Hyotanjima Cruise

Tokushima's free 30-minute Hyotanjima Cruise departs from the floating pier at Ryogokubashi Bridge and travels a circular route along the Shinmachi and Suketo Rivers, passing under 19 bridges. The city center is shaped like a gourd, enclosed by two rivers across about six kilometers, which gives the cruise its name. When water levels are high, the boats barely clear the undersides of some bridges. The route shows residential and commercial neighborhoods, the yacht harbor, and riverside parks. Advance reservations are not required, though a small insurance fee applies. It is an easy and genuinely pleasant way to see the city from the water.