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5 ferry routes to operate in Tokyo waters
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Tokyo skyscrapers view from Odaiba. (Shutterstock/File)
T
he Tokyo metropolitan government will begin offering ferry cruises on rivers, canals and in the bay area later this month, as a pilot program to promote Tokyo’s waterfront areas.
The metropolitan government will run cruises on routes along tourist spots in Tokyo, in cooperation with a private ferry operator. A similar pilot program was carried out on three routes from September to December last year.
This year, the metropolitan government has extended the operation period from April to December to observe customer trends throughout the four seasons. It will also increase the routes available to five, hoping to make ferries a more common means of transportation.
The routes to be opened are the Tokyo Port loop line; Sumidagawa river line; Keihin Unga canal line; a round tour between Nihonbashi and Azumabashi; and another round tour in Odaiba.
Read also: Tokyo's skyline set to see 45 new skyscrapers by 2020 Olympics
Among them, the Tokyo Port loop line will begin services on Saturday and operate every Friday and Saturday. Last year, this ferry left and returned to Kachidoki via Hinode and Tennozu. This year, however, it will stop at Odaiba Marine Park and Ariake dock, making it easier for passengers to visit sightseeing spots. The fare is ¥500 per docking station visited.
Stops and fares for the other routes are yet to be decided, with these services set to begin one after another in May or later.
Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike expressed hope for the pilot program at a regular press conference in mid-April: “We’d like to further advance our waterfront projects, making Tokyo a more sophisticated place.”
For more details and reservations, in Japanese, visit www.suitown.jp.
This article appeared on The Japan News newspaper website, which is a member of Asia News Network and a media partner of The Jakarta Post
