Tokyo is a city full of unique dining experiences. If you want to spice up your foodie adventures in Japan’s capital, look no further than Willer Express’s Tokyo Restaurant Bus tour of the Kawasaki factory night view — full French course included. This double-decker bus takes you on a sightseeing tour of Tokyo and Kawasaki while indulging in delicious dishes.
All Aboard the Tokyo Restaurant Bus
The tour starts at Tokyo Station, in front of the easy-to-find Marunouchi Building. Boarding the bus, you’ll pass the first-floor kitchen with the friendly chefs greeting you as you climb the stairs to the second floor, which is fitted with dining tables with various seating configurations.
With excitement building, the bus engine starts and you soon reach Tokyo Tower. A clear ceiling allows for spectacular night views of the 333-meter-high landmark, but on clear evenings, a staff member opens the top of the bus for a full sensory experience.
Close to Tokyo Tower is Zojoji Temple, which the bus circles around on its way toward Rainbow Bridge and Odaiba.
French Cuisine on Four Wheels
What makes this tour stand out from the lot is the included dinner. For an additional cost, you can also order alcoholic beverages or soft drinks.
The French course starts with a variety of appetizers — including some sea bream carpaccio and baked egg potatoes — a salad and a delicious piping hot clam chowder pot pie before moving on to mouth-watering mussels provencal. The main course is roast beef fillet before ending the feast with a sweet dessert.
For beverages, choose from wine by the glass or bottle, whisky highballs, soft drinks and more. In case you are worried about spillage, the table setting is carefully designed to ensure your beverages are held firmly in place. This detail is something participants are very impressed with and cite as the most surprising element of the tour.
Beer lovers rejoice — you can savor a limited edition Factory Night-View Beer, “Floating in Black,” by local brewery Tokaido Beer Kawasaki. This stout, exclusive to the tour and available in limited quantities, has notes of coffee and mango wrapped around a sweet and sour core.
Blade Runner-worthy Nightscapes
After cruising down the highway from Tokyo, you’ll soon get to the Ogimachi district of Kawasaki. This is the first of the city’s famous industrial zones. Lit up at night in spectacular fashion, it feels like you have landed in a scene from a near future science fiction film. You are living the cyberpunk dystopia.
The tour continues as the bus weaves through narrow streets and under low bridges to three more of the best vantage points to see the city’s illuminated factory structures: Mizuecho, Chidoricho, and Tamagawa Sky Bridge. There are ten-minute stops in Chidoricho and Mizuecho, where you can get off the bus, allowing you to stretch your legs and capture the beauty of the lit-up factories.
The bus travels on the Tamagawa Sky Bridge and continues onto the Metropolitan Expressway Kawasaki Line (K6). From here, you have an overview of the Kawasaki industrial zones and the Tamagawa Sky Bridge.
After you cruise down Metropolitan Expressway Kawasaki Line (K6), you’ll be dropped off in front of La Cittadella near Kawasaki Station. La Cittadella is one of the landmarks of Kawasaki. The small street combines entertainment and culture inspired by the romance of Italy.
If you want to head back to central Tokyo, it’s easy — you’re only three stops from Tokyo Station on the JR Ueno-Tokyo Line.
Participants frequently comment on how unique the tour is, even for residents, the fun that the retractable roof provides and how seamless the dining experience is even as you travel around. The dinner tour starts at ¥12,800 for adults and ¥9,800 for primary school students and younger children. Note that prices may vary depending on the time of year and seat availability.
Check availability and book online here.
Other Things to Do in Kawasaki
Kawasaki is an often-overlooked destination by residents and tourists despite ranking as one of Japan’s top 10 most populous cities.
One popular attraction, located 15 minutes by train from Kawasaki Station, is the Kawasaki Daishi, a Shingon Buddhist temple that dates back to the early 12th century. It’s one of the most important temples in the Kanto region and one of the most popular spots in the entire country for locals to visit for hatsumode celebrations.
Another attraction worth visiting is the Kawasui Kawasaki Aquarium, which features rare fish and other sea creatures from the nearby Tamagawa river. Parents and children alike will enjoy spotting the various animals.
If you are a brew nut, you should also check out the aforementioned Tokaido Beer Kawasaki Craft Brewery. They have a wide range of beers brewed, including limited edition labels and collaboration with other Kawasaki businesses and organizations.
