Ten metres above sea level on Tokyo's own shoreline, this stop sits on land that did not exist four centuries ago. Since the Edo period the city has pushed out into the bay, one reclamation at a time, and the districts around Ota, Shinagawa and the Haneda approach are largely built on that fill. From here the waterfront is a quarter hour away, and the water smells of salt, diesel and wet concrete.
The scenery is industrial and strangely beautiful: container cranes, warehouses, canals with moored barges, and the great arch of the Rainbow Bridge a little way north. Planes from Haneda, one of the busiest airports in the world, pass low overhead on approach, and you can watch them from park lawns by the shore. Parks such as the Wild Bird Park at Tokyo Port, a managed wetland of reeds and tidal pools, bring herons and migrating shorebirds to this edge of the megacity, and the contrast with the high-rise skyline across the water is memorable.
On a motorcycle, the bayside is both easy and awkward. The Bayshore Route, a broad road, runs close to the water, with long signals and steady traffic, and the Metropolitan Expressway crosses overhead with its tolls. Weekends are lighter for trucks than weekdays. Strong wind off the water can be tiring, and fog on winter mornings is not unusual. The joy comes in the evening, when the lights come on across the water and ships slide out of the harbour.
Services are plentiful, with fuel stations along every major road and countless restaurants. The nearby fish market district and old Shinagawa post town have places for sushi or a simple grilled-fish lunch. Parking for motorcycles is available in coin lots, though prices vary. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, when the air is clear and the wind quieter. Take a short walk along a pier before you leave, and watch the city show its working side.