This guide draws on pages published by Heartland Ferry, Tokashiki Ferry, the Kudaka Island ferry operator, Zamami Village, Shikoku Kisen, Anei Kanko, Sado Kisen, Oki Kisen and Tokai Kisen. It does not describe other operators or rules for the whole country.
Booking rules, ticket deadlines and weather-cancellation notices differ from one operator to the next, so each section below sets them out operator by operator.
How Tickets Are Sold at Each Port
| Operator | Item | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Heartland Ferry | Cars and individual passengers | Bookings are taken from nine in the morning on the same date two months before sailing |
| Heartland Ferry | Second-class unreserved seats | Not bookable, tickets are bought at the ticket window or a ticket machine on the day |
| Tokashiki Ferry | Tickets | Issued and bought only on the day of departure |
| Oki Kisen | Ferry second-class cabin | Boarding without a booking |
| Oki Kisen | Rainbow Jet fast boat | Booking only |
- Tokashiki Ferry. Buy your ticket at least thirty minutes before departure. Board at least ten minutes before departure.
- Heartland Ferry. Passengers who booked first class or reserved second-class seats finish ticketing by twenty minutes before departure.
- Heartland Ferry. Passengers who booked a vehicle finish ticketing by forty minutes before departure.
- Heartland Ferry. There are three ticket machines at Wakkanai and one each at Oshidomari and Kafuka.
- Kudaka Island ferry operator. Ticket sales end three minutes before departure time. Payment is by cash only.
Fares, Crossing Times and Extra Sailings
| Operator and route | Crossing time and fare |
|---|---|
| Heartland Ferry, second class | Wakkanai to Rishiri 3,590 yen, Wakkanai to Rebun 3,950 yen and Rishiri to Rebun 1,800 yen, one-way, children half price |
| Kudaka Island high-speed boat | About 15 minutes |
| Kudaka high-speed boat, adult fare | 770 yen one-way |
| Kudaka Island ferry | About 25 minutes |
| Kudaka ferry, adult fare | 680 yen one-way |
| Zamami Village, ferry from Naha | Adult 2,900 yen one-way |
| Zamami Village, fast boat from Naha | Adult 3,950 yen one-way |
| Zamami Village, ferry between Zamami port and Aka port | 400 yen one-way |
| Shikoku Kisen, ferry from Uno to Miyanoura | Adult 370 yen one-way |
| Anei Kanko, Ishigaki to Taketomi | Adult 970 yen one-way, junior high school age and older |
| Anei Kanko, Ishigaki to Hateruma | Adult 4,990 yen one-way, junior high school age and older |
Heartland Ferry adds up to two extra sailings a day as needed, on top of the scheduled sailings.
When Weather Cancels a Sailing
Heartland Ferry may cancel a sailing because of bad weather such as a typhoon or a low-pressure system, judged on wave height, wind direction and wind speed. Sado Kisen decides on cancellation by weighing several kinds of data together: wave height, swell, wind strength and direction, and visibility.
- Sado Kisen. A storm or wave warning may lead to cancellation, but the warning is a guideline and does not by itself decide whether sailings run.
- Sado Kisen. The operating status of all car-ferry sailings and the first jetfoil of the day is published at midnight. The status of the other jetfoils is published after six in the morning.
- Sado Kisen. The decision to sail or cancel may be made one hour before departure depending on the day's weather and sea conditions, and cancellation may be decided on the previous day.
- Tokai Kisen. Operating status is announced on the company website, and cancellation is a final judgment on overall conditions in the port and at sea.
- Tokai Kisen. A dedicated phone line with automated voice guidance gives the high-speed jet ships' sailing or cancellation status from six to eight in the morning.
| Operator | If a sailing is cancelled |
|---|---|
| Heartland Ferry | A booking for the cancelled sailing must be made again |
| Tokai Kisen | Cancelling or changing the booking is accepted without charging for it |
| Tokai Kisen | A ticket not used after a cancelled return sailing should be brought within 30 days |
| Sado Kisen | A customer who cancels before the company decides on cancellation pays the standard cancellation charge |
Booking Rules That Differ by Operator
- Oki Kisen. Seats on the Rainbow Jet can be booked by phone or online, and its fare includes the express charge.
- Oki Kisen. Internet bookings are not accepted for the ferries, and loading a car or motorcycle is by phone booking only.
- Oki Kisen. Groups of fifteen or more people need a booking, and elementary school students pay half of the adult fare.
- Oki Kisen. Phone bookings are taken at the nearby sales offices from half past eight in the morning to five o'clock in the afternoon.
- Heartland Ferry. Phone bookings are taken from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon.
- Heartland Ferry. Same-day vehicle bookings are accepted only for sailings departing from eleven in the morning onward.
- Heartland Ferry. On the Okushiri route, second-class unreserved seats cannot be booked, and tickets are bought at the window on the day.
- Tokashiki Ferry. Phone bookings for vehicles are taken from ten in the morning to five in the afternoon. Vehicle bookings cannot be made through the website.
Related Guides
For more on the islands these operators serve, see Rishiri Island, Zamami Island, Naoshima and the Oki Islands. Check official information before visiting. If you are planning a trip to Rishiri, you can browse places to stay on Rishiri Island.