Pleasure Cruises in Tokyo

A river or harbor boat cruise through Tokyo provides a uniquely enjoyable way to experience and get around the metropolis. Tokyo is a city on the sea, with rivers running through it, and a pleasure cruise - day or night - makes the most of the Japanese capital's waterways. A cruise on the waters in and around Tokyo is enjoyable and relaxing in itself, and can provide unobstructed views of the Tokyo cityscape and its landmarks.

Yakatabune traditional evening boat cruise on the Sumida River with Tokyo Skytree in background
One of Tokyo Cruise Line's futuristic cruise boats on the Sumida River, Tokyo.
The futuristic Tokyo Cruise Line cruise boat "Himiko" on the Sumida River, Tokyo

Tokyo Cruise Line

Tokyo Cruise is the main provider of cruises in Tokyo, mainly on the Sumida River in eastern Tokyo. It has a fleet of 13 boats, some with a capacity of up to 300 people.

The most famous three are the Himiko, designed by the animated movie and manga comic artist, Leiji Matsumoto (b.1938) and inspired by a tear drop, and the equally futuristic Hotaluna and Emeraldas. There are the early American paddle-steamer-style Ryoma and Dokan, and the Edo-era battleship the Gozabune Atakemaru for "Samurai Cruises" that feature on-board entertainment.

Cruise boats on the Sumida River, Tokyo.
Pleasure boats on the Sumida River in Ryogoku, Tokyo

The Urban Launch, which seats 41 is a 600 yen shuttle service between Shibaura, Odaiba, and Toyosu, and which accepts bicycles and pets.

The Limousine Boat, seating 11, is a 14.5 meter long launch that is charterable for a base fee of 20,000 yen.

The main cruises are between Asakusa, on the west bank of the Sumida River, and Hamarikyu Garden, near where the Sumida River meets Tokyo Bay.

Other stops include Hinode Pier, Odaiba Seaside Park and Toyosu (see map).

Tokyo Cruise Line's pier on the Sumida River, Asakusa, Tokyo

Tokyo Cruise Fares

Fares for Tokyo Cruise Line cruises change somewhat according to which boat you take, but the typical fares are as follows.

Between Hamarikyu and Asakusa cost about 1,000 yen for adults, about 400 yen for children, and takes about 35 minutes. The fare from Asakusa to Hamarikyu includes the price of admission to Hamarikyu Garden.

Between Odaiba Seaside Park and Asakusa costs about 1,200 yen for adults, about 600 yen for children, and takes about 70 minutes.

Bookings can be made online through the Tokyo Cruise website. The Asakusa-Odaiba route on the Himiko and Hotaluna gets booked out, so prior bookings for this route are advisable.

All vessels are wheelchair accessible. Passengers may bring one item of luggage each of a height, width and depth that measures no more than 2 meters in total.

Two Tokyo Cruise Line cruise boats: "Our Town" (foreground) and "Dokan" (background) pass each other on the Sumida River, Tokyo.

Tokyo Mizube Line

The Tokyo Mizube Line is a sightseeing ferry service operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association, the official body which administers Tokyo's metropolitan parks. It operates "Waterbus Cruises" from its pier in Azumabashi, in front of the Sumida Ward Office, and about ten minutes walk from the Tokyo Skytree.

The Tokyo Mizube Line offers three main routes: between Asakusa and Odaiba, between Asakusa and Kasai, and between Kasai and Odaiba.

The Tokyo Mizube Line has four boats: the Sakura and Ajisai, both accommodating 140 passengers (with 54 of the seats being inside), the Cosmos, carrying 200 passengers (with 130 of the seats inside), and the Kawasemi, for 65 people (39 seats inside).

As the term "waterbus" suggests, this service is great for getting from place to place, as well as for entertaining you with the sights of Tokyo from the water.

There are more stops on the Tokyo Mizube Line than the other Tokyo pleasure cruise services. For example, the Asakusa to Odaiba ferry departs from Azumabashi (Sumida Kuyakusho-mae Pier) and goes a little up the Sumida River to Asakusa (Sensoji Nitenmon-mae Pier), then goes back south down the river, calling in at Etchujima, Seiroka Garden-mae, Hamarikyu Garden, then Odaiba Seaside Park, before making the return journey. But there are only two such regular cruises a day, departing Ryogoku at 11:15am and 2:55pm, and arriving at Odaiba at 12:35pm and 4:15pm.

There are occasional express services and other special cruises available on certain dates and at certain times. Check with the Tokyo Mizube Line for more information on these. Fares are reasonable, starting at 310 yen.

Meals can be reserved in advance on Tokyo Mizube Line cruises. Depending on the route and time, there is either lunch or dinner available. Prices start at about 5,000 yen per adult for a Japanese-style course meal. Reservations can be made between a month and five days before your cruise.

Jicoo the Floating Bar

Jicoo is a "floating bar," a party boat. This cutting-edge 30-meter vessel with a capacity of about 150 people operates in Tokyo Bay on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Jicoo departs from Hinode pier at 8pm, 9pm and 10pm, arrives in Odaiba Seaside Park 30 minutes later, and gets back to Hinode pier on the hour.

With the purchase of the "Floating Pass" for 2,600 yen, you can stay on board the Jicoo for all three crossings if you like. However, if you get off, you have to pay again to reboard.

There are plenty of reasons to stay onboard the Jicoo and have a good time. The bar is open the whole time, serving great cocktails, and the selection of DJs, dancers and live musicians changes by the day. You must be at least 20 years of age to board Jicoo.

Traditional yakatabune boat moored on the Sumida River, Tokyo.
Traditional yakatabune pleasure boat moored on the Sumida River, Tokyo
A cruise boat goes under a train crossing Ryogoku Bridge, Sumida River, Tokyo.
A pleasure cruise boat passes under a Sobu-Chuo Line train crossing a rail bridge over the Sumida River to Ryogoku, Tokyo

Vingt et Un Tokyo Bay Cruise

Vingt et Un is a 65-meter "restaurant ship" accommodating up to 700 passengers. It offers three meal-time cruises: lunchtime (noon-2pm, from about 5,500 yen), twilight (4:20-6:20pm, from about 5,500 yen) and nighttime (7:20-9:20pm, from about 6,500 yen). There is a choice of different priced meal courses. Boarding starts 30 minutes before the above departure times.

The Vingt et Un boat goes from Takebashi Pier down as far as where Haneda Airport is, where it does a loop and goes back.

Symphony Tokyo Bay Cruise

Symphony Tokyo Bay Cruise operates the svelte 83-meter Moderna, accommodating up to 600 people, and the 70-meter Classica taking up to 450 people.

Symphony Tokyo Bay Cruise offers four cruises a day: the Lunch Cruise (11:50am - 2pm), a shorter Afternoon Cruise (3:00-3:50pm), Sunset Cruise (4:20-6:20pm), and Dinner Cruise (7:00-9:30pm).

It is, however, possible to ride without ordering a meal, in which case it costs only 3,000 yen as opposed to about 4,000 to 12,000 yen, or, in the case of the Dinner Cruise, 3,800 yen as opposed to about 6,000 to 20,000 yen.

The Moderna vessel includes a luxury private "Aria" room for up to four people, or "Heroica" room for up to 14 people, that can be reserved, both with suitably luxurious meal menus available.

Except for the Afternoon Cruise, which goes only as far down as where Odaiba is (but without landing), these Symphony Tokyo Bay Cruises go on a big loop of Tokyo Bay, under the Rainbow Bridge on the way down, and under the Tokyo Gate Bridge on the way back. Besides the bridges, highlights include a view of (not a visit to) Tokyo Disneyland and of the Tokyo Skytree.

The Cruise Club Tokyo

The Cruise Club Tokyo offers one of Tokyo's most luxurious on-the-water experiences - which, nevertheless, won't break the bank. The company's beautiful, 120-guest capacity Lady Crystal vessel departs and returns to the modern, spacious Club House on Tennozu Isle in Shinagawa ward.

Daily Cruises

The two daily cruises are the Dinner Cruise (7-9pm) and the Night Cruise (9.30-10.30pm). The Dinner Cruise provides a full-course French meal as you cruise Tokyo Bay, down to the waters off Haneda Airport and back. Courses available range from 12,900 yen to 20,600 yen per person, with a private dining room available for an extra 30,900 yen per party. The Night Cruise provides a drink to sip on as you cruise around the beautifully lit-up Odaiba area. This course costs 4,000 yen for guests 12 years old and over, and 2,600 yen for 6 to 11 year olds. Children under 6 years old are not permitted on this cruise.

Weekend/Public Holiday Cruises

The other Tokyo Cruise Club cruises run on weekends and public holidays only: the Lunch Cruise (12 noon - 1.40pm) and the Afternoon Cruise (2.15-3pm). The Lunch Cruise offers two kinds of full-course French meal for 7,200 yen and 9,300 yen (drinks not included), and takes diners all the way out to Tokyo Gate Bridge and back. The Afternoon Cruise is just a cruise, 1,900 yen for adults, 1,000 yen for children, with drinks available, but you have to pay extra for them.

The Clubhouse

Tokyo Cruise Club also offers meals at the Club House (i.e., on land, not on a boat). The Clubhouse Dinner is available every evening from 6.30 to 9pm, with four course selections ranging from 2,500 yen to 12,500 yen per diner. Dinner at the Clubhouse entitles you to a special rate of 3,500 yen for the Night Cruise. The Clubhouse Lunch is offered on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays only, from 12 noon to 2pm, and has two choices: a 2,600 yen and 3,600 yen course. Lunch at the Clubhouse entitles you to a special rate of 1,600 yen for the Afternoon Cruise.

Check-in time for Tokyo Cruise Club cruises is 1 hour to 30 minutes before, at the Clubhouse front desk. (See map below for location.)

Summertime-only Tokyo Nouryousen

The Nouryousen (NOH-ryoh-sen, "Cool of the Evening Cruise") is a summertime-only cruise offered by Tokyo Kisen, the company that provides ferry services to the islands south of Tokyo and that comprise part of Tokyo Metropolis. This "Tokyo Bay Summer Night Cruise Ship" costs about 3,000 yen.

The Nouryousen operates until late September, the exact final date changing by the year.

The Nouryousen's six decks offer something for everyone, including food and entertainment.

The Nouryousen departs at 7:15pm from Takeshiba Pier (where Tokyo Kisen ferries to Hachijo Island also depart from, and near Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden) and goes south under the Rainbow Bridge, down to as far as where Haneda Airport is (but without landing). It then does a loop in the harbor (taking in the Tokyo Disney Resort fireworks at about 8:30pm), then goes back up the same way.

Nouryousen tickets are by reservation only. Send an email to harajukutic@his-world .com with "Nouryousen2" as the subject, and, in the body, the date you want, and the names, gender, age and nationality of the participants. Or, get the Japan Concierge Service to do it for you.

Edomae Kisen Yakatabune

A yakatabune ("ya-ka-ta-BOO-nay") is a traditional (usually roofed) pleasure boat for eating and drinking parties on the water.

Most yakatabune ply the Sumida River, with many of them based in the Yanagibashi district of Taito ward, near Asakusabashi Station, along the Kanda River where it joins the Sumida River.

However, one of the most English-speaker-friendly yakatabune cruise companies is Edomae Kisen, which operates two yakatabune from near Shin-Kiba station (near Yumenoshima Park) in eastern Tokyo. A shuttle bus from the station takes guests on the five-minute ride to the nearby Edomaekisen Pier.

There are two Edomae Kisen yakatabune cruise courses to choose from:

Cruises on the two-hour Odaiba Course start just after midday and finish about 10pm.

The two-and-a-half-hour Sumida River Course happens once a day only, starting at midday.

Both types of cruise are from Shin-Kiba Station, where you take a shuttle bus from outside the station to the pier, almost 2 km away.

These cruises are all-you-can-eat and drink, starting from 5,000 yen for daytime cruises, and from 5,500 yen for evening cruises.

Edomae Kisen Yakatabune operates 365 days a year.

Traditional Yakatabune Dinner Cruise Shinagawa

Audience participation on the Traditional Yakatabune Dinner Cruise Shinagawa, Tokyo Bay

Offering a nighttime yakatabune experience on Tokyo Bay is the Traditional Yakatabune Dinner Cruise Shinagawa. This cruise is evening-time only, and departs from Tennozu Isle on an approximately two-and-a-half hour dinner cruise of Tokyo Bay. This traditional dinner cruise is for groups of two or more, and features a long, delicious meal served as-you-like-it, and as many drinks from the bar as you like, over the course of the evening.

This cruise offers the delights of lit-up Tokyo Bay: its bridges, skyscrapers, monuments, and more, with good food, great company, and even some fun onboard entertainment.

Tokyo Pleasure Cruise Map

See a map of the various providers of pleasure cruises in Tokyo, and where their boats depart from and go to. Click on the top left square for details.

Booking Assistance

Need help making Tokyo pleasure cruise bookings? For a reasonable fee of just 2,500 yen per party, GoodsFromJapan's Japan Concierge Service will do all the booking work for you and, if you require, send you your tickets in advance (additional postage fee required). Inquiries welcome.