Ferry Oki Cruise Review | How to Travel from Oki Islands

1:30 p.m., Saigo Port, Oki no Shimacho.
Today, I will board the Oki Kisen “Ferry Oki” and head to Shichirui Port, Shimane Prefecture.
The voyage will take about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

First, I completed the boarding procedure at the counter and received my ticket.
Departure is at 3:40 p.m., so there are more than two hours until boarding.

Since I had not eaten lunch yet, I decided to have a late lunch here.

While strolling around the port area,
I found a shop called “Oki Furusato Direct Market Anki Ichiba“.
They offered fresh vegetables and seafood from Oki Islands, and it was fun just to look around.

I bought one boxed lunch (432 yen) from the refrigerated section near the register.
Also, at a nearby drugstore called “Wellness“, visible from the Saigo Port waiting area,
I purchased a sandwich (259 yen) and a cola (160 yen).

The boxed lunch was handmade by a café called “Chacha” in Oki no Shimacho.
The rice balls were made with the local non-glutinous rice from Oki Islands.
Inside was the local specialty “Bai-gai” shellfish, making it a somewhat rare content.

The taste was very good, and it became a satisfying lunch.

2:56 p.m., the “Ferry Oki” arrived at Saigo Port from Nishinoshima Town.
By that time, the number of passengers gathering at the port had increased significantly.

The waiting room became lively before I knew it.
The growing presence of people made me feel the departure was near.

Then at 3:35 p.m., passengers began disembarking from the ship one after another.
Everyone walked briskly to their destinations.

3:40 p.m., boarding started.
Finally, I step aboard the “Ferry Oki.”

Above the corridor, there was a signboard saying “Please ‘Oki’ with care.”
A humorous farewell sign full of Oki Island charm.
With the word “Oki” here, almost anything can be turned into a pun on “Oki (the islands),” so endless catchphrases could be born.

When I handed my boarding ticket at the entrance, a staff member in a bow tie standing nearby said one word:
“You’re a first-class guest!”

Apparently, passengers who reserved private rooms are escorted to their rooms.
Though it felt a bit overly attentive, I waited near the information desk.

That day, there were many passengers, and the staff were very busy.
He said only, “Please wait a moment!” and hurried off to guide others.

A few minutes later, the staff returned saying, “Thank you for waiting. This way, please.”
At the room, my ticket was checked again.

Until now, even when reserving private rooms, I usually had to find my way by myself using a map.
This kind of careful guidance was a first for me and left a small impression.

Today’s cabin is the cheapest private room, the “First Class Room (Western style).”

Inside the room, there was a single bed separated by a large curtain.
The lighting was fluorescent, giving off a somewhat antique atmosphere.

The bedding included a pillow and a thick mattress.
The futon was a bit basic — just a blanket with a sheet on top.

However, the window allowed me to enjoy the outside scenery, which was a nice point.
The room was surprisingly well-equipped with a wardrobe, air purifier, TV, and more.

After putting my luggage down, I took a short walk around the ship and headed to the observation deck.

At 3:40 p.m., the ship departed Saigo Port on schedule.
Since this was a direct service, it did not stop at other islands and headed straight to Shichirui Port.

The journey takes about 2 hours.
Among the Oki routes, this is a relatively short voyage.

After quietly watching the port scenery fade away, I headed to the ship’s shop.

At the onboard shop, I bought Imuraya meat buns (180 yen) and cup noodles (290 yen).
For drinks, I purchased tea from a vending machine (170 yen).

There was a hot water dispenser dedicated for cup noodles in a corner of the shop.
After paying at the register, I was guided to use the pot,
and the cloth covering it was quickly removed.

I poured hot water there and finished preparing.
With the light meal in hand, I returned to my room for an early dinner.

After eating, I lay down on the bed and took a short nap for about an hour.

About 20 minutes before arrival, around 5:50 p.m., gentle folk songs started playing onboard.
“Oki is a wonderful place, the island of songs~”
“Sing and dance, the Oki Ondo tune~”

The song was “Totte Oki Ondo,”
a bright and rhythmical folk tune.

Just as the song ended, the ship entered Shichirui Port.
It arrived on schedule at 6:10 p.m.

At 6:15 p.m., disembarkation began.
At the bottom of the gangway, a bus bound for Matsue city was waiting right in front of me.
This bus stops at two places on the way: Rainbow Plaza and Matsue Station.

From Shichirui Port to Matsue Station takes about 40 minutes. The fare is 1,010 yen.
Once the passengers gathered, the bus departed Shichirui Port at 6:14 p.m.

At 6:56 p.m., we arrived at Matsue Station.
I got off the bus and retrieved my luggage from the trunk.
Since the bus stopped at the rotary in front of the station, the ticket gate was within a one-minute walk.
Thanks to the direct bus from the port to the city, moving after arrival was very smooth.

Compared to the route I took before that called at several ports,
this direct service cuts travel time almost in half.
Being able to enjoy a remote island trip in just 2 hours one way is a big attraction.

■ Boarding Terminal: Saka Passenger Terminal
■ Address: 215 Taisho-machi, Sakaiminato City, Tottori Prefecture, 684-0004, Minato Sakaiminato Exchange Hall, 1st Floor
■ Phone Number: 0859-44-4281

■ Boarding Terminal: Shichirui Passenger Terminal
■ Address: 3246-1 Shichirui, Miho-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture, 690-1311
■ Phone Number: 0852-72-2215

■ Boarding Terminal: Kurii Passenger Terminal
■ Address: 1730-6 Chibu Village, Oki-gun, Shimane Prefecture, 684-0100
■ Phone Number: 08514-8-2359

■ Boarding Terminal: Nishinoshima Passenger Terminal
■ Address: 4386-3 Mitaraki, Nishinoshima Town, Oki-gun, Shimane Prefecture, 684-0303
■ Phone Number: 08514-7-8024

■ Boarding Terminal: Kaido Passenger Terminal
■ Address: 1365-5 Fukui, Amishima Town, Oki-gun, Shimane Prefecture, 684-0404
■ Phone Number: 08514-2-0055

■ Boarding Terminal: Saigo Passenger Terminal
■ Address: 61 Meishitaya, Okinoshima Town, Oki-gun, Shimane Prefecture, 685-0013
■ Phone Number: 08512-2-2266