Suzhou Creek welcomed its first "itasha boats" (decorated anime-themed vessels) recently to coincide with the 20th China International Comic & Games Expo (CCG EXPO).
The newly decorated boats made their debut at Changfeng Park Pier in Putuo District, using the largest vessel in Suzhou Creek's fleet - the Brilliant Galaxy. CCG EXPO organizers revealed this marks the first "itasha boat" in the exhibition's 20-year history, extending the event space beyond conventional venues into urban landscapes.
This year's design features the expo's official mascot "Zi Ling," an idol singer character whose costume blends Chinese qipao with Western-style uniforms. The sky-blue color scheme and wing motifs convey themes of freedom and unrestrained spirit.
Two specially decorated boats will operate routes departing from both Changfeng Park Pier and Waitanyuan Pier, passing landmarks including Mengqing Garden, Wuning Road Bridge, Tian An 1000 Trees, and the waterfront section of East China University of Political Science and Law. During the expo period, four daily sailings will be available through August 4.
On July 18, as one of Shanghai Tourism Festival's six major events, Putuo District will launch the "Waterfront Leisure Week" for its fifth "Half-Marathon Suzhou Creek" Cultural Tourism Festival. The Putuo Culture and Tourism Bureau will collaborate with seven cities along the Shanghai-Nanjing corridor (Nanjing, Wuxi, Changzhou, Suzhou, Nantong, Zhenjiang, and Taizhou) to create themed cruises showcasing each city's intangible cultural heritage through boat designs and onboard displays.
Additional seasonal offerings include returning pet-friendly cruises and performance cruises during summer. Dining cruises will continue serving Italian and Japanese cuisine for lunch and dinner, with new late-night routes launching in mid-July featuring departures after 8:30pm.
Suzhou Creek cruises served 55,000 passengers in the first half of the year, a 25 percent year-on-year increase, with 40 percent boarding from Putuo District. The cruise program is exploring new partnerships with riverside businesses, including combined "cruise+dining" tickets and themed afternoon tea packages, to further develop the cultural tourism potential of Shanghai's waterfront areas.
