Cross the Seto Ohashi Bridge to Shikoku. Then, travel from Shikoku to Kyushu.
Good morning.
This is the second day of my road trip to Kyushu.
Today, I’ll be traveling from Taga Service Area in Shiga Prefecture to Beppu in Kyushu.
Normally, Google Maps suggests taking the expressway along the Seto Inland Sea coast of Honshu and crossing the Kanmon Bridge to enter Kyushu, but that involves driving along the highway for a long, continuous stretch.
That seemed a bit dull, so I’ve decided to cross over to Shikoku instead and take the Uwajima Unyu Ferry from Yawatahama in Ehime Prefecture to Beppu Port in Oita Prefecture.
Google Mapより出典
Booked a ferry to Beppu Port by phone on the morning of departure.
I decided to travel by ferry on the morning of the trip, so I called to check if I could get a spot.
I was told, “If you’re driving a kei car, it’s fine for today,” and was given a reservation number over the phone.
Uwajima Unyu Ferry operates two routes—Yawatahama to Beppu Port and Yawatahama to Usuki Port—and I was taking the one bound for Beppu Port.
The travel times are reportedly:
1. Yawatahama to Beppu Port: 2 hours and 50 minutes
2. Yawatahama to Usuki Port: 2 hours and 25 minutes
宇和島運輸フェリーHPより出典
For the ferry, you can book online and reserve bento boxes to eat on board up until 5:00 PM the day before; since online booking offers a 5% discount, it is slightly more economical if you know your travel plans in advance.
Regarding class upgrades, there appear to be restrictions—such as requirements for cash payment—so please contact the operating company for details.
Both routes offer multiple sailings per day, making them very convenient to use.
Be sure to complete the boarding procedures at least one hour before departure.
From Hachimanhana to Beppu, refer to the most left schedule.
From Beppu to Hachimanhama, refer to the 2nd schedule from the left.
From Hachimanhama to Usuki, refer to the 3rd schedule from the left.
From Usuki to Hachimanhama, refer to the most right schedule.
宇和島運輸フェリーHPより
ペットとの移動も出来そうだったので、利用される方は確認してみてください。
Items to bring when boarding with a vehicle
If you are boarding with a car, you will need the following items:
Driver’s license (naturally)
Vehicle registration certificate (fares vary based on vehicle size, etc.)
Reservation number
Completed application form
Cash or credit card (I paid by credit card)
The cost was 12,800 yen for one kei-car (light vehicle) and the driver.
If traveling without a car, the fare for one adult in second-class seating is 4,100 yen.
Take a break at Minato Oasis Yawatahama Minatto before boarding.
The vehicle staging area at Yawatahama Port is shared by ferries bound for both Beppu and Usuki, so there are times when you cannot park your vehicle until the earlier ferry has departed.
In my case, I couldn’t park in the staging area until one hour before boarding, so I parked at the nearby roadside station, “Minato Oasis Yawatahama Minatto,” to take a break.
It was a great place to look for tasty snacks, featuring live demonstrations and sales of *jakoten* (fried fish cakes) as well as a wide variety of other seafood products.
I bought a croquette and some *inari-zushi*.
There is also a park with a great view on the same premises, so I highly recommend it.
I can’t wait for us to set sail.
This isn’t the ship I’ll be boarding; it’s the one bound for Usuki Port.
I took this photo from the rooftop of the waiting area.
I wonder what the ferry bound for Beppu Port looks like.
It was scheduled to depart at 17:25, and I boarded around 17:00.
The website listed it as the “newly built *Reimei-maru*,” so it appears to be a new model.
I wonder if the character “宇” is its trademark.
It was dusk, so the atmosphere was wonderful.
It was full of travel charm.
We departed on schedule.
It is a voyage of about three hours.
Goodbye, Shikoku.
The seats inside the ship are popular.
It seemed to be a new ship; the interior was very clean and comfortable.
I sat in the standard seating area.
It was spacious, allowing me to relax and take it easy.
After strolling around the ship, I also ate the inari sushi I had bought for dinner right there.
The tatami-style rest area was popular among passengers traveling in families or groups.
There were about six tatami-matted rooms, each roughly the size of twenty tatami mats, and various groups had claimed their own spaces to chat.
Here is a brief introduction to the facilities on board.
There is a small shop on board.
You can purchase items such as magazines and snacks there.
A blanket rental service is also available for 100 yen per blanket.
There was also a game corner for passing the time.
It looks like the kind of thing that could really get you hooked once you start playing.
This is the dining area near the shop.
Some passengers spent their time here during the voyage.
Onboard Wi-Fi is also available.
Arrival at Beppu Port will be at night.
As you stroll around the ship, enjoy dinner, and gaze at the scenery outside, you suddenly realize you are just about to arrive at Beppu Port.
Seeing the lights of Beppu City in the distance brings a certain sense of relief.
Since I had brought my car on board, I returned to it to get ready for disembarkation.
Although the ferry journey took about three hours, we arrived in Kyushu before I knew it.
It took more time and money than driving via the expressway, but I was very satisfied; I got to experience a new ferry route and was able to rest my body.
There were more scheduled sailings than I had expected, so I felt that traveling to Kyushu via Shikoku is actually a great option.
みなとオアシス 八幡浜みなっと内のどーや市場 Doya Market within Minato Oasis Yawatahama Minatto
Address: 1581-23 Okishinden, Yawatahama City, Ehime Prefecture 796-0087
Tel：0894214775
Business Hours：8:00~16:00
Holiday: None
Doya Ichiba HP:https://do-ya-ichiba.jp/
宇和島運輸フェリーの八幡浜フェリーターミナル Uwajima Unyu Ferry’s Yawatahama Ferry Terminal
Address: 1581-26 Dejima, Yawatahama City, Ehime Prefecture 796-0089
Tel：0894232536
Uwajima Ferry HP：https://www.uwajimaunyu.co.jp/
My Note: You can receive a 5% discount if you book online by 5pm the day before departure. Pets are also allowed to ride along, subject to certain conditions. Please prepare cash as you may be required to pay in cash.
