A roundup of ferry routes you can take from Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Nagasaki and Oita: from overnight long-distance routes to a 30-minute hop, with one-way fares, travel time and how many sailings a day.
In short
- Osaka–Beppu (Sunflower) starts from ¥15,390 one way in 2nd class, one sailing a day each direction, about 12 hours (section 1).
- Nagasaki–Fukue (Kyushu Shosen) has a jetfoil from ¥9,810 and a ferry from ¥4,560 for adults (section 2).
- Shortest hop: Amakusa–Shimabara is about 30 minutes, ¥580 for adults, October–December (table).
- Four other routes — Shinmoji–Osaka/Kobe, Kumamoto–Nagasaki (Shimabara), Amakusa–Shimabara and Hakata–Iki/Tsushima — have their own detailed guides linked from the table.
Facts are carried over from our Japanese guide, checked September 28, 2026.
| Route | Operator | Adult one-way fare | Time / sailings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Osaka–Beppu | Sunflower | From ¥15,390 (Oct–Dec, varies by season) | About 12 hrs, 1x daily |
| Nagasaki–Fukue | Kyushu Shosen (jetfoil) | ¥9,810 | From about 1 hr 25 min, 4x daily |
| Nagasaki–Fukue | Kyushu Shosen (ferry) | ¥4,560 | From about 3 hrs 10 min, 2–3x daily |
| Shinmoji–Osaka/Kobe | Hankyu / Meimon Taiyo Ferry | From ¥8,140 (varies by season) | See guide |
| Kumamoto–Nagasaki (Shimabara) | Kusho Ferry / Ariake Ferry | From ¥500 | See guide |
| Amakusa–Shimabara | Shimatetsu Ferry | ¥580 (Oct–Dec) | About 30 min |
| Hakata–Iki/Tsushima | Kyushu Yusen | Ferry from ¥3,410, jetfoil from ¥6,930 | Jetfoil from about 1 hr 10 min |
1. Osaka–Beppu: from ¥15,390 in 2nd class, one sailing a day, arriving in the morning
Sunflower’s Osaka Nanko–Beppu Kanko-ko route starts from ¥15,390 in 2nd class (a private bed) for sailings from October to December 2026 (from ¥16,920 January–March 2027), with one sailing a day each way. Departures from Osaka are 19:05 Sunday–Thursday and 20:05 Friday/Saturday; departures from Beppu are 18:45 Sunday–Thursday and 19:20 Friday/Saturday, arriving the next morning between roughly 6:30 and 7:00 or later. The crossing takes about 11 hours 50 minutes to 12 hours. Standard and discount fares (Osaka–Beppu route) / Route & timetable (Sunflower official)
Boarding closes 60 minutes before departure in normal season (90 minutes for cars/motorcycles in busy season). Book online (booking opens 9:00 am, 3 months before your sailing date) or by phone. Fares can be lower with web and round-trip discounts, so the official fare simulator is the most reliable way to check.
2. Nagasaki–Fukue (Goto Islands): jetfoil or ferry
Kyushu Shosen’s Nagasaki–Fukue route, for sailings from October 1, 2026, costs ¥9,810 for adults / ¥4,910 for children on the jetfoil (from about 1 hr 25 min), or ¥4,560 for adults / ¥2,280 for children on the ferry (from about 3 hrs 10 min). The jetfoil runs 4 times a day and the ferry 3 times a day as a base schedule, though the number of sailings and times vary by day (check the official timetable and fares for your October–November 2026 sailing date). Timetable & fares (Kyushu Shosen official site)
Kyushu Shosen also operates routes to Arikawa, Naru Island and Narao (all in the Goto Islands), and between Sasebo and Uku/Ojika. Fares and times vary by route and day, so check the official site by selecting your departure port, arrival port and sailing date.
3. Other routes are covered in their own guides
Shinmoji–Osaka/Kobe (Hankyu Ferry / Meimon Taiyo Ferry), Kumamoto–Nagasaki (Kusho Ferry / Ariake Ferry), Amakusa–Shimabara (Shimatetsu Ferry, about 30 minutes, ¥580 for adults October–December), and Hakata–Iki/Tsushima (Kyushu Yusen) each have their own guide with full fare tables, including vehicle fares. Follow the links in the table above.
