Tokyo to Kyushu by Ferry

The overnight ferry between Tokyo and Kyushu is one of the most relaxing ways to travel between the capital and Japan’s southernmost main island. It’s relaxing, fun and relatively unknown to tourists. Here are all the details.

Introduction

The ferry is operated by the Tokyo Kyusyu Ferry Company (“Kyusyu” is an old spelling of “Kyushu”). The company is sometimes called “TQF.” The ferry operates from Yokosuka (a short train trip south of Tokyo) and Shinmoji in northern Kyushu. The trip takes around 21 hours. In both directions, you depart just before midnight and arrive at around 9pm the following day. There is a variety of cabins and one-way fares range from ¥20,000 (around US$124) to ¥77,600 (US$482), depending on your cabin choice and season.

How to Book

You can easily book online via the Tokyo Kyusyu Ferry English-language site. You must first register with the site to make a booking. It takes a few minutes after you click the registration email for you to be able to proceed to setting a password. You don't have to enter a phone number when you register. After you make a booking, you have two days to settle payment (which can be done by credit card). You will receive an email with a confirmation number that you give at the counter at the ferry office when you check in for your sailing. It sounds a little complicated but in practice it’s easy.

Step-by-Step Description of the Voyage from Tokyo to Kyushu

Here, we cover a voyage from Tokyo to Fukuoka in Kyushu. Obviously, you can also do the trip from Kyushu to Tokyo and most of the details will be similar.

Getting to Yokosuka Terminal (Port) and Boarding the Ship

First, get yourself to Tokyo Station by around 9.30pm. The train trip to Yokosuka takes about an hour and ferry boarding starts at 10.30pm. You can enter Tokyo Station with a regular ticket, an IC card like Suica or a Japan Rail Pass. Look for signs for track 10 (Tokaido Main Line) in the main concourse. You’ll take this as far as Yokohama Station and then switch to the private Keikyu Line.

Trains on the Tokaido Main Line to Yokohama often have double-decker cars. The trip from Tokyo Station to takes around 25 minutes and costs ¥460.

Get off at Yokohama Station and follow the signs to the Keikyu Line. This is a private line that connects Yokohama with Yokosuka-chuo Station.

If you entered Tokyo Station with an IC card like Suica, just tap the card to enter. If you entered with a regular ticket or Japan Rail Pass, you’ll have to buy a separate ticket here from the vending machine or ticket counter to enter the Keikyu system.

Go to track 1 for Kamiooka and Miura Kaigan.

Wait on the platform for track 1. Even at 9 or 10pm, it can be crowded with commuters.

Take any train that goes in the direction of Keikyu Kurihama. Ideally, get on a limited express (tokkyu). The fare to Yokosuka-chuo is ¥610 and the journey takes around 34 minutes by limited express. As noted above, the train can be crowded, so you’ll definitely be happy if you’ve sent your big bags or suitcases ahead by a luggage shipping service.

Get off at Yokosuka-chuo Station and follow the signs for the east exit.

Go out the east exit.

Walk straight ahead across the open area and take the stairs to street level. At the bottom of the steps, look for a taxi. You might also go to the convenience store across the street to buy some supplies for the trip. Note that there’s an American naval base in Yokosuka and there are streetwalkers in this area. If you’re a man, you might be propositioned. Note that it’s possible to walk to the ferry pier in about 20 minutes, but a taxi is safer if time is tight.

About five minutes in a taxi will get you to the Tokyo Kyushu ferry terminal. The fare will be around ¥500.

You’ll see the ferry waiting at the pier. In this case, we rode the ferry Soleil. You might also find its sister ship Hamayu waiting for you. The features of both ships are identical.

Enter the terminal and show your reservation email to the staff at the counter, who will give you your ticket.

You’ll be given a ticket that shows your name and room number, as well as sailing time.

There’s a boarding information screen in the lobby that shows boarding time for cars, motorcycles and foot passengers.

On the second floor of the terminal, there’s a simple snack bar. There’s also good wifi and a number of outlets.

The waiting room is spacious and relatively comfortable. You can also sit on stools around the back edge of the building.

When it’s time to board, take the escalator up to the boarding bridge.

A boarding bridge leads to the ship.

As soon as you enter the passenger area of the ship, you’ll be greeted by ship staff who can direct you to your room.

Tour of the Ship

After entering the passenger area, you’ll find yourself in the spacious atrium of the ship.

On the 4th floor, you’ll find a detailed information board showing the facilities available on each floor. It shows the hours that each service is available. There’s enough English to make heads or tails of it.

There’s a TV in the atrium on the 4th floor. It seems to be popular with solo male travelers.

You can access the upper floors via both elevators and stairs.

There’s also a screen that shows the ship’s current position.

There’s a vending machine corner on the 4th floor. There’s also a small shop.

There are laundry rooms in the bathrooms on the 4th floor.

The restaurant is on the 5th floor. There’s a board outside the restaurant showing the opening hours of the restaurant.

The restaurant is clean and efficient. You seat yourself and order from an iPad that you can switch from Japanese to English. Wait staff will bring you your orders in a few minutes. You can drink water or order drinks via the iPad. Most drinks are self-serve. You pay for your meal after eating at the machines near the door, which you can switch to English.

There’s a lounge on the 5th floor where you can enjoy views of the sea.

There’s a kids play room on the 5th floor.

On the 5th floor, there’s a forward-facing salon (lounge) where you can relax and enjoy the view of the sea ahead of you.

One level up, on the 6th floor, there’s a sports room with exercise bikes and treadmills.

Out past the sports room there’s an open deck where you can get some fresh air and check out the passing scenery.

In the middle of the 6th floor, there’s a small cinema. They usually show two movies per sailing.

When not in use, it becomes a reading room where you can relax in bean bag chairs and read a book or take a nap.

Also on the 6th floor, you’ll find the men’s bath and women’s baths. These baths are among the highlights of the ship. Picture here is the men’s bath entrance.

The changing rooms have lockers and baskets for your things.

The interior baths have nice views over the ocean. Against the walls are bathing stations where you can wash before entering the baths. Shampoo and body wash are provided.

The outdoor bath is great, with a nice view of the ocean.

The sauna is excellent and also has a view of the ocean.

Here’s a picture of the room I stayed in. These rooms are called “state rooms.” There were two twin beds, a TV and a small fridge, as well as an en suite bathroom with shower. It was plenty comfortable for a one-night stay. I must note, however, that walls are thin, and if your neighbor talks or coughs loudly or watches TV, you’re going to hear it. So, bring earplugs if you’re a light sleeper.

For budget travelers, there are “Tourist S” berths, which are bunks with pull-down screens for privacy. There are lockers where you can stow your things safely. These Tourist S berths are quite comfortable and a much better option than the old open dorm rooms on Japanese ferries.

The boarding process was smooth and we were ready to depart soon after boarding.

The Journey from Yokosuka to Shinmoji (northern Kyushu)

The sailing I took departed Yokosuka right on time at 11.45pm.

I enjoyed the lights of Yokosuka and Miura as we made our way out of Tokyo Bay and into the open Pacific. But, before long, the gentle motion of the ship made me sleepy and I turned in for the night. In the morning, I woke to find that we were somewhere south of Aichi Prefecture and heading toward Cape Shio-no-misaki at the southern tip of the Kii Peninsula.

I was surprised how much shipping there was in these sea lanes. We regularly passed other ships, sometimes two or three at a time.

It was soon time for breakfast. I chose a traditional Japanese breakfast, but Western choices were also available.

A few hours later I was back in the dining room for lunch. This time, I had Japanese-style curry, which is reliable comfort food while on the road.

As we made our way along the southern coast of Shikoku, the wind picked up and so did the waves. Rounding Cape Ashizuri, the waves were big enough to cause some decent rolling of the ship. I don’t suffer seasickness, but I’m sure a few of my fellow passengers did.

Before long, we were in the lee of the islands and threading the narrow gap between Shikoku and Kyushu. It was now time to grab dinner, since there wouldn’t be much available when we docked in Kyushu. I chose an aji furai teishoku (horse mackerel set meal). This is another example of tasty Japanese comfort food.

It was dark and murky when we finally pulled into the port of Shinmoji around 9pm.

I gathered my stuff and joined the other passengers milling about in the atrium on the 4th floor.

Getting from Shinmoji Terminal (Port) to Fukuoka

I followed the crowd through Shinmoji Terminal.

There were two shuttle buses waiting outside the terminal. These are free for ferry passengers and you’re guaranteed a seat. The bus will take you to Kokura Station, which is on the Sanyo Shinkansen Line in northern Kyushu. The bus also stops at Moji Station, but this is of less interest to foreign travelers.

The shuttle bus takes 50 minutes to Kokura Station.

Enter the station and look for the shinkansen gates. You can buy a ticket from the shinkansen ticket machines or the ticket office nearby.

Make your way to platforms (tracks) 11 or 12 if you’re heading to Hakata (Fukuoka). Note that the name of the main train station in Fukuoka is Hakata (yes, it’s confusing). Of course, if you’re heading east (in the direction of Hiroshima etc) you’ll go to different platforms. Even at around 10pm, which is when you arrive at Kokura Station on the shuttle bus, they’ll be plenty of shinkansen still running in the direction of Hakata (Fukuoka). Depending upon when you arrive at Kokura Station, there may still be a train or two heading all the way down to Kagoshima.

The journey takes 16 minutes and costs ¥2160 to Hakata (Fukuoka). Take any shinkansen bound for Hakata, which will be the next stop.

Get off at Hakata unless you’re continuing along further south.

There are several hotels near Hataka Station, otherwise you can get to more hotels by subway or taxi. I stayed in the Hotel Okura Fukuoka, which is a slightly dowdy but very comfortable hotel in the convenient Nakasu District of Fukuoka.

My room was spacious and quiet. I would definitely stay there again.

More Information

• Ferry Trips from Tokyo
• Ferry Trip to Hokkaido
• How to Travel from Kyoto to Busan by Ferry

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