Yakatabune pier, Shinagawa: before you go

Finding the pier

The pier sits at 1-16-8 Kita-Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, in a Funasei building. The operator's English page says plainly that the location is difficult to find and asks guests to print its map, which is a PDF linked from that page. Save the map offline, along with your confirmation email, before you leave your hotel. One quirk: Shinagawa Station is in Minato ward, not Shinagawa ward, so the station's own address will not match the pier's ward. Search the pier's address, not just the word Shinagawa.

On foot from the station

From Shinagawa Station, which is served by the Yamanote, Keihin-Tohoku, Tokaido and Yokosuka lines, the Shinkansen and the Keikyu Main Line, the operator gives the Konan exit and roughly a quarter of an hour on foot. Its pages give slightly different minute counts, so allow a little extra. Keikyu's Kita-Shinagawa Station is closer, about ten minutes' walk, and Tennozu Isle Station on the Rinkai Line and Tokyo Monorail is about a quarter-hour. If you are staying near any of these, walking is the simplest option.

By taxi, or with the hotel pick-up add-on

The operator says there is no parking lot, so nobody drives you to the door and waits. Its English page tells taxi drivers to take the underpass, not the train crossings, and its Japanese page names the Konan exit for taxis. Show the driver the written address. The booking also offers a one-way hotel pick-up inside Tokyo's 23 wards. You give your hotel name and a mobile number that works in Japan, and the time is emailed at least a day ahead. The driver speaks Japanese only, your hotel needs a front desk, and a missed pick-up window forfeits the service.

Check-in and timing

Check in about 30 minutes before departure. The departure time varies by day and season and is confirmed by email a few days before your date, so do not book anything tight earlier that day. Funasei's pier has indoor and outdoor waiting areas, so arriving at check-in time does not mean standing about on the dock. Because the cruise runs for about two and a half to three hours, work out your trip home before you board, including the last train on your line. The booking says the operator may cancel for an earthquake, tsunami, storm or other special circumstances, and in that case travellers receive a full refund.

Shoes, floors and what to wear

On some boats you take your shoes off when you board and change into slippers provided on board, so wear shoes that slip off easily and socks without holes. The booking sets no dress code. Dinner is served at low tables, often over a sunken floor, and some boats have no chairs at all. The operator's English page says each boat has an exterior or upper deck with a bay breeze, so bring a layer for the deck, even if the cabin is air-conditioned.

Language on the day

Expect the evening to be run in Japanese. Funasei's Japanese site sends English, Chinese and Korean-speaking customers to H.I.S., and the booking says pick-up drivers speak only Japanese. Nothing in the booking promises English-speaking crew on board, so do not count on it. Keep your confirmation email and the pier map to hand and show them at check-in. If you need to change anything, contact the provider through your booking before the day.

Children, older guests and mobility

The booking mentions a special meal for children aged 3 to 5. The operator's English page sorts children into age bands, from infants up to age 15, so check the age bands in the booking form. Older guests who find the floor hard can look for the sunken-floor style, which lets you hang your legs down. One boat in the fleet has chairs, and which style runs is decided on the day. The booking gives no accessibility details, such as step-free boarding, so ask the provider before booking if that matters.

What the operator lists as night views

Funasei's night-view page names the places it expects guests to see from the boat: the Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Port, the Toyosu area, Tsukiji, Eitai Bridge and Odaiba Seaside Park, each with a 360-degree video on the operator's site. It is a useful preview, but the route that runs on your date decides which of these you pass. The Rainbow Bridge lamps are lit in three colours each night, and the Skytree is lit in one of two patterns that alternate by day. Bring a phone with a charged battery, since the deck is where the best views are.

Weather, season and the view

The operator may cancel or change the route for weather, sea conditions or other safety reasons, and its stop times can shift on the night. Cherry-blossom time brings a limited-period course along the Sumida to Sakura Bridge, which the booking does not mention. Summer brings the Sumida River Fireworks, launched from barges between Ryogoku and Asakusa, but that is a separate event, not part of the booked route. On a clear evening the views carry more.

Read next: Best season for a Yakatabune cruise: cherry blossom, fireworks and the rest of the year

Getting home

The boat returns to the Shinagawa pier. From there, reverse the walking routes above, and decide beforehand which station you are heading for. After a long dinner with unlimited drinks, a route you have already saved is easier than one you work out on the pier. Check the last-train times before you board, and keep the pier address saved so a taxi driver can find it quickly. If you have a hotel pick-up, note that it is one way only, so you still need to plan the return yourself.

Who this isn't for

This cruise is a poor fit if you need guaranteed English on board, because the evening runs in Japanese. It is a poor fit if you need step-free access, because the booking gives no details. Guests who cannot sit at floor level, remove shoes, or eat a fixed fish-based dinner should look elsewhere. And if you want a transfer door to door, the optional hotel pick-up is one-way, limited to Tokyo's 23 wards, and only for hotels with a front desk.