【航路廃止】まもなく引退する日本最古の寝台夜行フェリーに乗船｜松山小倉フェリー二等寝台カプセルルーム 4K

【航路廃止】まもなく引退する日本最古の寝台夜行フェリーに乗船｜松山小倉フェリー二等寝台カプセルルーム 4K

This time, I boarded the ferry whose route will be discontinued at the end of June. This ferry will be taking its final bow as Japan’s oldest overnight ferry. Matsuyama Station, Ehime Prefecture. This time, I’m taking the Matsuyama–Kokura ferry for a seven-hour sea voyage. The Matsuyama–Kokura ferry route will be discontinued at the end of June this year. Once this route is gone, there will be no way to travel by sea between Ehime and Fukuoka… After getting off the train, I boarded a bus to the terminal. The bus ride takes about five minutes. Arrived at Matsuyama Sightseeing Port. The ferry departure time is 21:55. I arrived a bit too early. The ferry I’m boarding is called “Kurushima.” Launched in 1987, it’s the oldest ferry still in operation. The distance from Kokura to Matsuyama by ferry is 184 km. The journey takes about seven hours. The route was discontinued due to a dramatic drop in passengers and vehicles because of COVID-19. Rising fuel costs and the ship’s aging condition made continued operation difficult, so the decision was made to close the route. 20:30 – Check-in procedures begin. This time, I chose the women-only shared cabin (2nd-class sleeper). 21:00 – Boarding begins. It’s really sad to think this will be my last voyage. I regret not taking it more often, but it’s too late now. The Matsuyama–Kokura ferry has no elevator, so you have to use the stairs to move around. Oh, I can finally see the entrance. There are six types of cabins in total. The deluxe and first-class cabins are in a special restricted area. My room, which is cheaper, is on the opposite side. My cabin is number 308. Wow. This is amazing! I really love this rugged atmosphere. There are four bunk beds, accommodating up to eight people. My bed is on the lower level. These green slippers are so nostalgic. There’s a shelf next to the bed where you can place your suitcase. Later, another person came in, so we ended up using the room with two people. Each cabin has hangers, a small shelf, and a towel rack. Bedding and sheets are provided as well. There are fluorescent lights and power outlets too. As the oldest ferry still in service, the interior is very retro. It reminds me of the local hospital where I was hospitalized as a child. This looks like the changing room. The cheapest cabin is the open dormitory-style room. Since it’s a weekday, there aren’t many people. This style of cabin is rarely seen on modern ferries. There’s a women-only section even in the dormitory-style cabin. When I opened the door… There really aren’t many people today. The departure time is approaching. Ishizaki Kisen’s funnel will be the last thing I see. Everything around me feels somewhat lonely. 21:55 – Departed Matsuyama Sightseeing Port. Arrival at Kokura is at 5:00 the next morning. See you later. I visited the onboard shop. They sell souvenirs from Ehime Prefecture and Fukuoka Prefecture. Since there’s no cafeteria onboard, they sell cup noodles and amenities. This is… pilgrimage goods! This might be the only ferry selling pilgrimage items. For souvenirs, I chose the Ehime specialty “Ichiroku Tart.” I was hungry, so I also bought mandarin gummies and cup noodles. I didn’t forget to buy the ship’s official stamp (Ofune-in). Hot water for cup noodles is also provided. Cup noodles as a late-night snack are really nice. The area that used to be a game corner is now a free space. My noodles got soggy while I moved seats… But they’re still delicious. Speaking of Ehime, you have to mention Pon Juice. It’s delicious, with a gooey center. Honestly, when I was a kid I didn’t like Ichiroku Tart very much. The older I get, the more I appreciate it. I want to enjoy it in a tatami room with a warm cup of green tea. There’s also a bath onboard. *Permission was obtained for filming before boarding. Since there aren’t many people, I almost had the bath to myself. And the shape of the bath is so cute. Even after 36 years, it’s still fully operational. It’s not spacious, but there’s something comforting about it. Rinse-in shampoo and body soap are provided. Not just the bath, but the restrooms also have a retro vibe. There are four types of Western-style toilets. There’s even a Japanese-style squat toilet. It’s been ages since I’ve seen one of those… Next to the toilets is a wash basin area. The exposed fluorescent lights give it a charming feel. This kind of atmosphere is strangely comforting. The hand soap is almost gone. The hair dryer is still working. It blows a very pleasant warm air. In the corridor, there’s an exhibition about the history of the Kanmon Strait. The Matsuyama–Kokura ferry enjoyed its heyday for about 20 years starting in the 1960s. Before the highways were built, ferries were a major means of transport. Here is the smoking room. It used to be a lounge. It has changed greatly over time. It’s very quiet now, but it must have been lively back in the day. The clock is about to strike midnight. The shop is closing for the day. Arrival at Kokura is at 5:00, but you can stay onboard until 7:00. At the information desk, there’s a commemorative “Kurushima” stamp. I want to stamp it perfectly today… Hmm, it turned out pretty well. Next to the stamp, there’s a haiku mailbox. There’s not much time for sleep, but I’ll take a short nap. There are two sheets on the futon. I set up my own sleeping area. We’re now sailing off the coast of Hiroshima Prefecture… Good night, everyone… Good morning. It’s still dark outside, but I came to the observation deck for a major event. We’re passing under the Kanmon Bridge. Only the Matsuyama–Kokura ferry can sail under the Kanmon Bridge in Japan. After passing under the bridge, it’s about 30 minutes to the port. Over there is the Karato Market in Yamaguchi Prefecture. We’re almost at the ferry’s arrival. Finally, the cityscape of Kokura comes into view. After being retired, the ship will likely be dismantled in Bangladesh due to aging. Please take one last ride as a farewell. Since I can stay onboard until 7:00, I’ll take advantage of the rest period. It’s nice not to be rushed off after arrival. I happened to notice a poster for a five-star ferry. It featured the Matsuyama–Kokura ferry. In 1980, there were 241 ferry routes in Japan. Routes will likely continue to decrease in the future. There might be many things disappearing without me even noticing. Thinking that way, I’m so glad I noticed and got to take one last ride. I wonder where to go next? Thank you for watching until the end.

松山・小倉フェリーのラストクルーズを静かにレポートします。
6月末で50年以上の歴史に幕を下ろす、国内最古の夜行フェリー「くるしま」。
往復184km、約7時間にわたる船旅の様子をお届けします。

▼動画の主な内容
航路廃止に至った背景（コロナ禍による利用減・燃料高騰・老朽化）
女性専用相部屋（2等寝台）の静かな過ごし方
レトロな館内探検：階段移動のみ／客室6タイプの簡単な紹介
船内売店で見つけたお遍路グッズ＆一六タルト実食
36年稼働する浴室でのんびり湯浴み体験
国内唯一、関門橋下をくぐるシーン

▼松山・小倉フェリー概要
区間：愛媛・松山観光港 ⇔ 福岡・小倉港
距離：約184km／所要時間：約7時間
就航：1987年（現役最古フェリー）
廃止：2025年6月末（予定）

▼旅のポイント
エレベーターのないレトロ船内を階段で移動
特等から雑魚寝まで、6種類の客室
売店には地元お土産・カップ麺・遍路グッズ
浴室は貸切状態、シャンプー＆ドライヤー完備
展望デッキで味わう関門橋くぐり

0:00　オープニング＆今回の乗船紹介
0:18　松山市駅から旅スタート
1:31　出港前の乗船手続き＆待機
3:48　 フェリー乗船
10:46　売店・お土産（一六タルト・お遍路グッズなど）
14:04　船内浴室でひと休み
20:50　関門橋くぐり＆展望デッキへ
22:22 　小倉港到着

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