Consisting of several thousand islands, Japan is naturally home to an extensive network of ferry routes. Japan's four main islands (Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu and Shikoku) are connected with each other by bridges and tunnels, but many smaller islands can only be reached by ship. Yet even between the main islands, ferries can be an interesting, if not particularly fast alternative to trains, buses and planes.
Most ferries transport people, vehicles and cargo. While shorter routes are served by small ships, able to carry a couple of cars and a few dozens of passengers, large liners are employed on longer routes. Large ferries can carry hundreds of vehicles and passengers and are usually equipped with a range of amenities such as public baths and a restaurant.
On most long-distance ferries, passengers have the choice between three classes, 2nd class, 1st class and special class:
2nd class without bed the cheapest option Common space with a carpet or tatami mats to rest on.
2nd class with bed typically 20%-40% more expensive than 2nd class w/o bed Dormitory with about 4-12 beds.
1st class typically twice the cost of 2nd class w/o bed Room with about 2-4 beds.
Special class typically 2.5 to three times the cost of 2nd class w/o bed Room with about 2 beds.
2nd class dormitory on board of an overnight ferry
The cost for taking a car onto a ferry usually depends on the length of the car and includes the fare for the driver but not for additional passengers. Advance reservations are possible and recommended on some routes, but are not needed on routes with relatively frequent departures.
Bicycles can also be taken onto most ferries. As a rule of thumb, the cost for bringing a bicycle is about 100 yen for each hour of travel. So, on a 9 hour trip, for example, a bicycle will cost around 900 yen.
Cars being loaded onto a ferry
Ferry tickets can be purchased through the ferry companies directly (by phone, online or at the ferry terminal) or through travel agencies. The availability of English speaking staff cannot be counted on. Some ferry routes can be reserved online in English through Direct Ferries.
Major ferry routes
Below are maps and lists of major domestic ferry routes:
Otaru, Hokkaido Otaru Ferry Terminal is a 10 minute bus ride from Otaru-Chikko Station or a 30 minute bus ride or 10 minute taxi ride from Otaru Station. Otaru is located 30 kilometers east of Sapporo (750 yen, 30-45 minutes by JR train). More details.
Tomakomai, Hokkaido Tomakomai is located 70 kilometers south of Sapporo (one hour, about 3000 yen by JR limited express train, 75 minutes, 1680 yen by JR local trains or 100 minutes, 1450 yen by Hokkaido Chuo highway bus). Tomakomai has two ports, Tomakomai East Port (used by Shin Nihonkai ferries) and Tomakomai Port (used by most other ferries). Tomakomai East Port is located 30 kilometers outside of the city (bus connection from Tomakomai Station), while Tomakomai Port is just a short bus ride from the railway station.
Muroran, Hokkaido Muroran is located 140 kilometers south of Sapporo (150 minutes, 2300 yen by Hokkaido Chuo highway bus or 100 minutes, about 5000 yen by JR limited express train). Muroran Port is within walking distance from Muroran Station.
Hakodate, Hokkaido The terminals of Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferries and Seikan Ferries are located about 1.5 kilometers apart in the Port of Hakodate, a 20 minute taxi ride north of the city center. The Tsugaru Kaikyo Ferry terminal can also be reached in a 20 minute walk from Nanaehama Station, and the Seikan Ferry terminal in a 30 minute walk from Goryokaku Station. More details.
Aomori Aomori Ferry Terminal is about 2 kilometers, a 10 minute taxi ride or a 30 minute walk northwest of Aomori Station.
Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture Oarai is located 130 kilometers northeast of Tokyo and 10 kilometers east of Mito. From Mito (how to get to Mito), there is a direct bus to the ferry terminal (30 minutes, 620 yen one way). Alternatively, take the Kashimarinkai Railway to Oarai Station (15 minutes, 330 yen one way) from where the ferry terminal is a 5 minute taxi ride. There is also a direct bus between Tokyo and the ferry terminal, timed to ferry arrivals and departures.
Niigata Niigata is located 330 kilometers north of Tokyo on the Sea of Japan coast (2.5 hours, about 11,000 yen by shinkansen or 6 hours, 3,000-8,000 yen by highway bus from Tokyo). Niigata Port is a 25 minute bus ride from Niigata Station.
Tsuruga, Fukui Prefecture Tsuruga is located 90 kilometers north of Kyoto on the Sea of Japan coast (50 minutes, about 3000 yen by JR limited express train from Kyoto). The port is a 10 minute bus or taxi ride from Tsuruga Station.
Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture Maizuru is located 100 kilometers north of Kyoto on the Sea of Japan coast (100 minutes, about 4500 yen by JR limited express train or two hours, 2500 yen by bus from Kyoto Station). The port is a 10 minute taxi ride from Higashi-Maizuru Station.
Tokyo The Tokyo Ferry Terminal is located on a man made island in Tokyo Bay, not far from Odaiba. The closest railway stations are the Kokusai-Tenjijo-Seimon Station on the Yurikamome elevated train (20 minutes from Shimbashi) and Kokusai-Tenjijo Station on the Rinkai/Saikyo Line (30 minutes from Shinjuku), about a 30 minute walk away. More details.
Yokosuka The Yokosuka ferry terminal is located a 15 minute walk from Yokosuka Chuo Station, which can be reached by Keikyu Railway in 45 minutes from Shinagawa Station in Tokyo (650 yen one way).
Osaka Most domestic ferries leave from Osaka Nanko (Osaka South Port). The closest station is Ferry Terminal Station on the Nanko Porttown Liner, which can be reached in 10 minutes from Cosmosquare Station, the terminal station of the Chuo Subway Line. The Hankyu Ferries for Kitakyushu leave from Izumiotsu Port, reached by shuttle bus from Izumiotsu Station on the Nankai Line (20 minutes from Nankai Namba Station).
Kobe Kobe has several ferry terminals, including the Kobe Port Terminal (used by Jumbo ferries to Takamatsu and Miyazaki Car Ferry to Miyazaki) and the Rokko Island Ferry Terminal (used by MOL Sunflower ferries to Oita and the Hankyu ferries to Kitakyushu). The Kobe Port Terminal can be reached in a short bus ride or 15 minute walk from Sannomiya Station or a short walk from Port Terminal Station on the Port Liner. Rokko Island Ferry Terminal can be reached in a short bus ride or 20 minute walk from Island Kitaguchi Station on the Rokko Liner. More details.
Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture Matsuyama's ferry terminal (Matsuyama Sightseeing Port) is located a 3 minute bus ride or 10-15 minute walk from Iyotetsu Takahama Station, the last station on the Takahama Tram Line (20 minutes, 460 yen from Matsuyamashi Station). There are also buses from JR Matsuyama Station to the port (15 minutes, 700 yen).
Yawatahama, Ehime Prefecture Yawatahama Port is a 5 minute bus or taxi ride from JR Yawatahama Station. Yawatahama Station can be reached from Matsuyama by limited express train (45 minutes, about 2500 yen) or by local trains (100-120 minutes, 1430 yen).
Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture Kitakyushu is Kyushu's second largest city, located just across the straight from Honshu. Kitakyushu's Kokura Station is a station on the Sanyo Shinkansen. Kitakyushu has two ports, Shinmoji Port, which is used by most ferries and Kokura Port, which is used by the ferries from Matsuyama. To reach Shinmoji Port from Kokura Station, take a JR local train to Moji Station. From there, it is a 20 minute taxi ride to the port. Kokura Port is a 10 minute walk from Kokura Station. More details.
Beppu, Oita Prefecture Beppu Port is a 10 minute bus ride from Beppu Station.
Usuki, Oita Prefecture The ferry terminal in Usuki is a 15-20 minute walk or short taxi ride from Usuki Station.
Miyazaki Miyazaki Port is about 15 minute bus or taxi ride from Miyazaki Station.
Shibushi, Kagoshima Prefecture Shibushi is located 90 kilometers east of Kagoshima and south of Miyazaki (2.5 hours, 2170 yen by JR local train from Miyazaki). The port is a short taxi ride from Shibushi Station.
Kagoshima Kagoshima's Port consists of a main port and a new port. The main port (used by most ferries) can be reached in a 10-15 minute walk from Izurodori tram stop or a 15-20 minute bus ride from Kagoshima Chuo Station. The new port (used by A-Line and Marix Line ferries to Naha) can be reached in a 10 minute taxi ride from Kagoshima Chuo Station. More details.
Naha, Okinawa Prefecture Naha has three ports: Naha Port, Naha Tomari Port and Naha New Port. Most long distance ferries use either Naha Port or Naha New Port. More details.
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