Yakatabune Sailing Back In Time

Above, yakatabune boats moored in Asakusa on the Sumida River.  Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One of the things I'd like to try out in Tokyo, but haven't done so yet, is to take a dinner cruise aboard a yakatabune boat.

According to JapanToday:

A familiar sight on Japan’s rivers and canals, these boats are said to date back to the Heian period (794-1185) when they were used by the upper classes (daimyo and shogun). They started to become popular among the common people from the 1600s – legend says they were used for important business deals to avoid eavesdropping. Later, the boats became the playhouses for shoguns, samurai and their geisha girls. Nowadays, they are floating restaurants (but no geisha, sorry). 

In Tokyo, several yakatabune depart from Shinagawa, Tsukishima and Harumi. They take you out on two- or three-hour cruises of Tokyo Bay with all-you-can-eat feasts of tempura and sashimi and all you can drink. Some have karaoke, as well. The boats usually carry 20-100 passengers and are especially popular during fireworks season, when they drop anchor in Tokyo Bay and watch the extravaganza.

They are most popular during the spring and summer months, according to the article. Prices range from 8,000-10,000 yen per person. There are various pricing plans, depending upon what food is served. Group rates are also available (most require a minimum of ten people).

I've seen some moored near the Azuma Bridge on the Sumida River in Asakusa, Tokyo.

To read the full article, go here.