TOKYO BAY

Description

Essentials about Tokyo Bay in brief

Tokyo Bay is already an impressive sight from the air. Around the bay, which is about 75 kilometers long and 20 kilometers wide, lies what is currently the world’s largest metropolitan area, the Tokyo-Kawasaki-Yokohama metropolitan region with almost 40 million inhabitants. Tokyo Bay is not only the most densely populated and highly industrialized area in Japan, but also an important recreational area for the residents of Tokyo and its neighboring cities. Numerous parks and recreational facilities are located along the waterfront of the bay.

The geography of Tokyo Bay

Tokyo Bay has a length of about 75 kilometers and a width of about 20 kilometers. Its area is about 1,380 square kilometers and its maximum depth (at the mouth to the Pacific Ocean) is 700 meters. The bay is bounded on the north by the city of Tokyo. The western and eastern boundaries are the Miura and Bōsō Peninsulas, respectively. To the south, the bay opens into the Pacific Ocean. The nearly 30-kilometer-long outlet of the bay (from Cape Futtsu-misaki to Cape Kannon-saki) is usually referred to as the Uraga Channel. The only crossing of Tokyo Bay is the Tōkyō-wan Aqua Line, a combination of bridge and tunnel.

The islands in Tokyo Bay

The only natural island in the bay is Sarushima Island, which covers just 0.055 square kilometers. Formerly part of the Tokyo fortifications, the island was used by the Japanese fleet in later years. Today the island is an uninhabited nature reserve.

In the late 19th century, land reclamation began along the coast of Tokyo Bay. The partially shallow water with depths less than five meters made land filling relatively easy. Thus, the topography of the bay today is very different from earlier times. To date, about 250 square kilometers of land have been reclaimed from the bay.

Many of the artificial islands in the bay were once used as coastal fortifications to protect cities. After the end of World War II, these islands were converted into residential or recreational areas. Probably the best known of the artificial islands is Odaiba, filled in 1853. Other islands include Hakkei, Heiwa, Higashiōgi, Katsushima, Keihin, Shōwa, and Yumenoshima.

Leisure facilities at Tokyo Bay

Tokyo Bay is not known for the most beautiful beaches or the best water quality. Nevertheless, many locals regularly visit the beaches and recreational areas around the bay, such as Jonanjima Seaside Park, Kasai Rinkai Park, Odaiba Seaside Park and Shiokaze Park, due to the easy accessibility. Here you can relax, barbecue, play sports and watch birds – all with a pleasantly refreshing sea breeze and a magnificent view of the sea of houses of the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Each of the above-mentioned parks has its own attractions and consequently its own charm. The extensive grounds of Kasai Rinkai Park include a giant Ferris wheel, an aquarium and numerous bird-watching areas. For planespotters, Jonanjima Seaside Park is the place to be. Located near Haneda Airport, the park offers viewpoints from which to watch planes take off and land. Odaiba Seaside Park is conveniently located next to Odaiba’s many restaurants, stores and attractions.

The water quality at Tokyo Bay leaves something to be desired due to the heavy industrialization of the area. With the exception of the Kasai Kaihin Park beach area (on the grounds of Kasai Rinkai Park), swimming in the bay is therefore generally prohibited. Those who want to plunge into the waters for swimming or surfing should therefore better make a trip to the beaches of Enoshima, Kamakura, Morito or Zushi, which are only one to two hours away from central Tokyo.