Sumida River Cruise Tokyo: Hamarikyu, Hinode, Odaiba or Ryogoku?
Compare Tokyo river-cruise routes by destination, fare and travel time, with the correct Asakusa piers, timetable checks and booking rules.
Choose your next neighborhood before choosing the boat. Hamarikyu works for a garden afternoon, Hinode for a shorter river ride with a rail connection, Odaiba for a waterfront day, and Ryogoku for a compact eastern-Tokyo route.
The important boarding distinction: TOKYO CRUISE’s Asakusa pier and Tokyo Mizube Cruising Line’s Asakusa Nitenmon pier are different places. Match the operator and full pier name on your ticket—not simply “Asakusa.”
Fares and timetable details checked on 29 October 2026. Times below are scheduled boat journeys, excluding ticketing and onward walking. Recheck your travel date before booking.
Which route fits your day?
| Route and operator | Standard adult one-way fare | Boat time | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asakusa → Hamarikyu, TOKYO CRUISE | ¥1,180, including garden admission | About 35 minutes | Sensoji morning, garden afternoon |
| Asakusa → Hinode, TOKYO CRUISE | ¥1,000 standard boat; ¥1,400 Hotaluna | About 40 minutes | River sightseeing without committing to Odaiba |
| Asakusa → Odaiba, TOKYO CRUISE | ¥2,000 on Himiko, Hotaluna or Emeraldas | About 50–65 minutes, depending on vessel | Asakusa followed by Tokyo Bay |
| Asakusa Nitenmon → Ryogoku Rivercenter, Tokyo Mizube | ¥600 | About 10 minutes | A short boat link within eastern Tokyo |
| Asakusa Nitenmon → Odaiba, Tokyo Mizube | ¥2,000 | About 65 minutes, via Ryogoku | A fixed-departure alternative for a bay afternoon |
Sources: TOKYO CRUISE’s timetable and fares, Tokyo Mizube’s timetable and fare information.
Tokyo Mizube currently offers 10% off eligible cashless purchases, including online tickets: ¥540 for Nitenmon–Ryogoku and ¥1,800 for Nitenmon–Odaiba. Its notice gives no fixed end date, and the offer cannot be combined with other discounts. Campaign terms
Hamarikyu: choose this for a garden, not a boat transfer
This is a straightforward pairing for a temple-and-garden day: follow the Sensoji walking route, take the boat south, then walk through Hamarikyu before leaving toward Shiodome or Shinbashi.
Hamarikyu is currently disembarkation-only. You cannot visit the garden and then board another boat there for Odaiba or Asakusa. Operator route information
Buy the specific Hamarikyu ticket: a Hinode ticket does not allow you to get off at the garden. Hamarikyu tickets are sold only at the Asakusa pier’s ticket machines, with no advance reservation. The fare includes garden admission. Ticket rules
The October–November 2026 timetable lists 11:40 and 14:20 departures, with date-specific exclusions. The garden normally opens 09:00–17:00, last admission 16:30, and closes 29 December–1 January. Allowing 60–90 minutes in the garden is a sensible planning choice. Boat timetable · Garden hours
For the departure gate and onward walk, use the Hamarikyu waterfront guide.
Hinode: choose this when the river ride is enough
Hinode gives you the approximately 40-minute river journey without adding an Odaiba afternoon. Standard departures listed in the October–November 2026 timetable are 11:40, 14:20 and 15:55, subject to date exclusions. Hotaluna has a separate schedule and higher fare; its 10:00 Hinode service is listed for weekends and public holidays in those months. Timetable
After disembarking, the operator lists roughly two minutes to Yurikamome Hinode Station or eight minutes to JR Hamamatsucho Station. That makes this a useful choice when you want to resume a rail-based day. Hinode pier access
You can also take a separate Hinode–Odaiba boat, but that adds another departure to coordinate. For an Asakusa-to-Odaiba day, choose a through sailing unless you actually want a break at Hinode. Onward sailings
Odaiba: choose this if the bay is your next area
For TOKYO CRUISE, vessel choice changes journey time: Himiko about 50 minutes, Emeraldas 55, Hotaluna 65. All three list a regular adult Asakusa–Odaiba fare of ¥2,000. Operator fares
The published November 2026 schedule includes Emeraldas at 11:00, 14:10 and 16:10, excluding 24–25 November, and Hotaluna at 13:10 and 15:30, excluding 17–18 November. Himiko’s November operating days were still marked undecided when checked. Choose the available departure that fits your afternoon rather than building the day around a particular vessel. November timetable
Tokyo Mizube is an alternative operator, not a connecting service. Its standard operating days are Wednesday–Sunday, subject to changes. The timetable displayed for 29 October lists Nitenmon departures at 10:40, 13:20 and 16:00, arriving at Odaiba at 11:45, 14:25 and 17:05. Check the calendar for your own date. Service calendar and schedule
For an afternoon ashore, the 13:20 Mizube sailing is a practical choice. The 16:00 departure leaves less daylight for exploring in late autumn. Continue with the Odaiba waterfront day, and plan a rail return unless you specifically want another cruise. TOKYO CRUISE lists Odaiba-kaihinkoen and Daiba stations about five minutes from its pier, and Tokyo Teleport about seven. Pier access
Ryogoku—or a loop—keeps you in eastern Tokyo
Tokyo Mizube’s Nitenmon–Ryogoku leg takes about ten minutes. The displayed southbound schedule gives arrivals at 10:50, 13:30 and 16:10. Ryogoku Rivercenter is approximately three minutes from JR Ryogoku Station or six from the Toei Oedo Line station. Pair this with the Sumida Hokusai Museum visit plan, rather than continuing to the bay. Schedule and pier access
If you want to remain in Asakusa, TOKYO CRUISE also lists 30-minute Skytree loops and 50-minute bridge loops aboard Urban Launch. Select an Asakusa round-trip product, not a one-way ticket. Loop timetable
Reach the correct pier and finish the booking
- TOKYO CRUISE Asakusa: 1-1-1 Hanakawado; the operator lists one minute from Ginza Line or Tobu Asakusa Station, three from Toei Asakusa Station. Pier details
- Tokyo Mizube Asakusa Nitenmon: Hanakawado 2-1 riverfront; eight minutes from Ginza Line Exit 5 or Tobu’s north exit, ten from Toei Exit A3. These are walking directions, not verified step-free routes. Pier details
Allow a separate 20–30-minute pier buffer for finding the counter and boarding. TOKYO CRUISE is cashless. For online bookings, complete payment—not just the application—and keep your confirmation. Follow the live payment instructions: the reservation page currently directs credit-card customers to a payment link sent by email. Payment rules · Reservation instructions
Tokyo Mizube sells online and same-day tickets for the Asakusa–Odaiba service; complete counter procedures at least 15 minutes before departure. Sales close five minutes before sailing, and its Odaiba counter is cashless-only. Ticket rules · Sales cutoff
Accessibility and open-deck checks
For wheelchair travel, confirm the particular sailing and pier before booking. TOKYO CRUISE warns that extreme tidal conditions can make boarding ramps too steep to use. Tokyo Mizube says its vessels and piers accommodate wheelchairs but requests advance contact at 03-5608-8869. TOKYO CRUISE accessibility · Tokyo Mizube accessibility
An operating boat does not guarantee an open deck. Tokyo Mizube’s October–November 2026 notice closes its upper and rear decks in rain and at specified high tide levels. If outdoor viewing is your reason to book, check the deck-closure notice as well as the sailing schedule.