Building traditional Japanese boats

Photo gallery

Tourist tub boats. This fleet was built by the author’s teacher, who developed a glass bottomed version for the tourist industry.

In one village fishermen use outboard motors on their tub boats. Generally these boats are sculled facing forward with a small paddle.

Mitsumori - A river boat builder the author met in the mountains of Hiroshima Prefecture.

Nasu The last builder of ukaibune, or cormorant fishing boats, in Gifu Prefecture.

Tada A boatbuilder in Chiba Prefecture the author met in 2003.

Introduction :: The tub boat :: Tokyo