Tokyo’s Shinagawa Ward to Make Waves with New Sightseeing Cruises; Routes Through Tokyo Bay, Meguro River, Keihin Canal on Offer

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:56 JST, June 11, 2024

Pleasure ships and yakatabune boats will begin offering regular cruises along the waterfront in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, from Saturday.

Named Shinagawa Cruise, the local government initiative will ferry passengers to tourist attractions in Shinagawa Ward, such as Odaiba, and is expected to become a new source of tourism.

Shinagawa Cruise will be jointly operated by the ward and an association that offers yakatabune experiences and other sightseeing programs. The cruises will run on and off throughout the remainder of the year, a decision that came after the service proved popular during a trial run between November and December last year.

Three routes are available: the Tokyo Bay cruise, the Meguro River cruise and the Keihin Canal cruise.

The Tokyo Bay cruise departs from a pier on Tennozu Isle and cruises around Odaiba for about 70 minutes before returning to its starting point. The Meguro River cruise runs at twilight on the river between Tennozu and Gotanda. The Keihin Canal cruise connects Tennozu and Shinagawa Aquarium and includes a view of the Tokyo Monorail and other popular sights. One-way and round trips are available for the Meguro River and Keihin Canal cruises.

All three of the cruises will operate June 15-16 and July 13-14, with five to six services running per day. The ward sees this year’s cruises as a trial and will consider the volume of customers in deciding the dates for August and later operations.

“We hope to promote the cruise and the slogan, ‘Shinagawa has a waterfront,’” a Shinagawa Ward official said.

Fares vary depending on the course and ticket type — one-way or return. The daytime fare for the Tokyo Bay cruise is ¥1,500 for adults and ¥800 for children.