Review of Ferry Kitakyushu II | Meimon Taiyo Ferry | Japan’s Overnight Ferry Experience | Osaka – Fukuoka

You can enjoy a cool and elegant space inspired by the two major cities, Kitakyushu and Kansai, on board.

The interior design reflects the two major cities, with panoramic photos of the Moji Port area of Kitakyushu displayed on the staircase walls in the entrance area.

Boarding Location – Osaka Nanko
Train – Approx. 4-minute walk from Osaka Metro New Tram Ferry Terminal Station
Bus – Immediate access from Nanko Ferry Terminal (Bus Stop)

About 23 minutes from Sakaihigashi Station (Bus Stop) to Nanko Ferry Terminal (Bus Stop) (Adult: 510 yen / Child: 210 yen)

Boarding Location – Shin-Moji Port Ferry Terminal
Bus – About 40 minutes by free shuttle bus from JR Kokura Station (North Exit)
Bus – About 20 minutes by free shuttle bus from JR Moji Station (North Exit)

If you plan to use the free shuttle bus with a wheelchair, you need to inform them by phone one week before boarding.

The most expensive room is the Suite at 23,100 yen, and the cheapest rate is for the Economy room at 7,480 yen.
For boarding, if you have made a web reservation, you can board by having the QR code displayed on your smartphone scanned.

Booking online offers a 20% discount, so it’s highly recommended!
Boarding fees vary depending on the season, so please check the official website for the latest rates.

▼ Official Meimon Taiyo Ferry Website – Fare Page
https://www.cityline.co.jp/fare

Available Locations – Public Spaces Only
Usage – 30 minutes per session, up to 3 times a day, reset at midnight

Ship Name – Meimon Taiyo Ferry Ferry Kitakyushu II
Length – 183 meters
Gross Tonnage – 14,920 tons
Cruising Speed – 23.2 knots (42.96 km/h)
Passenger Capacity – 713 people
Loading Capacity – 105 passenger cars, 146 trucks

The entrance features a distinctive open space with a symmetrical design.
It is located right in front of the boarding area.

The shop offers a wide range of items including souvenirs and snacks from Kansai and Kyushu, as well as drinks and daily necessities.
There is also a good selection of amenities like towels, slippers, shampoo, and razors, so you don’t need to worry if you didn’t bring shower supplies.
Don’t forget to check out the exclusive original goods available only on the ship.

The promenade has many windows, rotating fixed chairs, and long tables.
Many passengers were seen eating their food here during the voyage.

The TV lounge is a relaxation area with a large LCD TV.
A few passengers were seen spending time in the TV lounge during the trip.

It is also located next to the observation lounge on the 7th floor.

There is a play area for children.
The kids’ room includes a slide and a TV showing cartoons.

There are sofas where parents can sit and watch their children.
The kids’ area is accessible from boarding until arrival.

There are two men’s and two women’s toilets on both the 6th and 7th floors.
The toilets are very clean and well-maintained.

The barrier-free toilet is spacious enough to move around in comfortably while in a wheelchair.
It also includes a large changing table for babies.
In addition, there is a shower room with shampoo, conditioner, and body soap available, as well as a hair dryer for free use.

The game corner features several crane games and slot machines.
It’s a nice little diversion for the often monotonous time on board.

The game corner is accessible from boarding until arrival.

Coin lockers are convenient for storing valuables or large items like souvenirs!

There is a smoking room on each floor.

It is simple inside, with no chairs, just ashtrays and a trash can.

There is a narrow ventilation duct in the ceiling.

The vending machines offer not just drinks but also cup noodles and ice cream.
The corner also includes a water dispenser, a device for charging smartphones, and a microwave for warming up food.

You can heat up bento or bread, which is very convenient.
By the way, there is also a vending machine for alcohol! (mostly beer)

The shower rooms are located inside the large bath area.
There are separate areas for men and women, with blue curtains for men and red curtains for women.

The shower rooms are equipped with conditioner, shampoo, and body soap.

There are no amenities like towels or toothbrushes provided, so be sure to bring your own!

The shower room has a water-saving feature where the duration of the hot water depends on how hard you press the faucet.
When I used the shower, I found the maximum duration of continuous hot water to be about 20 seconds.

From the bath in the large bath area, you can enjoy a view of the vast ocean during the voyage.
The large bath has separate areas for men and women, with blue curtains for men and red curtains for women.

It’s great that you can check the congestion level on a monitor in the hallway!

The observation lounge is a relaxation spot with large windows for enjoying the view from inside.

The lounge is furnished with sofas and chairs.

It has fewer lights compared to other areas, creating a calm atmosphere.

You can see various views including the starry sky over the Seto Inland Sea, illuminated bridges and cityscapes at night, and the vast ocean in the early morning.

The deck can get crowded when passing through three major bridges in the Seto Inland Sea.

There are three large, free-standing chairs on the deck, and it’s a great place to relax and enjoy the view.

The observation restaurant is spacious, and there are sofa seats further inside. If you buy breakfast and dinner together, it’s 2,400 yen instead of the usual 2,600 yen, saving you 200 yen!

▼ Details about Meimon Taiyo Ferry Observation Restaurant
https://www.cityline.co.jp/attraction/restaurant

Dinner had a wide variety of dishes. There were Chinese dishes, fried foods, stews, and everything was delicious.

The katsuo tataki (seared bonito) was available for unlimited helpings, and the boiled shrimp was particularly good!

Some people peeled the shrimp, but I ate them with the shells on. The shells had a slight salty flavor. Highly recommended!

Breakfast wasn’t a buffet like dinner but a light meal. There were two types of bread: butter rolls and sliced bread. There was a conveyor oven near the bread area, so you can toast the bread yourself. If you put the bread on the conveyor for a while, it comes out from the back. The bread got burnt if you put it on the conveyor twice, so one time is enough.

The Akashi Kaikyo Bridge, connecting Kobe City in Hyogo Prefecture and Awaji Island
Bridge Length – Total Length 3,911m

Opened in 1995, the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge is currently the second longest suspension bridge in the world (the longest is the Çanakkale 1915 Bridge in Turkey at 4,608m). Known for its striking beauty and advanced technology, it is a famous landmark both domestically and internationally. It is also an important transportation infrastructure connecting Honshu and Awaji Island.

A suspension bridge connecting Kurashiki City in Okayama Prefecture and Sakai City in Kagawa Prefecture
Bridge Length – Total Length 12,300m

Opened in 1988, the Seto Ohashi functions as a crucial transportation infrastructure connecting Shikoku and Honshu by land. It is a collection of six connected bridges.

– Shimo-Tsui Seto Ohashi (Okayama – Hitsui Island)
– Hitsui Island Bridge (Hitsui Island – Iwaguro Island)
– Iwaguro Island Bridge (Iwaguro Island – Hasa Island)
– Yoshi Bridge (Hasa Island – Yoshi Island)
– Kita Bisan Seto Ohashi (Yoshi Island – Mitsugo Island)
– Minami Bisan Seto Ohashi (Yoshi Island – Ban no Shima)

A suspension bridge connecting Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture and Oshima
Bridge Length – Total Length 4,105m

The Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge is the world’s first three-tower suspension bridge connecting Oshima and Imabari. It was designed considering the fast and complex tidal currents, incorporating the experience from the Seto Ohashi and Akashi Kaikyo Bridge with the latest technology.