<declan_murphy@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Louise Bremner wrote:
> > <declan_murphy@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > I took a water bus/taxi thingee from the Hamarikyu garden near
> > > Shinbashi up to Asakusa yesterday. It seemed the easiest way to get
> > > where I was going, but also turned out to be very enjoyable and fun.
> > > Does anyone know if this service extends further upstream, or if there
> > > are any other interesting routes?
> >
> > Yup--there are lots of them. Some are effectively ferries; others offer
> > there-and-back cruises that are just excuses for a booze-up (avoid the
> > one that advertises all-you-can-eat tempura, though).
> >
> > A quick Googling brought up:
> >
> > <http://www.suijobus.co.jp/>
> 
> This is the one I took. Only goes as far as Asakusa though. For 720 yen
> it went from Hamarikyu to Hinode pier, then back upstream. I saw they
> had the usual offerings Odaiba, Disneycrap etc, but all based around
> Hinode. How far up the Sumida is it possible to go?

I don't think it's possible to go too far up the Sumida in those boats,
but maybe all the scenic bits are around the downstream end anyway.
> 
> And did you attempt (or witness attempts at) the all-you-can-eat
> tempura cruise?

A group of us middle-aged-to-elderly women hired a yakatabune for a
party a couple of years ago. The company advertised all-you-can-eat
tempura as if this was an attraction, but in fact the stench of very
stale oil and the sight of the flabby results was a total turn-off. It
was indeed "all-you-can-eat", because we couldn't eat much of it.

________________________________________________________________________
                   Louise Bremner (log at gol dot com)
   If you want a reply by e-mail, don't write to my Yahoo address!