Ferry Travel In Japan

Ferries in Japan

If you have time on your hands sailing by ferry in Japan can be a great way to cover long distances.

Japan is made up of four main islands but there are hundreds of other islands scattered in the archipelago with the islands of Okinawa over a 1000km to the south. Japan's Inland Sea also has many small islands such as Shodoshima and Naoshima easily and cheaply reached by ferry.

The main routes of practical use to visitors would be from Osaka/Kobe (on Honshu) to Beppu/Oita (on Kyushu), Niigata on the Japan Sea coast to Otaru/Sapporo (Hokkaido), Nagoya and Sendai to Tomokomai in southern Hokkaido and the ferry routes connecting Fukuoka in Japan with Busan in Korea and the boats to Naha in Okinawa from Nagoya, Tokyo, Osaka and Kagoshima.

The cheapest accommodation is in often cramped, communal, large tatami-mat rooms. The Hokkaido routes usually have women-only sections.
There is also a range of more expensive private first and second class cabins, and even suites, on board. Bicycles, motorbikes and cars also travel for an extra fee.

Ferry reservations are necessary at weekends and on public holidays.

There is a good canteen style self-service restaurant, a shop and a variety of vending machines on all boats, but the prices are marked up considerably, so those on a tight budget might consider buying food and drinks outside before boarding.

Entertainment consists of TV, the views from the deck, movies, computer games and a free Japanese bath.

Read more about using Japan ferries here

Ferry Routes

Economy fare: 7,030 Yen
Reservations: 06 6572 5181/06 6613 1571; Matsuyama 089 967 7180

Economy fare: 5,250 Yen
Reservations: 06 6345 2921 (Osaka HQ)/025 273 2171 (Niigata)/0134 22 6191 (Otaru).

Taiheiyo Ferry
Reservations: Nagoya 052 398 1023; Sendai 022 259 021
Boats are every other day.

All ferry services are daily except Niigata-Otaru (No Monday service).

Economy fare: 9,020 Yen
Reservations: 022 263 9877 (Sendai)/011 281 3311 (Sapporo).

For further details on other routes and services contact:
Japan Long Course Ferry Service Association in Tokyo:
03 3501 0889

The Arimura Line runs ferries from Nagoya via Osaka to Naha and then on to Miyako Island, Ishigaki Island and then to Keelung or Kaohshiung in Taiwan and then back to Nagoya via Naha. The whole circular journey takes a week. Departures from Nayoya are usually on Wednesday arriving in Naha on the Friday via Osaka. The boat continues on to Miyako, Ishigaki and Taiwan arriving back in Naha on the following Monday and then returns to Nagoya arriving on Wednesday.

Contact: Nagoya 052 659 2670; Osaka 06 6614 7611; Naha 098 860 1900

There are six or seven monthly sailings from Ariake Port near Odaiba in Tokyo to Naha in Okinawa. The journey takes three days and is run by A-Line. The ferry sails via Shibushi in Miyazaki Prefecture, Nase and Yoronto in Kagoshima Prefecture, please check the A-Line website for further details.

Read more about using Japan ferries here

Tokyo Kyoto Fukuoka Hakone Hiroshima Ibaraki Kamakura Kobe Nagasaki Nagoya Nara Niigata Nikko Oita Okinawa Osaka Saitama Sakurajima Sapporo Sendai Shizuoka Shodoshima Toyohashi Tsukuba Yokohama