A Samurai Cruise!? Take a Night Cruise Like None Other with Gozabune Atakemaru
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Do you know about Japan's night cruises and boats?!
In Japan there are many "Yakatabune", which are traditional boats with roofs where people enjoy meals, performances, and so on while cruising the river or the sea.
This time we went on a special yakatabune – the Gozabune Atakemaru Samurai Ship🚢
The concept of Gozabune Atakemaru is to combine the pleasure of a night cruise through Tokyo Bay with the pleasant relaxation of dinner theatre🍖☆ミ This is a whole new way to experience and enjoy Japanese culture!!
🌛🚢Gozabune Atakemaru Samurai Cruise🚢🌜
The Gozabune Samurai Ship is a replica of a samurai warship during the Kanei (寛永) period under the political figure Tokugawa Iemitsu. These ships were crucial in defending and uniting the nation!
The red, gold, and black color scheme really resonates Japanese culture but the Gozabune Samurai Ship is also influenced with Western engineering.
★A Spectacular Show★
🐠Delicious Rare Food🐠
You can experience a Tokyo Bay cruise for about an hour and forty minutes with a variety of show and course meals!
★🚢Gozabune Atakemaru Samurai Cruise🚢★
Samurai Cruise Homepage (English)
Japanese Official Website
Making a Reservation
🚢 Tokyo Bay Cruise – Hinode Cruise Passenger Terminal
Address: 2 Chome 7-104 Kaigan, Minato-ku, Tokyo
⏰ Boarding time: 7:15 Sailing time: 7:45～9:15
☎ Tel.: 0120.532.150 (←number for Gozabune, not booking!)
🎫 Admission: Kids (ages 6~12) 5500 yen, Adults 7000 yen
Getting There
❶ Go to Hinode Station (日の出駅)
The closest station is Hinode Station (日の出駅) on the Yurikamome Line. From JR Shinbashi Station, just walk across to Yurikamome Shinbashi Station!
From there it's the 3rd stop (💸roughly 6 min train ride, costing 250 yen💸).
❷ Walk to the Tokyo Cruise Hinode Passenger Terminal
From Hinode Station, it's less than a 5 min walk to the Tokyo Cruise Hinode Passenger Terminal. From here you can pick up your tickets and board🎫🚢✨
GET AND KEEP YOUR TICKETS!
!!!IMPORTANT!!!
Making reservations before hand is a must. So print off or have you your confirmation e-mail handy to show the ticket voucher.
Once you get your tickets, BE SURE TO KEEP THEM!
🍸They will be used as a single drink ticket once you board the ship🍹
And We’re Off!!
There are two different cruises, the Sunset Cruise and the Samurai Evening Cruise. This time we took the Samurai Evening Cruise which sales around Tokyo Bay for 90 minutes.
🌙🚢 Samurai Evening Cruise Info (English)
🌊Sailing time: 7:45~9:15pm
Boarding time: From 7:15pm
❶ Box Seats with a Lovely View
❷ Banquet/Performance Hall
Cheers!
Enjoy an exciting show and toast with the performers!
7:15pm Boarding time
7:45pm Departure
7:50pm Dinner time
(from this point you can explore the boat!)
8:40pm Performance/Show begins
9:05pm Souvenir photo with dancers (on stage)
9:15pm Arrive back at the dock
Go to the Deck to Enjoy Tokyo Bay’s Night View
Right infront of the bar, there are stairs to go out to the deck! From there you get to see the night scenery around Tokyo Bay. Everything about this cruise is SO beautiful and exciting!!!
Rainbow Bridge and Odaiba
Have a nice little Titanic moment in front of Rainbow Bridge which links the heart of Tokyo to Tokyo's waterfront🌉
You often see this bridge in movies and TV shows, so be sure to go out and take a picture📷✨
OOI WHARF
Ooi Wharf is the largest container terminal in Tokyo Bay and apparently even the world!!
The shape and color pattern of the cranes sort of makes them look like massive robot giraffes!
You wouldn't really think to take of going out of your way to see container terminals, but at night their warm orangish-red color is really lovely to see at night. Don't you think!?!?!
TOKYO GATE BRIDGE
Tokyo Gate Bridge is also called the Dinosaur Bridge since it sort of looks like two Brontosaurus dinosaurs looking at one another. The bridge was completed in 2012 and is a popular place to see Mt. Fuji.
TOKYO TOWER
Tokyo Tower might very well be our favorite forever💖
TOKYO SKYTREE
Do you know about Tokyo Skytree's light color scheme?
It's always blue and purple. Blue is "Iki", the spirit of Edo, and purple is "Miyabi", its aesthetics.
Since we were on an old fashioned styled cruise, we thought this meaning played a cool role!
Eat Delicious Food in Traditional Japanese Fashion
Our reservation included the Tsukiji Barbecue Cocktail Banquet!
The food was super rich, fresh, and delicious!!! The main part of this course was the Raw tuna rib (nakaochi, 中落ち). The waiter told us that the traditional way of eating this was by scooping the meat with a clam shell. Such a cool experience that you can't get anywhere else!!
★The main course includes tuna but you can choose the food menu you want when you make reservations.
They have meat courses, vegetarian courses, even halal courses!!! Where the Gozabune Atakemaru Samurai Cruise's specialty is Tsukiji tuna, if all this fish turns you off you can easily order something else.
Tune Sashimi Skewers
Enjoy a Variety of Tuna Dishes with Japanese Sake!
8:40 It’s Showtime!!
Dancing, singing, playing instruments, drinking, eating… If you thought the opening was good, you're in for a real treat because this is when all the fun begins!! The show is in Japanese but not to worry!
If you don't understand anything, there is an Indonesian staff member that stands off to the side of the stage with a microphone and translates. The performers on the Gozabune Atakemaru Cruise are made up of the Shiki (Four Seasons) Theatrical Company here in Japan. Dressed in colorful kimonos and lavish hair pieces, the performers do song and dance routines accompanied by drums and stringed instruments using fans as props. Their movements are so beautiful and precise as their songs resonates in the Oedo Theatre.
Cruise the Night Away with Gozabune Atakemaru Samurai Cruise
The performances are a mix of some traditional Japanese dance styles like courtesan (oiran) and kabuki style. In typical Japanese fashion, the performances change to match the season.
This cruise is by far the coolest thing we've been to! Many of us are already planning our second trip!!!
If you are looking for something to do in Tokyo at night, Gozabune Atakemaru Samurai Cruise is your man!!
⇩Check out the video for a brief idea of Gozabune Atakemaru!⇩
Details
NAME:Gozabune Atakemaru Samurai Cruise
MAP
2 Chome 7-104 Kaigan, Minato-ku, Tokyo
ACCESS:Hinode Station (日の出駅)
https://www.samuraiship.tokyo/
https://cometojapankuru.blogspot.jp/2017/09/tokyo-night-scene-japanese-samurai.html
CONTACT TEL:0120-532-150
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