Water bus and Ferry in Japan
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Water bus and Ferry

Water Bus in Tokyo

Water Bus on Sumida River in Tokyo
Water Bus on Sumida River in Tokyo

Sumida River flows from north to south along the east part of central Tokyo.

Asakusa is the the on the right bank of the river.
There is Tokyo Port at the mouth of the river, and Odaiba area is around the port.

The width of the river is about 150 meters. (The width is nearly the same as the Seine River in Paris.)

Between Asakusa and Odaiba area, water buses are operated by two companies.
They are operated from around 9:30 to around 18:30, once or twice an hour.

You can use them as both a sightseeing cruise and a transportation.

Tokyo Cruise Tokyo Mizube Cruising Line

Water Bus in Osaka

Water Bus in Osaka
Water Bus in Osaka

Kyu-Yodo River flows in the central Osaka city.

A water bus cruising the river is operated.

There is a long island called as Nakanoshima in the river, and the water bus runs around the island.
One of the ports is Osaka Castle.

The width of the river is about 70 meters.

They are operated from around 10:00 to around 17:00, once an hour.

Osaka Suijo Bus

Miyajima Ferry

Miyajima Ferry
Miyajima Ferry

Miyajima (Itsukushima) Island is located about 20km southwest of central Hiroshima city.
The nearest port is Miyajima-guchi, and two companies operate the ferry to Miyajima Island.
The distance is only about 1.7 km.

Both companies operates the ferry every 15 minutes, and it takes only 10 minutes.

One company is JR (Japan Railway) West Ferry, and the other company is Miyajima Matsudai Ferry.
Both ports are side by side, and the fare is the same.

You may take which of the ferries you like.
But, if you have "Japan Rail Pass", you can board on the ferry of JR West Ferry by the pass.

JR West Miyajima Ferry Miyajima Matsudai Ferry

As a little-known ferry, I used "Yakata-bune" boat cruise by Aqua Net Hiroshima company, when I visited Miyajima.
The pier is 1.3 km far from Miyajimaguchi, but the boat passes just near the O-torii (Great Shrine Gate in the sea).

Aqua Net Hiroshima

Ferries to remote islands

Ferry in Seto Inland Sea
Ferry in Seto Inland Sea, Photo by photolibrary

There are many remote islands in Japan.
So, many ferries to the islands are operated.

Hokkaido area

To Rishiri and Rebun islands

Kanto area

To Izu islands To Ogasawara islands

Koshin-etsu area

To Sado island

Chugoku and Shikoku area

To Shodoshima islands From Hiroshima to some cities To Oki islands

Kyushu area

To Yakushima islands From Okinawa island to Kume island Around Ishigaki, Iriomote islands