Intercity Travel in Japan

Introduction

If you plan to travel to two or more regions, there is one important thing to consider. It is the transport between regions.

When people think about intercity travel in Japan, the first option is usually the Shinkansen. Shinkansen travel was already covered in the JR Pass / Discount Train Booking section, so this chapter focuses on domestic flights, domestic ferries, and overnight buses.

Shinkansen vs Domestic Flight – Which Is More Efficient?

For routes that take more than 3 to 4 hours by Shinkansen, travelers usually choose between the Shinkansen and a domestic flight.

For routes such as Fukuoka–Osaka or Osaka–Tokyo, you can choose either option depending on your schedule.

However, for the Fukuoka–Tokyo route, a domestic flight is usually more efficient than the Shinkansen.

Cost and Travel Time Comparison

• Example: Fukuoka – Tokyo
• Shinkansen Nozomi: Reserved seat one-way about 24,000 yen, travel time about 5 hours
• Domestic flight: One-way about 15,000 yen including taxes and fuel surcharge, travel time about 1 hour 40 minutes
  • ※ Airfare varies by travel date and booking timing

For long-distance routes, a domestic flight can be more efficient than the Shinkansen. It is recommended to compare prices before departure and choose the best option.

Guide to Using Highway Buses in Japan

One of the most affordable ways to travel between regions is the highway bus.
For routes of about 2 to 3 hours, buses are a practical option and often cheaper than trains.

Some regions offer bus passes. A well-known example is the Sankyu Pass in Kyushu.
However, a pass is not always the best value. If you only take one or two rides, buying a one-way ticket or a discounted ticket may be cheaper. Details are available in the regional guidebooks.

Checklist Before Taking a Highway Bus 📌

• Reservation system

  • Reservation-only buses: Advance booking required. Same-day boarding may be possible if seats are available.
  • Seat-capacity buses: No reservation needed. First come, first served. If full, take the next bus (usually 2–3 buses per hour).

• Boarding location: Even highway buses may stop at highway interchanges or intermediate stops instead of major terminals

  • Example: Kōsoku Hita (高速日田) stop

• Seat layout: Difference between 3-row (premium) and 4-row (standard) seating

• Facilities: Check if there is an onboard toilet

• Baggage rules: Vary by company, check in advance

• Safety rules: Seat belts must be worn

• Food rules: Light snacks are allowed, but strong smells or noisy food that disturb other passengers are not allowed (use rest areas if possible)

• Phone calls: Not allowed on board

Guide to Overnight Buses in Japan

For travelers who find Shinkansen or flight fares expensive, the overnight bus is a good alternative.

The biggest advantage is that you can save one night of accommodation and the fare is usually cheaper than trains.
Most overnight buses depart around midnight and arrive around 6:00 AM, so you can start sightseeing as soon as you arrive.

If you can sleep easily anywhere, an overnight bus can be the best choice to save money and travel time.
However, if you are sensitive to sleep, you may arrive early in the morning without proper rest and face issues such as not being able to check in to your hotel. Choose carefully.

Major Overnight Bus Routes

• Tokyo ↔ Nagoya / Osaka / Fukuoka / Sendai / Aomori
• Osaka ↔ Fukuoka / Nagoya / Matsuyama / Sendai / Beppu / Oita
• Fukuoka ↔ Kobe / Osaka / Kyoto / Okayama
• Sapporo ↔ Hakodate

Guide to Domestic Ferry Travel in Japan

Japan is made up of four main islands — Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu — and ferries have long been used for cargo and passenger transport between islands.

Depending on the route and schedule, an overnight ferry allows you to save on accommodation and travel while you sleep, reducing your perceived travel time.

1) Advantages

• Spacious and relaxed travel
  Compared to trains or planes, ferries offer more space and freedom to move around.
  Enjoy the view and relax in various areas such as decks, lounges, and cabins.

• Scenery and travel atmosphere
  Enjoy sea views in areas such as the Seto Inland Sea, Hokkaido–Honshu routes, and Okinawa.
  Experience special scenery such as sunsets and sunrises, making the journey part of the trip.

• Flexible baggage rules
  Compared to flights, ferries usually have more relaxed weight and size limits, making it easier to carry large luggage and sports equipment.

• Unique travel with overnight stay
  Overnight ferries (Osaka–Kyushu, Kobe–Miyazaki, etc.) allow long-distance travel while saving on hotel costs.
  Many ferries offer showers, baths, and restaurants on board.

2) Disadvantages

• Long travel time
  Standard ferries take much longer than flights or Shinkansen on the same route.

  • Example: Osaka–Beppu overnight ferry about 12 hours, flight about 1 hour 15 minutes

• Weather impact
  Services may be cancelled due to typhoons, strong winds, or high waves.
  Risk is higher in winter in Hokkaido and during typhoon season in Okinawa.

• Limited departures
  Some routes operate only once or twice per day, or 2–3 times per week.
  You need to plan your schedule carefully.

• Facility differences
  Facilities vary greatly by ferry.
  Budget and short routes may offer only seating and no shop.

• Motion sickness
  Routes with rough seas (Tsugaru Strait, Pacific coast, etc.) may cause seasickness.
  Bring motion sickness medicine.

Top 11 Popular Ferry Routes in Japan

1) Meimon Taiyo Ferry

名門大洋フェリー (City Line)

• Route: Osaka Nanko ↔ Shinmoji Port (Kitakyushu)
• Frequency: 2 departures daily

Departure Schedule

• Osaka → Shinmoji
  • Service 1: Departs 17:00 → Arrives 05:30 next day
  • Service 2: Departs 19:50 → Arrives 08:30 next day
  ※ On January 1–2: Departs 18:30 → Arrives 07:00
• Shinmoji → Osaka
  • Service 1: Departs 17:00 → Arrives 05:30 next day
  • Service 2: Departs 19:50 → Arrives 08:30 next day
  ※ For January 1–2, see the official website

2) Hankyu Ferry

Hankyu Ferry

• Route: Shinmoji (Kitakyushu) ↔ Kobe / Izumiotsu (Osaka Prefecture)
• Frequency: One service per route per day, total 2 round trips daily
• Travel time: Shinmoji ↔ Kobe about 12 hours, Shinmoji ↔ Izumiotsu about 12 hours 30 minutes

Departure Schedule

• Shinmoji ↔ Izumiotsu (Osaka): Daily 17:30 → Arrives 06:00 next day (both directions)
• Shinmoji → Kobe (Rokko Island)
  • Sun–Thu: Departs 18:40 → Arrives 07:10 next day
  • Fri–Sat: Departs 20:00 → Arrives 08:30 next day
• Kobe (Rokko Island) → Shinmoji
  • Sun–Thu: Departs 18:30 → Arrives 07:00 next day
  • Fri–Sat: Departs 20:00 → Arrives 08:30 next day

3) Jumbo Ferry

ジャンボフェリー (Jumbo Ferry)

• Routes: Kobe ↔ Takamatsu, Kobe ↔ Shodoshima, Takamatsu ↔ Shodoshima

• Frequency

  • Kobe ↔ Takamatsu: 4 services daily
  • Kobe ↔ Shodoshima: 3 services daily
  • Takamatsu ↔ Shodoshima: 15 services per week (2+ per day)

• Travel time

  • Kobe ↔ Takamatsu: about 4 hours 45 minutes
  • Kobe ↔ Shodoshima: about 3 hours 20 minutes
  • Takamatsu ↔ Shodoshima: about 1 hour 25 minutes

• Schedules: Kobe–Takamatsu, Kobe–Shodoshima, Takamatsu–Shodoshima

4) Tokyo Kyushu Ferry

東京九州フェリー

• Route: Yokosuka (near Tokyo) ↔ Shinmoji Port (Kitakyushu)
• Frequency: 4–6 times per week (except Sundays and national holidays)
• Travel time: about 21 hours 15 minutes

Departure Schedule

• Tokyo (Yokosuka) → Shinmoji: Departs 23:45 → Arrives 21:00 next day
• Shinmoji → Tokyo (Yokosuka): Departs 23:55 → Arrives 20:45 next day

5) Shin Nihonkai Ferry

新日本海フェリー

• Routes: Hokkaido (Otaru, Tomakomai) ↔ Niigata / Maizuru / Tsuruga / Akita
• Travel time
  • Maizuru ↔ Otaru: about 21 hours
  • Tsuruga ↔ Tomakomai: about 20 hours (31 hours via Niigata and Akita)
  • Niigata ↔ Otaru: about 16 hours
  • Niigata ↔ Tomakomai: about 20 hours
  • Akita ↔ Tomakomai: about 11 hours
  • Tsuruga ↔ Niigata: about 12 hours
  • Niigata ↔ Akita: about 7 hours

6) Miyazaki Car Ferry

Miyazaki Car Ferry

• Route: Kobe (Sannomiya) ↔ Miyazaki

• Frequency: Daily

• Travel time

  • Kobe → Miyazaki: about 13 hours 30 minutes
  • Miyazaki → Kobe: about 12–13 hours

• Departure Schedule

  • From Miyazaki: Daily at 19:10
  • From Kobe: Mon–Sat 19:10, Sun 18:00

7) Kushi Orange Ferry

オレンジフェリー

① Kyu-Shi Route

The ferry featured in the anime Suzume is the Kushi Orange Ferry. “Kyu-Shi” combines the first characters of Kyushu and Shikoku.

• Route: Yawatahama Port (Ehime) ↔ Usuki Port (Oita)
• Frequency: 7 round trips daily
• Travel time: about 2 hours 25 minutes
• Schedule: Check website

② Kansai Route

• Route: Toyo Port (Ehime) ↔ Osaka Nanko
• Frequency: 6 services per week
• Travel time: about 8 hours
• Schedule: Departs 22:00 → Arrives 06:00 next day

8) Uwajima Unyu Ferry

Uwajima Unyu Ferry

• Routes: Yawatahama (Ehime) ↔ Beppu (Oita) / Usuki (Oita)
• Frequency
  • Yawatahama ↔ Beppu: 6 services daily
  • Yawatahama ↔ Usuki: 7 services daily
• Travel time
  • Beppu: about 2 hours 50 minutes
  • Usuki: about 2 hours 25 minutes

9) Taiheiyo Ferry

太平洋フェリー

• Route: Nagoya ↔ Sendai ↔ Tomakomai
• Travel time
  • Sendai–Tomakomai: about 15 hours 20 minutes
  • Nagoya–Sendai–Tomakomai: about 40 hours

10) Ferry Sunflower

商船三井さんふらわあ

• Routes
  • Osaka ↔ Beppu
  • Kobe ↔ Oita
  • Osaka ↔ Shibushi (Kagoshima)
  • Oarai (Ibaraki) ↔ Tomakomai (Hokkaido)

11) Ocean Tokyu Ferry

オーシャン東九フェリー

• Route: Tokyo (Ariake) ↔ Tokushima / Shinmoji (Kitakyushu)

Departure Schedule

• Tokyo → Tokushima → Shinmoji:
  • Mon–Sat: Departs Tokyo 19:00 → Tokushima 13:20 → Shinmoji 05:35
  • Sun & holidays: Departs Tokyo 18:00 → Tokushima 14:20 → Shinmoji about 06:30
• Shinmoji → Tokushima → Tokyo:
  • Mon–Sat: Departs 19:00 → Tokushima 09:20 → Tokyo 05:30
  • Sun & holidays: Departs 18:00 → Tokushima 12:20 → Tokyo about 06:00