In the years since its release, however, the film has received increased critical attention from those in the west. It was screened at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in 2022 as part of a retrospective exhibition on the films of Isao Takahata. In one of the few English language publications to discuss The Story of Yanagawa’s Canals, for example, Colin Odell and Michelle Le Blanc write that: Although unlikely to appeal to the broader audience for Ghibli’s animated films, The Story of the Yanagawa Canals is nevertheless an interesting work because it focuses on many of the themes that pepper Takahata’s anime. Visually, his use of relational editing and slow tracking shots recalls the similar style of his more controlled works, but, despite being a very low-key and personal film, it is one that celebrates the wider spirit of community.Alex Dudok De Wit of Cartoon Brew described it as "Takahata’s most meditative work — and his most pedantic."
