Tokyo International Cruise Terminal was officially opened on September 10, welcoming as its first cruise ship Nippon Maru (owned by Mitsui OSK Passenger Line).
The new passenger terminal will be managed by Port Tokyo. The facility was originally scheduled for inauguration on July 14 (2020) to coincide with Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (scheduled to begin on July 22). However, both events were postponed due to the pandemic.
The new cruise terminal in Tokyo has one 430-m (1411-ft) berth with width 30 m (98 ft) and quay depth / max draft 11,5 m (38 ft). The terminal was constructed outside the Rainbow Bridge to allow access to the world's largest cruise vessels. The 4-storey building has total area 19000 m2 (204514 ft2).
According to Hirohito Ito, general manager of Cruise Research Division at Central Consultant, the new terminal had been designed as a “gateway to the capital” and featured “a roof inspired by the waves of the sea and the sails of a ship.”
The use of Tokyo-grown wood gives a relaxed feel of the building. The entrance looks like a luxury hotel. It provides good transportation access to Tokyo’s centre, which is a 20-minute drive away. Cruisers can also walk to the new transportation system, Yurikamome station.