Commuter Boat Initiative Revives Tokyo as Bustling City of Water

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By Ryuzo Suzuki / Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Photographer

12:07 JST, September 21, 2025

A small commuter boat began operating in May on a 4-kilometer route between Gotanda and Tennozu Isle, both in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo. The service is the third to start under an initiative of the Tokyo metropolitan government called “Funatabi Tsukin,” or commuting by boat.

During the Edo period (1603-1867), transportation and shipping by boat thrived in what is Tokyo today. Now, however, boats are rarely used as a daily means of transportation. To revitalize Tokyo as a bustling city of water, the Tokyo government started a project to offer a regular transportation service via small boats between Nihombashi in Chuo Ward and Toyosu in Koto Ward from 2023, and another one between Harumi in Chuo Ward and Hinode in Minato Ward from 2024.

“The riverbanks maintain historical elements from the Edo period, and you can also get a good view of modern life on land. The trip takes longer than the other ones, but I really enjoyed it. I’d love to try it again if I have the chance. I think more people would use the service if its leisure aspect is the center of focus, rather than as a means of commuting,” he added.

Boats traveling along the third route will operate through March next year. Operations beyond that time are still under consideration.

Operations may be canceled when boats are unable to travel under bridges on the Meguro River due to tide levels, and when rainfall of 1 millimeter or more per hour is predicted.

The fare is ¥900 for a one-way trip and ¥1,500 for a round trip. Bicycles can be brought aboard for an additional ¥200, and strollers are allowed free of charge. Reservations can be made on a dedicated website, but boarding is possible without a reservation if space is available.

An office worker in his 40s from Nerima Ward boarded a boat that left Tennozu Isle at 7 p.m. “My company is located in Kachidoki, so I thought I would try this for a change of mood after work,” he said after getting off in Gotanda. “I’ve used the other two routes of the Funatabi Tsukin initiative. In this route, the boat passes under many bridges and the course offers the most varied landscapes.”

The project is part of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s “Future Tokyo: Tokyo’s Long-Term Strategy.” The services are operated by private companies, with the metropolitan government subsidizing part of the costs.

On the third route, passenger ship operator Zeal Co., based in Minato Ward, operates seven trips on weekday evenings using only small vessels with a seating capacity of 44 passengers.

The first trip of the day leaves River Station near Gotanda Station at 4 p.m. Traveling via the Meguro River and other places for about 35 minutes, it arrives at the Higashi-Shinagawa 2-chome Bosai Sambashi pier near Tennozu Isle Station. The first departure from Tennozu Isle is at 5 p.m., with hourly service running between Gotanda and Tennozu Isle. The last boat leaves Gotanda at 10 p.m.