The 15 Best Boat Trips & Cruises in Japan

Mt Fuji & Hakone Cruise, Drum Show Bullet Train 1 Day from Tokyo - Mt Fuji 5th Station at 2,300 meters

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 7,413 reviews · from $149Our pick

Review of a full-day Mt Fuji and Hakone tour from Tokyo with Lake Ashi cruise, ropeway, drum show, lunch, and bullet train return.

“The bus ride to 5th station was smooth & safe. Our tour guide, Shige, was a wealth of information for our particular destinations as well as glimpses of life in Japan. Figured at the start that we won’t be seeing Mt. Fuji due to inclement weather, and it’s ok. All in all, the tour was a great start for us in Japan.”

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Tokyo Mt Fuji 5th St & Hakone Cruise Bus Tour w/Bullet Train

2.Tokyo Mt Fuji 5th St & Hakone Cruise Bus Tour w/Bullet Train

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 5,024 reviews · 10 hours · from $154

Review of a 10-hour Mt. Fuji and Hakone tour from Tokyo, with the 5th Station, ropeway, Lake Ashi cruise, lunch, and bullet train return.

“Our guide Ayu was excellent she was well informed and presented in a very friendly and personable way. In addition to information about the tour she introduced us to a lot of info about Japanese language and dress. We were very fortunate to have a perfect sunny day so could see Mount Fuji very clearly. Highly recommend.”

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Tokyo: Mt. Fuji 5th Station & Hakone Cruise 1-Day Bus Tour

3.Mt. Fuji 5th Station & Hakone Cruise 1-Day Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 2,381 reviews · 11 hours · from $129

A practical review of Tokyo’s Mt. Fuji and Hakone day tour, covering views, ropeway, Lake Ashi cruise, lunch, timing, and return details.

“Guide (Tsubasa) was perfect. He was so kind and gave uns so much information. He made our day at Mt. Fuji and Lake Ashi really special.”

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Tokyo: Meiji Shrine, Asakusa, Skytree Bus Tour and Cruise

4.Meiji Shrine, Asakusa, Skytree Bus Tour and Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,986 reviews · 10 hours · from $122

See Tokyo’s Meiji Shrine, Asakusa, Skytree, Imperial Palace, matcha, lunch, and a bay cruise in one full day by deluxe coach.

“Excellent tour, Yuta our guide was great ! very knowledgeable and helpful. highly recommend”

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Mt Fuji & Hakone Cruise, Drum Show Bus 1 Day from Tokyo

5.Mt Fuji & Hakone Cruise, Drum Show Bus 1 Day from Tokyo

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,287 reviews · from $122

Review of a full-day Mt Fuji and Hakone coach tour from Tokyo with 5th Station, Lake Ashi cruise, ropeway, lunch, and drum show.

“Marie our guide was excellent. Learned a lot about local culture as well. Very good lunch and taiko drum entertainment a bonus”

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Boat Trips and Cruises, Boat Trips in Osaka, Osaka Tours, Tour Reviews

Osaka: Dotonbori District River Cruise with Drink Discount

6.Dotonbori District River Cruise with Drink Discount

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 876 reviews · 1 day · from $12Best value

See Osaka’s neon-lit Dotonbori River on a covered 20-minute cruise with Glico Man photos, onboard facilities, and a beer discount.

“A fun ride with a fun and beautiful guide lady. Heaps of energy. Thanks for the amazing Osaka welcome from us , even in a rainy evening”

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Sumida River: Japanese Traditional Yakatabune Dinner Cruise

7.Sumida River: Japanese Traditional Yakatabune Dinner Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 779 reviews · 2h 30m · from $103

Review of Tokyo’s Yakatabune dinner cruise, with traditional Japanese food, unlimited drinks, Skytree views, Tokyo Bay scenery, and practical tips.

“Better signage at the pier would help as it is not obvious when you arrive if the boat is not there. Unable to preorder 1st drinks by QR code when asked if you have no data. Staff got us on wifi after boarding. The food was excellent and plentiful. The staff were lovely, friendly and worked hard to keep everyone well stocked with food and drink. Drink was free flowing, good quality and ordered by QR code at the table. Toilets nice and clean. All in all felt like really good value for money and an ideal way to see the city at night (fantastic view of skytree tower) and…”

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Tokyo: Hakone Fuji Day Tour w/ Cruise, Cable Car, Volcano

8.Hakone Fuji Day Tour w/ Cruise, Cable Car, Volcano

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 724 reviews · 10 hours · from $98

Review of a 10-hour Hakone day tour from Tokyo with Lake Ashi pirate cruise, ropeway, volcanic Owakudani, Fuji views, outlets, or onsen.

“A very nice trip. A very relaxing trip. Comfortable coach bus. Tour guide was very pleasant. Wished she spoke a little more about the Japanese culture, even though that was not part of the tour. The lake, volcano and shopping was super cool. And we also went for an hour to a spa. That was an extra cost. But instead of shopping for 2 hours, my family broke it into one hour hot spring and one hour shopping.”

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Dynamic Tokyo: Tokyo Tower, Tea Experience, Bay Cruise Day Tour

9.Dynamic Tokyo: Tokyo Tower, Tea Experience, Bay Cruise Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 521 reviews · from $99

See Tokyo’s Imperial Palace, Senso-ji, tea traditions, Tokyo Tower, and a river cruise in one well-priced nine-hour tour.

“The tour was very well organized. Our tour guide Mokoto was very knowledgeable and very accommodating. We learned a lot about Japan and it's rich history. We even learned how to count to 10 in Japanese. We saw a lot on this tour despite the heavy clouds and rain. The tea ceremony was a wonderful experience and the lunch was delicious. We had more than enough time to see each stop and spend free time too. It was a great way to start our trip in Japan and get used to getting around.”

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Tokyo Bay Yakatabune Dinner/Day Cruise with Japan Show and Drinks

10.Tokyo Bay Yakatabune Dinner/Day Cruise with Japan Show and Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 473 reviews · from $65

Review of Tokyo Bay’s yakatabune cruise with sukiyaki, shamisen music, drinks, Rainbow Bridge views, and practical booking tips.

“Beautiful at night! Fun evening with traditional Japanese music. The hot pot was very good(beef). We added the Tokyo tower which was a lot of fun but not necessary to add to the boat trip”

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Hiroshima and Miyajima Day Trip with Itsukushima Shrine & Ferry

11.Hiroshima and Miyajima Day Trip with Itsukushima Shrine & Ferry

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 378 reviews · from $45Top rated

Review of Hiroshima and Miyajima’s $45 day trip, with Itsukushima Shrine, ferry, Peace Park, guide tips, timing, value, and drawbacks.

“The trip provided exactly what my friend and I wanted to experience! It saved logistic stress and we learned a lot of new things with our guide. And of course thank you to our bus driver taking us around the city :)”

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Osaka: Dotonbori River Cruise with Glico Sign & Neon Views

12.Dotonbori River Cruise with Glico Sign & Neon Views

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 376 reviews · 20 min · from $12

Review of Osaka’s 20-minute Dotonbori River Cruise, with neon views, the Glico sign, cushioned seats, BYO drinks, and practical tips.

“Fun short ride on the river. More quiet than the streets!”

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Tokyo Dinner Cruise & Tradition Show & Drinks & Tokyo Tower

13.Tokyo Dinner Cruise & Tradition Show & Drinks & Tokyo Tower

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 315 reviews · 1h 40m · from $95

Review of Tokyo’s yakatabune dinner cruise with shamisen, sukiyaki, Tokyo Bay views, soft drinks, and Tokyo Tower access.

“Our guide, the food and the entertainment were brilliant. Thank you to Karen and Midiro for making it a very special evening!”

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Osaka: Dotonbori’s Bridges 20-Minute Cruise

14.Dotonbori’s Bridges 20-Minute Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 303 reviews · from $12

See nine Dotonbori bridges on a lively 20-minute Osaka cruise with landmark views, upbeat music, and a low $12 price.

“Fantastic view of the landmarks around Dotonbori River. We went during the afternoon so it was a busy period and a lot to see. You’re not allowed to stand and move around during the tour for safety reasons. The music was awesome and upbeat which makes the atmosphere feel merrier! It’s only for 20minutes, short but sweet.”

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Mt Fuji & Hakone Cruise, Drum Show Bus 1 Day from Tokyo Sta. Area

15.Mt Fuji & Hakone Cruise, Drum Show Bus 1 Day from Tokyo Sta. Area

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 295 reviews · from $123

Review of the Mt. Fuji and Hakone bus tour from Tokyo, with Fuji views, Lake Ashi cruise, ropeway, lunch choices, costs, and practical tips.

“Sunday received confirmation of trip. Wednesday arrived to meeting point only to be told by bus station staff trip was canceled. NO CONTACT was made by Viator or tour company. BETTER GET REFUND.”

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