and New Year Days (from Dec. 29 to Jan. 3)
Beginning year of operation: 1914
※Boarding fee is required to get on a boat.
Please refer to the website of Toride City about the details of operation time and boarding points.
http://www.city.toride.ibaraki.jp/mizutomidori/bunkakatsudo/kanko/kankomesho/ohorinowatashi.html
※Please corporate in preventing infection with the new coronavirus when you get aboard.
(The content of the article is as of August, 2022.)