Yagiri-no-Watashi, the only existing rowing ferryboat in Tokyo, is in operation across theEdo River running between Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture.

Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shogun, built Edo Castle as his base of government,

making the most of the several major rivers near Tokyo as natural moats.  He never built

any bridges over them and adopted ferry boats instead for the transportation of people and

goods.  Yagiri-no-Watashi dating back to the 16^th century was one of them.  There were

15 ferry routes just in Edo River systems in the golden age.  Most of the ferry routes were

equipped with check points and those who dared to cross the rivers secretly were strictly

punished.  The feudal system by the Tokugawa successive shoguns came to an end in the

19^th century then Japan’s modernization started.  The check points were abolished and new

bridges were spanned over those rivers in place of the water transport.  Hence the old rowing ferryboats gradually disappeared.  Now, only Yagiri-no-Watashi ferry has survived

in Tokyo.  This regularly runs over the Edo River between Shibamata in Tokyo and

Yagiri in Chiba Prefecture.  The ferry is very well known as it appeared as a setting in

novels, films and popular songs.  But this ferry is not for the locals but for sightseers now.

http://tour-guide-japan.jp/