Mikawa Bay Resort Linx (三河湾リゾートリンクス), an all-ocean-view resort hotel in Kira-cho, Nishio City, Aichi Prefecture, will begin operating the "Mikawa Bay Kotatsu Cruise" (三河湾こたつクルーズ) on its cruise ship MARINE LINX (マリンリンクス) on Friday, November 13, 2026, for a limited period. Kotatsu, the traditional Japanese heated tables, are set up on the ship's outdoor deck. According to the hotel's own research (as of October 2025), this is the first cruise in Japan to place kotatsu on the outdoor deck of a commercial passenger ship at sea.
Kotatsu Seats on the Open Deck
Kotatsu seating has been set up on the deck of MARINE LINX, which offers 360-degree panoramic views. Passengers can feel the cold winter sea breeze while keeping their feet warm under the kotatsu, enjoying both openness and comfort. On the relaxed cruise around Mikawa Bay, passengers may, with some luck, spot gulls, black-tailed gulls (ウミネコ), and finless porpoises (スナメリ).
Encounters with black-tailed gulls and finless porpoises
Sunset over Mikawa Bay with black-tailed gulls and seagulls
Last year, although some sailings were cancelled because of bad weather, about 1,800 people took the cruise during the season. This year, in addition to the kotatsu deck experience, the sunset cruise adds communication with penlights between hotel guests and staff and the passengers on board, among other efforts to make the cruise more enjoyable.
Communication between the ship and the hotel using penlights (illustration)
Background: A Warm Seat on the Winter Deck
The MARINE LINX cruise, which lets passengers enjoy the calm waters of Mikawa Bay and a sky that changes with the passing hours, has been well received by many guests. Winter, when the air is clear, is one of the seasons when the sunset over Mikawa Bay and a sky full of stars look their best.
In winter, however, the cold led many passengers to spend much of the cruise in the cabin rather than on the deck. Wanting guests to enjoy the winter scenery from the closest spot in the most comfortable way, the hotel took on an unprecedented idea: installing kotatsu, a familiar part of Japanese winter, on the deck.
Cruise Overview
- Operating period: Friday, November 13, 2026 to Sunday, April 11, 2027 (Fridays through Sundays)
- Schedule:
- Sunset Cruise: 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM (Fridays through Sundays)
- Day Cruise: 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM (Sundays only)
- Fares:
- Adults: ¥2,750 (tax included)
- Children: ¥2,200
- Infants: ¥1,500
The fares cover boarding only. Food and drinks are not included. The operating period and departure times may change depending on the weather and the time of sunset. Details are available on the hotel website.
Sunset seen from the sea
Day cruise where passengers can meet sea creatures
Reservations
Reservations can be made on the official website of Mikawa Bay Resort Linx (https://www.linx-xspa.co.jp) or by phone.
- Reservation Center: 0563-32-3720 (Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM)
The cruise can be booked for boarding only. Plans that combine the cruise with a meal (dinner and breakfast) and a hotel stay are also available, with meals served at the hotel. Details are on the hotel website.
Notes
Depending on the weather and sea conditions, the captain may cancel a sailing, or cancel the use of the deck kotatsu and guide passengers inside the heated cabin instead. Other precautions apply to boarding, so please read the MARINE LINX website before you go.
Staying at Mikawa Bay Resort Linx
The hotel offers a buffet with a wide range of Japanese, Western, and Chinese dishes, including crab, roast pork from locally branded pigs, and sushi. An open-air bath overlooking Mikawa Bay lets guests relax in the sea breeze.
A stay plan that combines the kotatsu cruise with the Bay Blue Dinner Buffet (ベイブルーディナービュッフェ) is also available. For reservations and inquiries, please check the hotel website. The Mikawa Bay Kotatsu Cruise can also be used by those who are not staying at the hotel.
All rooms have ocean views
The dinner buffet offers dishes such as crab and roast beef
