Yokohama is a port city and many of its best-known sightseeing attractions are located on the bay. To make the most of your time in Yokohama, why not take a pleasure boat cruise? Sailing round the bay and enjoying a fresh ocean breeze is a very pleasant way to view Yokohama’s most famous landmarks.
The Marine Rouge at night
The sightseeing cruise ship Marine Rouge runs regular tours of Yokohama Bay in both the daytime and the evening. There are also a number of smaller Sea Bass boats that run cruises on Yokohama Bay, in addition to providing a regular water bus service between Yokohama Station and Yokohama Bay’s main sightseeing areas.
Marine Rouge Cruises
The Marine Rouge runs regular cruises lasting 60, 90, and 120 minutes. These cruises depart from Pier Akarenga and make a large circuit of the bay, passing under the Yokohama Bay Bridge and Tsurumi Tsubasa Bridge. All Marine Rouge cruises include a full meal except the afternoon cruise which includes dessert and coffee. The Marine Rouge can also be chartered for private parties. Details of the regular cruise services are listed below.
The Marine Rouge on Yokohama Bay
The Marine Rouge Timetable
| Cruise | Departure Time | Cruise Length |
| Lunch Cruise | 12.00 | 90 minutes |
| Afternoon Cruise | 14.30 | 60 minutes |
| Twilight Cruise | 17.00 | 90 minutes |
| Dinner Cruise | 19.30 | 120 minutes |
Marine Rouge Fares
Fares vary according to which type of cruise and meal you choose. For most of the cruises weekdays are also cheaper than weekends and holidays. Children’s fares are also cheaper.
The Afternoon Cruise, which includes dessert and coffee, is the cheapest option, currently costing 3,500 yen for adults on weekdays or 4,000 yen for a weekend or holiday ticket. Fares for children are 2,300 yen on weekdays and 3,000 yen on weekends and holidays. Fares for infants are set at 1,300 yen.
The Twilight Cruise has a fixed menu and the fare is the same for weekdays and weekends. Currently the fares are 8,800 yen for adults and 6,700 yen for children.
The other cruises have different menu options at different prices and weekdays are cheaper than weekends.
Currently, Lunch Cruise fares range between 7,400 and 11,200 yen and Dinner Cruise fares range between 10,700 and 19,600 yen.
The onboard restaurant serves French cuisine made with seasonal vegetables. Menus change with the seasons, so to check the current meal options and prices please visit the Yokohama Cruising website (Japanese only).
Lining up for tickets
Buying Tickets
Groups of fewer than 15 people do not need to book a cruise in advance and can simply buy tickets directly at the ticket counter of one of the three terminals. Tickets for the Marine Rouge are available 30 minutes before the cruise begins. Groups of more than 15 people will need to make an advance booking via the Yokohama Cruising website (Japanese language only).
The Marine Rouge Departure Point
Marine Rouge cruises depart from Pier Akarenga, which is located by the Akarenga (Red Brick Warehouse) shopping center and is a 14-minute walk from Bashamichi Station on the Minatomirai Subway Line. Here is a map of its location.
Sea Bass Cruises
Smaller Sea Bass boats also run regular evening cruises on Yokohama Bay. Currently, two Sea Bass Cruises are available. Both cruises come with guides but the commentary is only available in Japanese. These cruises do not include meals but are cheaper than Marine Rouge cruises.
A Sea Bass boat at Yokohama Bay Quarter
The Illumination Cruise
This is a 60-minute cruise around Yokohama Bay which includes night views over the skyscrapers of the Minato Mirai district, the Cosmoworld Ferris Wheel, the Akarenga shopping center, and Yokohama Marine Tower. Passengers are welcome to bring their own food and drink on this cruise.
A night view of the Minato Mirai district
The Illumination Cruise runs only on weekends and holidays, departing from Yokohama Bay Quarter at 19.30. It costs 3,000 yen for adults and 2,000 yen for children.
The Yokohama Bay Quarter departure point is close to Yokohama Station’s East Exit. Here is a map showing its location.
Kawasaki Factory Night View Cruise
This is a 90-minute cruise to view the industrial zone of Kawasaki to the north of Yokohama Bay. At night, the illuminated smoking towers, pipes and steel-framed structures of this area resemble a scene from the movie Blade Runner.
A night view of Kawasaki’s industrial zone
The Kawasaki Factory Night View Cruise departs from the Yokohama Hammerhead terminal at 19.00 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets are 4,500 yen for adults and 3,000 for children.
The Hammerhead departure point is a 12 minute walk from Bashamichi Station on the Minatomirai Line. Here is a map showing its location.
Both cruises can be booked directly at their departure points between 30 minutes and 10 minutes before departure time. For groups of 15 or more reservations should be made in advance at the Yokohama Cruising website (Japanese language only).
Water Bus Services
Sea Bass boats also run regular water bus services between Yokohama Bay Quarter and the Hammerhead and Pier Akarenga terminals. This is a pleasant way to travel between Yokohama Station and the main sightseeing area of Yokohama Bay and much cheaper than the cruises listed above. To find out more, see our guide: Yokohama Sea Bass – Water Bus Service.
Article by Michael Lambe. Photos by Michael Lambe, Ryuji/pixta (1), sapphire/pixta (2), ObiwanKM/pixta (6). All rights reserved.
