(file photo)
If you are looking for another way to enjoy Tokyo, try a night cruise aboard a yakatabune, a traditional Japanese cruiser.
A yakatabune night cruise on the Sumida River and Tokyo Gulf will allow you to take in dazzling night views of Tokyo, with impressive Tokyo Skytree, majestic Rainbow Bridge, Fuji TV Station and Gundam Statue all lit up colorfully in the evening sky.
Once you board a yakatabune, the tatami mats, wooden low tables and shoji (paper sliding window) on the traditional roofed wooden cruiser will make you feel like you strayed into old Japan.
The tradition of cruising on yakatabune flourished during the Edo Period (1603 – 1867) when feudal lords held lavish private parties with geisha. Today, anybody can have fun on a 2.5-hour cruise that includes refined traditional Japanese cuisine is for around 12,000 yen ($80).
While checking out the beautiful views through a classical shoji paper window, you can enjoy washoku Japanese dishes, including fresh sashimi raw fish and hot-served tempura, along with all-you-can-drink sake, beer and non-alcoholic drinks.
Cruising on a yakatabune is especially popular during cherry blossom season, fireworks in summer and moon viewing in autumn.
Among dozens of yakatabune cruisers available in Tokyo, Harumiya is foreigner-friendly with English-speaking crews and clerks.
So, after finishing your riverside walk along the Sumida River, let’s hop on a yakatabune to enjoy astonishing night views and wonderful food and drinks.
Yakatabune Harumiya
3–1–1 Harumi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
12,500 yen (including dinner and all-you-can-drink for 150–minutes)
Tel: 03-3644-1344
*From two participants or more. You can charter a boat with 20 or more participants.
