This time, I toured by motorcycle from central Tokyo to Umihotaru in Chiba Prefecture. Umihotaru is an artificial island located in the middle of Tokyo Bay Aqua Line, and is popular not only as a parking area but also as a tourist spot. We will introduce the charms of Umihotaru, how to get there, and highlights.
Umihotaru is a parking area located in the middle of the Tokyo Bay Aqua Line, which opened in 1997. The Tokyo Bay Aqua Line is an approximately 15km expressway that connects Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture and Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture, and consists of a tunnel and a bridge. Umihotaru, located in the middle, is a 5-story building built on an artificial island with a total length of 650 meters, and is modeled after a luxury cruise ship.
At Umihotaru, you can enjoy an observation deck with a 360-degree view of the ocean, as well as restaurants, cafes, and food courts that use ingredients from Chiba Prefecture. There are also plenty of souvenir shops selling Chiba Prefecture specialties and Chiba-kun goods. Umihotaru is famous for its spectacular sunset and night views from the middle of Tokyo Bay, and many people visit it not only during the day but also in the evening.
This time, we toured by motorcycle from central Tokyo to Umihotaru. My favorite car is a Harley-Davidson FLSB Sport Glide. This bike is an attractive model with a powerful engine and a comfortable ride. Umihotaru is approximately 35km away and takes approximately 40 minutes.
The starting point is Sumida River Ohashi. From here, turn right on Suitengu Street and enter Shuto Expressway Route 9 Fukagawa Line.
From Shuto Expressway No. 9 Fukagawa Line, use the right lane to enter Shuto Expressway Wangan Line.
As you drive along the Shuto Expressway Bayside Route, you will see landmarks such as Tokyo Tower and Sky Tree on your left. If the weather is good, you can also see Mt. Fuji. The Shuto Expressway Bayshore Route runs along Tokyo Bay, so you can enjoy a comfortable ride while feeling the sea breeze.
After driving approximately 19km along the Shuto Expressway Wangan Route, you will reach the Kawasaki Ukishima JCT-Ukishima IC. Here, use the left lane and follow the signs for Tokyo Bay Aqua Line towards Kisarazu.
When you enter the Tokyo Bay Aqua Line, you will first run through a tunnel of approximately 9.5 km. The inside of the tunnel is dark and humid, so be careful when driving. After passing through the tunnel, you will see sea fireflies. To enter Umihotaru, turn right onto the Kawasaki/Kisarazu ramp.
Turn right at the ramp and you will arrive at your destination, Umihotaru. Umihotaru is a parking area where both up and down lines are concentrated, and you can head towards Kisarazu from here, or make a U-turn and return towards Tokyo. It’s no wonder that so many people visit Umihotaru as a destination.
When you arrive at Umihotaru, let’s first go to the observation deck. There are two observation decks on the 5th floor, one on the Kawasaki side and one on the Kisarazu side. From the observation deck on the Kawasaki side, you can see Mt. Fuji and the Sky Tree. From the observation deck on the Kisarazu side, you can see the Boso Peninsula and Tokyo Bay Bridge. Both are spectacular spots with 360-degree views of the ocean.
There are several objects on the observation deck for commemorative photos. Let’s take a photo with objects such as a globe and a marlin with the ocean in the background. There are stairs at the tip of the observation deck, and you can go down from there. When you go down, you can enjoy the view as if you were at the tip of a ship.
After enjoying the sea view from the observation deck, it’s time to fill your stomach. There are restaurants, cafes, and a food court on the 5th floor. Many of the menu items use ingredients from Chiba Prefecture, and you can enjoy gourmet food unique to Umihotaru.
I went to the food court “Marine Court” and had “Clam and Aosa Salt Ramen” and “Korezo Chiba-don”. Salt Ramen with Clam and Seaweed'' is a ramen with plump clams and seaweed flavor emitted from local seaweed grown in Kaneda that matches the salty taste.Korezo Chiba-don” is a rice bowl filled with golden sea bream, conger eel, clams, fried Sanga (a local Chiba prefecture dish), and fried egg. Both were fresh and delicious.
There were many other dishes using clams, such as Clam Bun'' andClam Warm Curry.” Chiba Prefecture is famous for producing clams, especially in the Kaneda area of Kisarazu City, where there is a brand called “Kaneda Asari.” Kaneda clams are said to be thick, sweet, and delicious.
If you want to buy souvenirs after your meal, we recommend Umihotaru Market on the 4th floor. Here, special products from Chiba Prefecture and Chiba-kun goods are sold. I bought Chiba-kun stuffed animals, keychains, peanuts and pears from Chiba Prefecture, etc. Umihotaru Market also has original products limited to Umihotaru. For example, “Umihotaru Castella” and “Umihotaru Pudding”. These cute sweets are shaped like sea fireflies and are perfect as souvenirs or for yourself.
Umihotaru has a parking lot exclusively for motorcycles. The parking lot is on the first floor, and there are two entrances: one on the Kawasaki side and one on the Kisarazu side. The parking lot is spacious and clean, so you can park your bike safely. Parking is free.
From the parking lot, you can take the elevator directly to the 5th floor. The elevator is for motorcycles only, and you can bring helmets, gloves, etc. Chiba-kun’s voice guides you inside the elevator. This is a service unique to Umihotaru.
This time, I went on a motorcycle tour from central Tokyo to Umihotaru. Umihotaru is an artificial island located in the middle of Tokyo Bay Aqua Line, and is popular not only as a parking area but also as a tourist spot. At Umihotaru, you can enjoy an observation deck with a 360-degree view of the ocean, as well as restaurants, cafes, and food courts that use ingredients from Chiba Prefecture. There are also plenty of souvenir shops selling Chiba Prefecture specialties and Chiba-kun goods.
Umihotaru is approximately 35km away and takes approximately 40 minutes. From Shuto Expressway No. 9 Fukagawa Line, enter Shuto Expressway Wangan Line and take the Tokyo Bay Aqua Line. Along the way, you can enjoy views of landmarks such as Tokyo Tower and Sky Tree, as well as Mt. Fuji. Umihotaru has a dedicated parking lot for motorcycles, which can be used free of charge.
Umihotaru is also famous for its spectacular sunset and night views from the middle of Tokyo Bay. Many people visit not only during the day but also in the evening. I also stayed until the evening and watched the sunset. The moment the sun set was moving.
I think Umihotaru is the best spot for people touring by motorcycle. If you want to fully enjoy the spectacular scenery of Chiba Prefecture, please visit here at least once.
The above was sent to you by _hiroyuki.ta. Next time we look forward to!
*The word Umihotaru translated into English is “Umihotaru”.
