I felt like a foreign tourist on the "Tombori River Cruise" in Dotonbori, Osaka!

Have you ever heard of the "Tombori River Cruise"?

If you visit Dotonbori in Minami, Osaka, you may have seen the yellow boats coming and going in Dotonbori.
(Our headquarters is also located in Osaka City ^ ^)

This tour allows you to enjoy the view from the Dotonbori River and experience cruising through 8 bridges from Nihonbashi to Fukasato Bridge, starting from Tombori River Walk and passing through Dotonbori Bridge to Fukasato Bridge.
I heard a rumor that this tour is very popular among foreign tourists visiting Osaka now, and I actually experienced it! (*^_^*)

The tour departs from right in front of "Don Quijote Dotonbori," marked by a yellow Ferris wheel!

The name of the ship is DOTON, and it is an open-air cruise with a capacity of 60 people (we went in early February, so it was a little cold...^ ^ ^; )

A raincoat is a must for rainy days.

(In winter, be prepared for the cold...)

The rumors were true, after all!
Almost all passengers are foreign tourists.
The boat was so full of foreign tourists, especially those from Asia, that I thought we were the only Japanese on board.

It is strange that the scenery around Dotonbori, which we are usually familiar with, looks different from the view from the boat.
On this day, we were lucky enough to pass under all eight bridges, but there are some bridges that cannot be passed due to sea conditions or tide levels.

(Passing under the bridges. I am a little nervous.)

Waving to people walking on the ground from time to time, we enjoyed the 20-minute boat ride.
What surprised me the most was the guided announcement by the crew member leading the ship!
He dexterously explained each spot in both Japanese and English.
He sometimes exchanged simple conversation with Korean and Chinese guests in their own languages, and explained the sights using handmade panels with four-language labels! I could really feel their desire to have fun!
The tour ended with a photo shoot from the boat in front of the Glico sign and arrival at the pier!
At the end of the tour, all the passengers performed Ipponjime together, just like in Japan! (I wonder if other countries have a culture like Ipponjime?)

(I wonder if there is a culture like Ipponjime in other countries?)

The weather was very cold, but it was a wonderful and heartwarming cruise!