Tokyo Cruise's "Asakusa-Hinode Pier" Cruise 東京クルーズの浅草-日の出桟橋クルーズ

Fun and unusual, cruises in Tokyo offer another point of view on the city and allow you to discover the little secrets of the river routes of the metropolis. However, these cruises are generally not accessible to all budgets. And the prices go up very quickly when it comes to admiring the Tokyo Skytree from the bay.

Fortunately, some cruises offer quite affordable alternatives to the large pleasure boats that operate on the Sumida. This is particularly the case of the ''Asakusa-Hinode Pier'' cruise from the Tokyo Cruise company , which connects Asakusa to the Hinode pier, and which offers to go up the course of the Tokyo River for only 780 yen per person. (5.98 euros) !

"TokyoCruise" or the madness of cruises in Tokyo

Tokyo Bay and the Sumida River offer many opportunities to experience Tokyo from the waters.

With a dozen shuttles each day , these cruises grouped together under the name of " Tokyo Cruise " allow you to discover the city from many angles.

Whether you pass through historic sites such as Hama-Rikyu Gardens or cruise along the bay to admire the colors of the Rainbow Bridge on a summer evening , " Tokyo Cruise " allows you to discover the beauty of the Japanese capital , where temples and cherry trees in flowers mingle with the twinkling of the buildings in the business districts.

• Read : Along the Sumida River

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Gastronomic dinners with champagne , cocktail evenings, or even yukata evenings in July, special events are even organized throughout the year by the company.

Lasting two to three hours , these ''luxury'' cruises have a cost. And it will generally be necessary to pay between 4,000 and 10,000 yen per person (between 3 0.70 and 76.76 euros ) to hope to benefit from it.

• See also : yukata night cruise in Tokyo

Fortunately, some cruises offer much more affordable circuits!

Like the ''Asakusa-Hinode Pier'' cruise, which offers a ''lightning'' tour of the bay in 55 minutes for less than 800 yen ( 6.14 euros ).

Discovering the Sumida

A tasty mix between the yakatabune and the nôryôsen, the C osmos used for the cruise is a small barge 15 m long which aims to be modern and functional. With a basement for dinners , a cabin to admire the view when it's gray, and an open roof , this small pleasure boat is ideal for the more modest tours offered by " Tokyo Cruise ".

And it is one of the activities not to be missed in the spring, since it offers an unobstructed view of the cherry blossoms that line the banks of the capital.

A little advice, however, if you want to make the most of the cruise: remember to board just before sunset! This will allow you not only to enjoy the view of Tokyo by day on the outward journey, but also the joys of the bay illuminated by the buildings and the thirteen bridges that the Cosmo crosses on the way back.

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