Meimon Taiyo Ferry Fukuoka Review | Shinmoji to Osaka Cruise Guide

18:02 — JR Kokura Station, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture.
Tonight, I’ll be boarding the City Line’s Meimon Taiyo Ferry “Ferry Fukuoka.”
The journey from Shinmoji Port to Osaka Nanko takes 12 hours.

The reason I came to Kokura Station was to catch the free shuttle bus to the port.
Since the bus hadn’t arrived yet, I relaxed at a nearby café.

About 20 minutes later, I returned to the bus stop and found the shuttle already there.
After loading my luggage into the trunk, I stepped inside.

The driver began an onboard announcement through the mic:
“Thank you for using Meimon Taiyo Ferry today.”
“We’ll head to Shinmoji Port via Moji Station. It’ll take about 45 minutes.”
“Anyone here for Hankyu Ferry?”
“Sometimes people get on the wrong bus by mistake.”

After a few seconds of silence and no reaction from passengers—

“Alright, looks good.”
“Then, let’s get going.”

With that, the bus departed right on schedule at 18:40.

By the way, Hankyu Ferry’s stop is also near Kokura Station—just about a 30-second walk apart.
Even though both go to Shinmoji Port, each ferry company has its own terminal, so mix-ups do happen.

19:25 — Arrival at Shinmoji Port.
I got off the bus, retrieved my luggage from the trunk, and headed straight to the check-in counter.

After checking in, I took the escalator to the second-floor boarding gate.
There, a staff member scanned my ticket, and I proceeded through the hallway.

Since it’s December, the entrance to the ship was decorated with a Christmas tree.
The central staircase glowed with a wall of flowing water—a strange choice for winter, but charming in its own way.

This time I’d booked a private room, so I stopped by the information counter to get my room key before heading to my cabin.

The room key was a dimple key, known for its security—but also a bit tricky to use.
For a moment, I wasn’t even sure if it was the right key.

I’d expected something like a bicycle key that slides in and unlocks smoothly, but that wasn’t the case.
Maybe I was just bad at using it, or maybe there’s a specific trick.

To make matters worse, I really had to use the bathroom.
The pressure was on.

After inserting and removing the key three times, the door finally opened.
I dropped off my luggage and dashed straight to the toilet.

Back from the restroom, I finally took a proper look at the room.

This was the most affordable private room option, “First S.”
Equipped with air conditioning, a sink, and a TV, it offered hotel-like comfort.

After a short rest, I headed to the observation deck to watch the departure.

19:53 — We departed Shinmoji Port, three minutes behind schedule.
“Hotaru no Hikari” played through the onboard speakers.

Looking out at the pier, I saw a cluster of red lights swaying.
Ferry staff were waving at us—about 10 people, at a glance.

Passengers on deck waved back in kind.
The ferry slowly pulled away from the port.

20:00 — I arrived at the observation restaurant.
It’s buffet-style: pay once, eat as much as you want.

They had baked curry, fried foods, fresh sashimi (seared bonito),
as well as udon and a pork-bone based soup with dumplings.

I grabbed a plate and sat down.
Though window seats were tempting, it was pitch dark outside.
The window reflected my own image—which made for a pretty awkward dining experience—
so I opted for a seat away from the windows.

After dinner, I returned to my room to get ready for a bath.

After getting ready, I headed to the public bath on Deck 7.
To my surprise, only three people were inside, including me.

Of course, I couldn’t miss the open-air bath.
But the moment I opened the door—”freezing!”

It’s December, and the cold wind showed no mercy.
Still, once I sank in up to my shoulders, it felt amazing.

I had the outdoor bath all to myself. (Well, obviously.)
It was a luxurious, private soak.

After drying my hair, I returned to my room and went to bed early.

01:15 — I woke up.
Still incredibly sleepy.
Waking up in the middle of a deep sleep really takes a toll.

I splashed water on my face at the sink and left the room.
Climbing the stairs, I headed to the freezing observation deck.

At 1:22 a.m., the ship passed under the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge.
The shape of the bridge, lit by orange streetlights, looked beautiful against the night sky.

The temperature was just 2°C.
The cold air pierced my skin like needles.
Of course, there were no other spectators—the deck was completely empty.
I had been looking forward to seeing the bridge, but the cold was just too much.

Unable to endure it any longer, I dashed back inside the ship,
heading straight to the shower room in search of warmth.

The shower room on the 7th floor is private.
The water-saving faucet automatically shuts off after a few seconds.
The warm shower slowly thawed my chilled body.
After showering, I dried my hair with a hairdryer.

There were only two dryers, but since it was so late, no one else was there—I could use one right away.

Afterward, I bought a bottle of cola (¥180), returned to my room, and got to work on my laptop.

At 3:19 a.m., my room’s monitor displayed an image of the Seto-Ohashi Bridge.
It looked like we were about to pass under it.

Reluctantly, I pulled myself out of bed and braced for the freezing wind as I headed back to the observation deck.

At 3:24 a.m., we passed under the Seto-Ohashi Bridge.
It was only a few minutes of viewing, but the cold felt even worse than before.

I didn’t even have the energy to enjoy the view after passing the bridge—I rushed back to my room.
I dove under the warm covers and slept soundly until morning.

At 6:50 a.m., I woke up, brushed my teeth, and did a quick morning routine.

I had been curious about the toothpaste provided in the room—it smelled oddly like a medical patch you’d get at a hospital.
Instead of feeling refreshed, it left a rather unique aftertaste.

Strangely enough, it felt like it cured joint pain I didn’t even have.

Anyway, we’d be passing the final bridge soon, so I finished getting ready and headed back to the observation deck.

At 7:11 a.m., we passed under the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge.
It was far larger in scale than any of the other bridges along this route—truly overwhelming, like passing through a massive gate.
With daylight, every detail of the structure was clearly visible, making it especially enjoyable to see.

Perhaps due to the cold, only three people, including myself, were on the observation deck.
I expected it to be more crowded, but it was surprisingly quiet.

With this, I had now seen all the bridges on this journey.

Back in my room, I boiled water with the electric kettle provided.
I used the deep-steamed Shizuoka green tea powder that was placed beside it.
One packet wasn’t enough, so I used two.
The slightly bitter, warm tea gently warmed my body.

After a short break, I headed to the observation restaurant for breakfast.

At 6:40 a.m., I arrived at the restaurant.
Compared to dinner, the breakfast offerings were lighter but plentiful.
When I rode the first ship, Ferry Osaka II, breakfast was just bread and boiled sausages.
But the second ship offered a more satisfying breakfast.

After picking up my meal, I found a seat.
Outside the window, the calm sea shimmered in the morning sun.
I ate slowly while watching the waves.

After breakfast, I went back to my room and brushed my teeth with that distinctive, patch-scented toothpaste one last time.
With arrival approaching, I relaxed in my room.

Fifteen minutes before disembarkation, an announcement played over the ship’s speakers, and passengers began gathering near the entrance.

At 8:30 a.m., disembarkation began.
I joined the flow of passengers and left the ship.

The waiting area is directly connected to Ferry Terminal Station.
I walked along the long corridor that leads to the station.

Having a private room really made a difference—it was a very comfortable journey.

■Ferry Terminal: Osaka South Port Ferry Terminal
■Address: 2-2-24 Nanko Minami, Suminoe-ku, Osaka 559-0032
■Business Hours: Open year-round, 9:00 AM to 7:50 PM
■Phone Number: 06-6613-1402

■Ferry Terminal: Shinmoji Port Ferry Terminal
■Address: 1-6 Shinmoji, Moji-ku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 800-0115
■Business Hours: Open year-round, 9:00 AM to 7:50 PM
■Phone Number: 093-481-1780

■ Name: Akashi Kaikyo Bridge
■ Opened: April 5, 1998
■ Location: Between Kobe City in Hyogo Prefecture and Awaji Island
■ Bridge Length: 3,911 meters

■ Name: Seto Ohashi Bridge
■ Opened: April 10, 1988
■ Location: Between Shikoku and Honshu
■ Bridge Length: 12,300 meters

■ Name: Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge
■ Opened: May 1, 1999
■ Location: Between Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture and Oshima
■ Bridge Length: 4,105 meters