YANAGAWA, Fukuoka >> Kotatsu boats are back for the winter in Yanagawa, Fukuoka prefecture, where visitors can take in the canal waterfront while warming their feet.

A kotatsu is a low table covered by a blanket with a heat source underneath. That source these days is typically an electric heater, but old-fashioned charcoal braziers are used on the boats.

The boats will run until late February.

Originally, Yanagawa was a marshy area. Ditches were constructed to improve drainage, and they likely led to the city’s canals. Eventually, the canals ribboned through much of the city and were used for agricultural purposes. Some canals were designed as moats for Yanagawa Castle.

Kotatsu boats were introduced some 50 years ago to attract visitors during winter. The river excursions have become a tourist draw for Yanagawa.

On the morning of Dec. 1, the first day of the winter service, a stream of Japanese sightseers and tourist groups from South Korea and other areas boarded the boats.