Tombori River Cruise
Tombori River Cruise
4
1:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Monday
1:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
1:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
1:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
1:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Friday
1:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
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Tombori River Cruise
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(10 reviews)
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.0
191 reviews
Excellent
55
Very good
75
Average
42
Poor
15
Terrible
4
NICHOLAS T
Dubai, United Arab Emirates5,975 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
Without question the highlight of this 20 minute boat ride up and down a short stretch of the river in Osaka in the brightly lit Dotonburi area was our tour guide. She was great fun - singing and encouraging clapping and passenger participation throughout.
The stretch of the river we covered was full of things to look at and for 900 yen per person, it was decent value.
The stretch of the river we covered was full of things to look at and for 900 yen per person, it was decent value.
Written February 21, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ed H
Ontario, CA118 contributions
Nov 2019
A must do for first time visitors. This canal cruise will take you up and down the path in about 30 minutes. We did not purchase tickets in advance. We were able to get on the boat right away at night. I think a night cruise is better to enjoy the neon lights. Our guide was funny and made us sing along to some silly songs.
Written August 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Abovetheclouds
2,500 contributions
Jun 2023 • Solo
Very touristy but fun to do! Night is best with the neon lights and billboards. Cool atmosphere. Cruise is only twenty minutes long and takes you along the Dotonbori canal. Starts and ends at the same bridge in the Dotonbori area. Like everything in Japan, the cruise runs like clockwork. I booked the 20:15 cruise. We departed punctually and came back twenty minutes later at 20:35 sharp. Nice little cruise that goes in one direction, turns back, goes in the other direction and then returns you to the starting point. Boat is open so you may not want to do it on a rainy day! Clean with little bench seats. The commentary was in Japanese but I wasn't bothered as there wasn't any major historical information you need like some boat cruises. Just read up on it. For me it was about getting a good view and photographs of the neon lights and billboards whilst enjoying the fun vibe! Cool atmosphere along the canal with the restaurants and bars buzzing and people waving. Now, I arrived at 19:55 and there was already a line for the 20:15 boat. Get there early to grab a good seat. They don't pack the boats, so it's full but you also have enough room. Tickets sell out quickly. You need to go in the morning and buy your ticket especially if you want to go at the more popular times. You cannot buy a ticket for the next day or in advance of other dates. Basically go in the morning on the day you want to do the cruise, buy your ticket (I bought it for 20:15 as I said) and then come back later in the day for your cruise. You are highly likely to get turned away if you just arrive at 20:15 without a ticket as they will all be sold out. In the morning however, it was quiet. Boats are frequent. Staff are really lovely, friendly and helpful. I lost my ticket but was very lucky as the gentleman remembered me so allowed me to go on the boat.
Written June 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emi
Auckland, New Zealand11 contributions
Nov 2023 • Solo
This is a really fun cruise to do. It's short, about 20 minutes, and goes up and down the river. The host was really fun, he mostly spoke in Japanese as he said he didn't know much English, but the times he did speak English was very clear and he was quite good. A very entertaining guide. I would recommend this trip if you're in the area, at night when the neon is lit up would be beautiful but during the day is still quite a good trip.
Written November 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Love to Travel
Potters Bar, UK787 contributions
Apr 2023 • Friends
Was able to buy tickets for the 21:00 cruise at 20:10.
Cruise is short, only 20 minutes, but then the billboard display is frankly quite small.
1200 yen each for 20 min seems expensive when we had already seen most of this on foot.
The tour guide is very enthusiastic, but we had no idea what he was telling people.
Cruise is short, only 20 minutes, but then the billboard display is frankly quite small.
1200 yen each for 20 min seems expensive when we had already seen most of this on foot.
The tour guide is very enthusiastic, but we had no idea what he was telling people.
Written April 18, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
WorldTravellerSoon
Canada385 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
We took the river cruise around 7pm in a rainy weekday. The dock is in front of Donki. We didn't have to line up as there were just about 10 people in the boat. I guess it was due to raining.
All benches were wet. The guide gave us a rain poncho so we were able to sit.
Boat ride was about 20 mins. Leon light on both sides was amazing at night.
All benches were wet. The guide gave us a rain poncho so we were able to sit.
Boat ride was about 20 mins. Leon light on both sides was amazing at night.
Written March 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Raintree_Thailand
Bangkok, Thailand3,910 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
We enjoyed the 20-minute boat trip up and down the canal very much. Although the guide didn't help us out with any English, we just went along for the ride and enjoyed. For us, it was free with our Osaka Amazing Passes. There was a surprisingly short wait for our designated ticket time and there is lots to do in the area to kill the time before boarding. The key attraction for most seems to be the Glico "running man" neon sign, which you can view perfectly from the boat.
Written April 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cormac R
Dublin, Ireland78 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
While walking around Osaka, I came across this river cruise. I came booked a ticket and got on the boat. There was a commentator on the boat, but it was only in Japanese, so I didn't understand what was said. There were a few foreigners on the boat, so some English translation would have been welcome. The boat ride was 20 minutes long. You do see some sights in Osaka from the boat, but you see far more just walking around by yourself.
Written June 11, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
greattriphaha
Hong Kong, China44 contributions
Mar 2016 • Couples
Must have a ride if you have Osaka Day Pass. I arrived at the ticket office at 6:30 pm but I was told that the soonest boat trip departed at 7:45pm! All the tickets before that time had been sold out! So I waited for an hour for that boat trip.
I returned at 7:30 pm as I needed to line up for my boat. I saw a poster saying that ALL tickets had been sold out! I saw a number of tourists holding Osaka Day Pass complaining that the service should be in operation until 9 pm. Well, the frontline staff couldn’t do anything and I supposed they got used to it already. Of course, those unlucky tourists couldn’t have the boat trip.
This is my suggestion: Go to the ticket office earlier to confirm your seats. Then have dinner or go shopping. Return 15 minutes before your boat trip.
I returned at 7:30 pm as I needed to line up for my boat. I saw a poster saying that ALL tickets had been sold out! I saw a number of tourists holding Osaka Day Pass complaining that the service should be in operation until 9 pm. Well, the frontline staff couldn’t do anything and I supposed they got used to it already. Of course, those unlucky tourists couldn’t have the boat trip.
This is my suggestion: Go to the ticket office earlier to confirm your seats. Then have dinner or go shopping. Return 15 minutes before your boat trip.
Written April 4, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Xin Ru T
Singapore, Singapore1,317 contributions
May 2018 • Solo
Tombori River Cruise is a mini cruise along Dotombori that lasts 20 minutes. It has a regular fee of 900 yen, but it is free with the Osaka Amazing Pass. It is quite difficult to enjoy the view since railing is quite high and there are a lot of passengers (there are quite a lot of seats available and they tend to be fully packed). The emcee I had was bubbly but mostly spoke in Japanese and her commentary mainly involved waving to all the passers-by. Overall I neither enjoyed the view nor gleaned information of Dotombori. Assuming you have the Osaka Amazing Pass, you might want to take this ride if you are in the area, have spare time, and want to rest your feet, but it is definitely not a must do, and in fact is not really something I would be willing to pay for without the Osaka Amazing Pass.. Do consider the Pirates of Osaka ride for a more enjoyable experience, which is similarly a mini cruise along Dotombori that lasts 20 minutes and is free with the Osaka Amazing Pass, but has fewer passengers, lower railings, and multilingual staff.
Written May 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
fahmirazaki07
Ipoh, Malaysia1 contribution
Is it really free using OAP? Coz I read the booklets saying 1000YEN for normal fee. But using OAP, discount 400Yen just pay 600YEN. Am I correct?
55kiichik
183 contributions
Tombori Cruise is free if you show your Osaka Amazing Pass. I recommend you make a reservation in early time, because all tickets are booked around 5PM.
Sherry C
New York City, NY
I am getting the Osaka Amazing Day Pass and would like to try this out on a Sunday. On the webpage it says to show pass at the ticket counter before 1st cruise to exchange for a ticket. Is it possible to do this the day before on Saturday?
kenmatsu1
Saitama, Japan1,098 contributions
I visited yesterday. According to staff in the counter, you have to come to the conter the day of you want to ride.
Natalie-Levi
Manchester, UK206 contributions
I'm going to Osaka in October, and this is on my to do list! Is there always large queues for this? Would love to go at night.
LPig12
London, UK43 contributions
You can buy the ticket earlier on in the day, and then just come slightly early for the best seats.
dnxcrtz
Metro Manila, Philippines4 contributions
Where is the ticket office for the Tonbori River Cruise?
flybizornotatall
Pattaya, Thailand74 contributions
It's right next to the canal. It's just a small guard box like booth. Just a reminder to double check your cruise time as the boats fill up and the ticket checkers are often not paying attention (the job clearly doesn't have a high list of qualifications) to queue jumpers. The result is, if you have an earlier time but the boat filled up, they might try to not let you board even though you showed up at your alotted time.