Yakatabune, which literally means "house-shaped boat" in Japanese, are boats with a roof and a tatami room inside. They are often chartered for year-end parties or fireworks-watching. Guests enjoy the scenery, traditional Japanese food and sake while cruising the Sumidagawa river or Tokyo Bay.
Recently, an incorporated association in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, has started a night cruise service using yakatabune to attract more foreign tourists. I boarded such a boat myself one October evening to see what it was like.
T-Lotus pier, a five-minute walk from Tennozu Isle Station on the Tokyo Monorail, was where we started the night. The wind was a little chilly but the rain had stopped after falling all day.
I was accompanied by Yasuyuki Miyake, chief director of the Tennoz Canalside Vitalization Association, and Kiyoshi Tatsumi, an official of Amuse Inc., an entertainment company that cooperates on the project with the association.
Just before departure at 7 p.m., we boarded the boat, O-edo, which is about 18 meters long and about four meters wide. It had many Japanese lanterns lit up and hung from the eaves of the roof, as is typical for a yakatabune. Inside, I found tables and chairs arranged on the tatami floor. There were about 30 seats and each table had appetizer plates, drinking glasses and information cards explaining the route and menu in English.
The boat departed on time and traveled eastward.
"Welcome to the yakatabune!" A female crewmember wearing a traditional haragake apron shouted into a microphone. She introduced kagamiwari (mirror-splitting), a Japanese custom in which people break the lid of a barrel of sake with wooden mallets to pray for success at weddings and other celebrations. Two men volunteered to wield the mallets, signaling the start of the party.
Eating an appetizer of boiled octopus, I asked why they started the project.
According to Tatsumi, who has experienced dinner cruises in 33 cities around the world, including New York, Amsterdam and Sydney, the quality of the yakatabune in Tokyo is one of the best in terms of its diversified scenery along the canal, bay and river, as well as the quality food and good service. "People say there is limited nighttime entertainment in Japan, so I thought, 'Why not utilize yakatabune?'" Tatsumi said.
"It's difficult for foreigners to experience yakatabune unless you charter one with a large group with a guide. Running a share-ride with service in English will bring many individual tourists and enliven the local commercial area," Miyake added.
Ten private yakatabune operators in the Shinagawa area are involved in the project. Prices start at 13,000 yen per person for a full course of Japanese food and all you can drink.
With a subsidy from the Shinagawa Ward government, the project started in October and will run once a week through March. The subsidy can be extended for up to four years. Miyake is aiming to make the project profitable without the subsidy in the future.
Before long, the boat arrived off the Odaiba seaside area in Minato Ward. It anchored there for about 40 to 50 minutes, allowing passengers to go up to the deck to enjoy the night view and take photos with Rainbow Bridge in the background.
Clad in yukata summer kimonos, a young couple was enjoying the view. "I have been to Odaiba once, but this is my first time on yakatabune," said a smiling Sacha Kodama, a university student from Paris who has lived in Japan in the past. "It's very interesting to look at the scenery from a different perspective," added Konnie Kusiak, a graduate student from Poland.
When I returned to the cabin, freshly fried tempura was being served. The shrimp, white fish, pumpkin and shishito green peppers looked delicious.
Centuries of history
The roots of yakatabune are said to date back to the boats of nobles in the Heian period (late 8th century to late 12th century). In the Edo period (1603-1867), daimyo feudal lords competed with each other to have the most luxurious boats, but later, common people began to enjoy boats owned by restaurants and inns.
In the old days, a net was thrown from the boat to catch fish that were fried on the spot. Although that is no longer done, it is still a tradition for yakatabune to serve freshly fried tempura, according to the information cards on the table.
Guests were busy talking and drinking and the crew was bustling between the cabin and the kitchen. I noticed a table of three that was frequently served drinks. One of them was an oceanographer from Norway who is visiting Japan for research. "Good food -- I like Japanese food -- and good shochu [Japanese distilled liquor]!" He seemed to particularly like the all-you-can-drink service.
The boat moved northward, passing Toyosu Market, and approached the Eitaibashi bridge, which crosses the Sumidagawa river. It was another picture point where you can see the Tokyo Skytree illuminated in the distance.
The boat turned around, passed under the Kachidokibashi bridge and headed south for where we had started.
There were no musicians or other performers, but the 2-1/2 hours passed quickly. I enjoyed the cruise very much; the night views were fantastic and the tempura was crisp and tasty. Seeing Tokyo from a new angle was a memorable experience for me.
http://voyag.in/tokyo_yakatabune_cruise
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