Chuo City by Boat

Cooperation with photos: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association

Edo flourished as a city of waterways, a veritable “Venice of the Orient.”
An extensive waterway network was created in order to bring a vast volume of resources into the city from all over Japan.
The resulting river banks became lined with shops and restaurants, while the rivers themselves gave rise to the culture of enjoying the water in pleasure boats or to watch fireworks from a boat. The city of Edo came to draw great entertainment from its waterways.
Even today, with Edo now named Tokyo, stores from that time still stand in the vicinity of Nihombashi and many boats still travel the rivers that flow through this part of the city, allowing residents and tourists alike to experience a little slice of Edo life.

A host of spots where you can slip back into the past!

Transport by ship has always been an essential part of Tokyo. Nihombashi in Chuo City, in particular, flourished as the center of old Edo city. Many historical spots remain scattered across the region even today, including stone walls that are more than 400 years old and bridges that have been designated as national Important Cultural Properties.

: Marks like this one, still found on stone walls along the Nihombashi River,
were carved by master craftsmen during the Edo period in order to distinguish their stones.

: Famous Flourishing Places in Tokyo, Picture of Edo Bridge

Enjoy the sights as you only can from a boat!

From aboard a boat is the best way to relax while enjoying the sights of the seasons, including cherry blossom in spring, fireworks in summer and the crimson leaves of fall. Even better, you’ll pass almost close enough to touch certain bridges and get to see a series of historical spots first hand.

Superlative access to other principle sightseeing spots!

The piers in Chuo City also offer incredible access to some of Tokyo’s other major sightseeing destinations, including Asakusa and Odaiba. This makes riding the river a super convenient way to enjoy the sights from the water while also getting around.

: Cooperation with photos: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association

Chuo City Boat Piers and Photo Spot Map

Click here for traffic information

Boat company information for each pier

Nihonbashi River Station
- Nihonbashi Boarding Dock Council (Nihonbashi Cruise Information)
Hama-rikyu River Station
- Tokyo Cruise Ship Co., Ltd.
- Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association (Tokyo Mizube Cruising Line “Waterbus Cruise Around Tokyo”)
Akashicho & St. Luke’s Garden
- Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association (Tokyo Mizube Cruising Line “Waterbus Cruise Around Tokyo”)
Asashio Pier

Pleasure boats stop here in the evening.
See Yakatabune Tokyo Kyodo Kumiai for more details.

The best photo spots

Hama-rikyu Gardens

Cooperation with photos: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association

Hama-rikyu Gardens
These gardens have the only seawater pool in the city to have existed since the Edo period. The sluicegate is opened or closed to control the volume of seawater allowed into the gardens. This is a stunning urban oasis, contrasting the skyscrapers of the heart of Tokyo with historic natural beauty.
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Kachidoki Bridge

Cooperation with photos: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association

Kachidoki Bridge
A bascule bridge that can open in the center into an inverted V shape. When it was built in 1940 it was the largest movable bridge anywhere in the Orient. Although it is no longer opened or closed, the bridge remains highly valued and is a designated national Important Cultural Property.
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Chuo Ohashi Bridge

Cooperation with photos: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association

Chuo Ohashi Bridge
A bridge planned by a French design company, based on the concept of a Japanese warrior’s helmet. In the center of the bridge there stands a sculpture called “Messenger,” which was sent from Paris in commemoration of the friendship between the Sumida River in Tokyo and the Seine River in Paris.

NIHONBASHI Bridge

NIHONBASHI Bridge
Built in 1603, the first year of the Edo shogunate, this bridge became the starting point for the famous “Five Highways” of old Japan. The current bridge is the twentieth iteration, which was built in 1911, and the statues of the legendary Kirin found on the central lamp pillar represent the prosperity of the city.
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Kiyosu Bridge

Cooperation with photos: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association

Kiyosu Bridge
This bridge was created as part of the revival of the capital after the Great Kanto Earthquake. An elegant bridge modelled after a suspension bridge in the German city of Cologne, it was created using cutting-edge technology at the time.
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Eitai Bridge

Cooperation with photos: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association

Eitai Bridge
First built in 1698, the modern Eitai Bridge was finally completed in 1926 after numerous rounds of repairs. Its magnificent exterior design contrasts strongly with the elegance of Kiyosu Bridge.
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