Tokyo Water Bus Asakusa to Odaiba: Oct 17 Restart, Fares and Tickets

You're on the Asakusa riverside with Tokyo Skytree behind you, trying to decide between the train and the boat to Odaiba. From Saturday, October 17, 2026, the Tokyo water bus from Asakusa to Odaiba is an option again: the Tokyo Mizube Line, suspended since January 2026, restarts its Asakusa–Odaiba Cruise that day.¹

This is a confirmed restart date, not a plan. Everything below was checked against the operator's official pages on October 13, 2026.

What will the ride feel like?

Picture a crisp autumn afternoon. The boat slides under one Sumida River bridge after another, Tokyo Skytree towers over the Asakusa end, and the trip finishes by passing under Rainbow Bridge into Odaiba.²

The boat itself is the new part. Most sailings use the Raiden, a disaster-response boat newly built by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. It carries about 140 passengers at about 19 km/h.³

That's also why it exists. After an earthquake or other disaster, the Raiden and its sister boat Shiranui survey the rivers and emergency piers and carry supplies and people when the city's disaster headquarters asks.⁴ The rest of the time, you get to ride it.

Why do the decks sometimes close?

The Sumida's bridges sit low, and the Raiden stands 2.2 m above the water.⁵ When the tide rises above 180 cm during operating hours, the crew fold the upper-deck railings and lower the rear-deck roof so the boat clears the bridges. Both decks close then, and they also close in rain. The operator marks the affected days on a monthly calendar.⁶

Here's the detail we like: that 180 cm is measured in "A.P.", a datum based on the zero point of the Reiganjima tide gauge. The gauge was installed in Meiji 6 (1873) to measure the water at the mouth of the Sumida.⁷ So whether you get open-air views on a modern disaster boat depends on a 19th-century river gauge.

Where does it stop? (Tokyo water bus map)

The Asakusa–Odaiba fares are set between three points: Asakusa Nitenmon, Ryogoku and Odaiba Seaside Park.⁸ On the operator's official landing list, these appear as the Asakusa Nitenmon, Ryogoku River Center and Odaiba Seaside Park landings.⁹

Hamarikyu Gardens and Toyosu are not in this cruise's fare table. If you searched for a Sumida River cruise to Hamarikyu Gardens, this is not that boat.

Boats run mainly Wednesday to Sunday, and operating days can change with the weather.¹⁰ Departure times are on the official operation schedule, and the operator asks riders to check it on the day.¹¹

How much is the Tokyo water bus?

Regular one-way fares are ¥2,000 from Asakusa Nitenmon or Ryogoku to Odaiba Seaside Park, and ¥600 between Asakusa Nitenmon and Ryogoku.⁸

For now, if you pay cashless you get 10% off: ¥1,800 and ¥540. The campaign runs "for the time being" from the restart (no end date announced) and can't be combined with other discounts.¹²

Traveling with small kids? One preschool child rides free with each adult paying the regular fare. From the second child, the child fare applies.¹³ Want to see the fare in your own currency? Try the yen converter.

How do Tokyo water bus tickets work?

You can buy online, or at the landing ticket booths, which sell same-day tickets only.¹⁴ Online sales opened on October 9.¹⁵

Online, you pay by credit card. At the booths you can use credit cards, e-money including the transport IC cards you already use on trains and buses, and QR code payments.¹⁶ The Odaiba Seaside Park booth doesn't take cash at all.¹⁴

There's also a separate course, the Sumida River Yurari Judan Cruise. It's a renewed, partly changed version of the old "Ichinichi Yurari Tabi", with its own days and fares.¹⁷

How to pair the ride with a day out

• Asakusa first, boat second. See Asakusa in the morning, then sail to Odaiba in the afternoon. Check the Senso-ji crowd forecast to time your temple visit.
• Skytree from the water. The best Skytree views come around Asakusa.² If you plan to go up the tower too, look at the Tokyo Skytree crowd forecast.
• Short hop. For a cheap taste of the river, ride only Asakusa Nitenmon–Ryogoku for ¥600.⁸
• Avoid the crowds. Our free guide to the quietest times at 30 popular spots helps you plan the rest of the day.

Practical tips

• Check the official operation schedule on the day: sailings can be cancelled or rerouted because of weather or tide.¹¹
• On rainy days, expect no open decks.⁶
• Bring an IC card or credit card, especially if you board at Odaiba.¹⁴
• On Monday and Tuesday there's normally no boat, since sailings run mainly Wednesday to Sunday.¹⁰
• Smoking isn't allowed anywhere on board.¹¹

Next, browse more IKOKA travel tips for your Tokyo days. And a question for you: to get to Odaiba, would you take the boat or the train? Tell us in the comments.

Notes

1. Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association ↩

2. Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association ↩ ↩²

3. Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association ↩

4. Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association ↩

5. Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association ↩