Why book this evening
Why book this evening
A real Edo-period boat design, not a theme night
The yakatabune is not a re-enactment prop — it is a working boat type that has carried people around Tokyo's waterways for centuries — the roofed pleasure boat has roots in the Heian court, and it was in the Edo period that the shogun and daimyo kept lavishly decorated versions to entertain guests. The roofed cabin, low tables and lanterns strung along the hull are original to the design, not added for visitors.
A set Japanese dinner, not one plate
Dinner is a set Japanese meal cooked fresh that day — appetisers, sashimi on a boat-shaped platter, tempura cooked on board, a seasonal rice dish, salad, noodles and dessert, on a menu that changes with the season — with unlimited beer, sake, shochu, umeshu and soft drinks poured through the evening.
The skyline changes course by course
The boat leaves Shinagawa, passes under the Rainbow Bridge, runs along the Sumida River with the Tokyo Skytree in view, and loops past Odaiba before heading back — so the view from the window, or the open sky deck upstairs, keeps changing as the courses arrive.
English booking for a Japanese-only reservation system
Funasei's own site takes bookings in Japanese by phone or web form, and sends English-speaking customers to H.I.S. by email. GetYourGuide is the practical way to reserve this specific evening in English, with the price, inclusions and cancellation terms shown upfront before you pay.
The course card on the bay
Five lanterns, one evening
The dinner arrives in roughly this order as the boat works its way around the bay. Pairing each course with a landmark is a rough guide only: Funasei runs several loops, and the route and timing change from night to night.
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Shinagawa Pier · departure
Boarding, and the first small dishes
Check-in is about 30 minutes before departure at the Funasei pier, roughly a quarter-hour walk from Shinagawa Station. Once the boat pushes off, the shikidashi appetisers and kobachi small dishes are usually the first things on the table — order plates while the boat is still finding open water.
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Rainbow Bridge
The sashimi boat comes out
As the yakatabune clears Shinagawa and heads for the Rainbow Bridge, a sashimi moriawase — a boat-shaped platter of the day's fish — arrives. The bridge's lit cables are usually the first big landmark of the night, best seen from the open sky deck if the weather allows.
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Sumida River · Skytree in view
Tempura, fried to order
The boat turns up toward the Sumida River, with the Tokyo Skytree visible over the rooftops. This is the tempura course — fried in the boat's own kitchen rather than plated in advance, so it arrives hot.
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Odaiba
Rice, pickles, noodles
Past Odaiba's waterfront lights, the meal moves into its later courses: a seasonal rice dish, konomono pickled vegetables, a small salad and shime no men — the noodles that traditionally close out a Japanese set meal.
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Back to Shinagawa
Dessert, and the last of the drinks
On the run back to the pier, dessert and a final round from the open bar arrive as the skyline that opened the evening comes back into view. The cruise runs about two and a half to three hours in all, so the return time follows your departure time.
Shinagawa, and how the evening is arranged
Funasei Pier, Shinagawa — and how the evening is arranged
This cruise departs from a working boat pier in Shinagawa-ku, not a tour-bus car park — here is what to expect on the day.
Where it is
The Funasei boarding pier sits in Shinagawa-ku, roughly a quarter-hour walk from Shinagawa Station — one of Tokyo's major rail hubs, on the JR Yamanote and Keihin-Tōhoku lines and the Keikyu Main Line.
Check-in and boarding
Arrive at the pier about 30 minutes before your departure time, which varies by date and season and is confirmed by email a few days beforehand. Staff check you in at the pier itself, so keep your booking confirmation to hand rather than relying on an app.
Table and chairs, or sunken floor
The dining room is fully air-conditioned. Depending on the boat, guests sit either at a Western-style table with chairs or at a low table over a sunken floor well (horigotatsu-style), shoes off — some boats have no chairs at all. Solo travellers and couples may share a table with other guests.
No hotel transfer on this booking
Transport isn't included as standard — you make your own way to the Shinagawa pier and back. A one-way hotel pickup can be added as an option for hotels with a front desk inside Tokyo's 23 wards.
The evening, in pictures
The evening, in pictures
A lantern-lit dinner boat on the Sumida, the Rainbow Bridge at night, and a Japanese dinner service.
Booking options & what's included
Booking options & what's included
| Option | What it includes | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| The Funasei dinner cruise (this listing) | Japanese dinner, unlimited drinks, and a loop that usually takes in the Rainbow Bridge, the Sumida and Odaiba | This is the cruise the site covers — roughly 2.5 to 3 hours on the water, and you'll need to arrange your own transfer |
| A shorter or set-course cruise | Some yakatabune operators run shorter evenings or a fixed set menu instead of a full course dinner | Check the course count and duration on the specific listing before booking |
| A private group charter | The whole boat booked for one party rather than a shared sailing | Priced and arranged separately — worth asking about for a larger group |
| Pair it with another Tokyo evening | Booked as a separate GetYourGuide experience | A sumo tournament morning, a Kabukiza evening or a Noh-style dinner theatre in Nihonbashi all run on different nights |
Ways to book the evening
Find a sailing for your dates
Each option below checks out through GetYourGuide, and the date you pick and the price you'll pay are both locked in before you hand over a card.
Planning your evening
Planning your evening
Book the date, not just the evening
Departure times vary by day, and the boat leaves on its own schedule, with or without you. Reserve the date rather than hoping for a same-week spot — the cancellation window on this listing is 11 days, so an early booking leaves room to change plans.
Get yourself to Shinagawa
There is no hotel transfer on this listing. Build in time to reach the Funasei pier near Shinagawa Station and check in about 30 minutes before your departure slot — treat it like catching a train, not a tour-bus pickup.
Pace yourself through the dinner
The dinner runs for the full two and a half to three hours, so don't treat the sashimi and tempura at the start as the main event. Hold back through the early plates and the closing noodles and dessert will actually get eaten instead of skipped.
Go up to the sky deck for the landmarks
The dining room windows show the skyline, but the open-air deck on top of the boat is the better vantage point for the Rainbow Bridge and the Skytree if the evening is dry and not too cold — worth stepping outside for a few minutes rather than staying seated the whole way.
Planning a Yakatabune evening in Tokyo
Planning a Yakatabune evening in Tokyo
Yakatabune dinner cruise: how to book it
Book here, book through the operator, or see the bay another way: how the Shinagawa yakatabune dinner cruise works, checked against Funasei's own pages.
Read more →The route, explainedThe Yakatabune route: Rainbow Bridge, the Sumida, Odaiba and the Skytree
This cruise is as much about the moving view as the meal. Here is roughly where the boat goes, what you are likely to see from each stretch, and why the loop is shaped the way it is.
Read more →The menu, explainedThe yakatabune menu: what is on the table
Sashimi, tempura fried to order, a seasonal rice course and an open bar — what is actually on the table across a Funasei dinner, and what to do if you have dietary needs.
Read more →Getting there, shoes, kids, timingYakatabune pier, Shinagawa: before you go
How to find the Funasei pier, what to expect at check-in, shoes, seating, children and language, checked against the operator's own directions and pages.
Read more →When to goBest season for a Yakatabune cruise: cherry blossom, fireworks and the rest of the year
Yakatabune cruises have real seasonal peaks in Tokyo — spring blossom and summer fireworks chief among them. Here is what that means for this specific Shinagawa–Tokyo Bay route, and when it makes sense to book any time of year.
Read more →Around the cityTokyo evenings beyond the boat: sumo, kabuki and a Nihonbashi stage
One night on the water doesn't have to be the only evening you plan. Here's how a Yakatabune dinner cruise sits alongside a few of Tokyo's other distinctive evenings out.
Read more →FAQ
Yakatabune dinner cruise questions
What is the Yakatabune Tokyo Bay dinner cruise?
It is an evening aboard a traditional roofed yakatabune boat, run by the Funasei operator from a pier in Shinagawa. The cruise loops out past the Rainbow Bridge, along the Sumida River within sight of the Tokyo Skytree, and past Odaiba, while a Japanese dinner and unlimited drinks are served on board.
What time does it leave, and how long does it run?
Departure varies with the date and season and is confirmed by email a few days ahead, and check-in opens roughly 30 minutes before it. Count on two and a half to three hours afloat once you're aboard.
Where does it depart from?
From the Funasei boarding pier in Shinagawa-ku, roughly a quarter-hour walk from Shinagawa Station. Transport isn't included, so most guests make their own way to the pier and back; a one-way hotel pickup can be added as an option within Tokyo's 23 wards.
What's included in the dinner?
A set Japanese menu cooked fresh that day: shikidashi appetisers and small dishes, a sashimi platter, tempura fried on board, a seasonal rice dish, pickled vegetables, salad, finishing noodles and dessert, plus unlimited beer, sake, shochu, umeshu and soft drinks.
Do I sit at a table or on the floor?
It depends on the boat. Some seat guests at a Western-style table with chairs; others use only low tables over a sunken floor well (horigotatsu), shoes off, with no chairs available. Solo travellers and couples may share a table with other guests.
Can I cancel if my plans change?
Booked through GetYourGuide, the listing offers free cancellation up to 11 days before departure for a full refund. Funasei's own direct terms differ. The exact cancellation terms, and any weather-related rescheduling policy, are confirmed on GetYourGuide before you pay.
Is English spoken on board?
The booking does not promise English-speaking crew, and the evening is run in Japanese; Funasei's own site takes direct reservations in Japanese and sends English-speaking customers to H.I.S. Booking through GetYourGuide is the practical way to reserve this specific evening in English.