【航路廃止】国内最古の船が引退！お別れフェリー旅 小倉→松山

【航路廃止】国内最古の船が引退！お別れフェリー旅 小倉→松山

Hello! This is Kokura Station in Fukuoka Prefecture. This time, I’m taking a ferry trip to Matsuyama. First, let’s head to the restaurant district in the station building. This restaurant district is called “30 Steps from the Station.” There are many different kinds of restaurants open. I’m going to eat ramen at this shop called “Shinshin.” Simple yet deep tonkotsu ramen. This is one of the most popular ramen shops in Fukuoka. Go from the south exit to the north exit of Kokura Station. The station piano is playing. This is a place I visit often on ferry trips. Because there are buses from this station to several ferry terminals in Shin-Moji Port. And therer are characters from Matsumoto Leiji’s works. I always stop here. But today’s ferry departs from Kokura Port instead of Shin-Moji Port. It’s a 10-minute walk from Kokura Station to the ferry terminal. The park at dusk looks somewhat fantastical. Let’s take a look at the ferry route. Departing from Kokura at 9:55 p.m. Arriving in Matsuyama at 5:00 a.m. The ferry terminal and ship are coming into view. At the end of June 2025, this ferry will cease operations. It has been in operation since 1973 and is one of the oldest car ferry routes in Japan. It’s very sad… Let’s take a look at the ship. Built in 1987, length 119 meters. “Kurushima” This is the oldest ship in Japan’s long-distance car ferry service. Conveniently located just a 10-minute walk from the station. The only route connecting Fukuoka and Shikoku. It is regrettable in many ways that the service has been discontinued. Boarding begins at 9:00 p.m. You can tell that this passageway has been used for a long time. This ship has been in service for 38 years. This ship was built during the heyday of ferry travel in Japan. We proceed from the wharf to the boarding bridge. And we enter the ship. Take the stairs to the 4th floor. It feels like an old ship… This is the 4th floor lobby. I reserved a “First Class cabin.” The cabin costs $175 for one person. It’s $230 for two people. This is a private room with a bunk bed. L-shaped room with an area of 7.5 square meters. One window facing the sea. There is a sofa next to the window. There is no toilet, only a washbasin. It’s a typical ship’s bunk bed. I always wonder whether to sleep on the top or bottom bunk. Lighting, outlet, towel rack, etc. They are old but still work well. The interior and beds are very clean. Amenities are also available. I’ll sleep in the lower bunk tonight. Climb a ladder to the upper bed. There is a folding table. Let’s go back to the lobby. The information desk and shop are open. Next to it is a tatami-mat rest area with tables. The shop has a wide selection of pilgrimage goods. Shikoku is famous for its pilgrimage route. There must have been many people going on a pilgrimage on this ship. Of course, this shop also sells groceries and souvenirs. Old ships usually have spacious smoking rooms. This is the second-class room. The fare is $80. There were only two passengers in this large room. You can feel like you have this spacious room all to yourself. This is the changing room for second-class passengers. From the 5th floor to the external deck. It’s already getting dark outside. It’s 20 minutes before departure. The external deck extends from the 5th floor to the 3rd floor. Let’s go down to the 4th floor. You can see the stern deck and vehicle ramp below. Sailing preparations are about to begin. Let’s go down to the 3rd floor. Beyond the railing is the stern deck. There is one angler on the wharf. In 1968, Hankyu Ferry began operating between Kokura and Kobe. This was Japan’s first long-distance car ferry. In 1978, Hankyu Ferry also began operating between Kokura and Izumiotsu. However, in 1991, those ferry terminals were relocated from Kokura to Shin-Moji. There was also a ferry route between Tokyo, Tokushima, and Kokura. The ferry terminal for this route has also been changed from Kokura to Shin-Moji. Currently, this is the only long-distance ferry operating in Kokura. The staff who finished the work leave by car. The ship departed on schedule at 9:55 p.m. This is my last time on this ship. This is a journey to say goodbye to this ship. Kokura Port is located on the west side of the Kanmon Strait. First, we will sail eastward along the strait. Actually, this is the only domestic ferry that passes through the Kanmon Strait. The Kanmon Strait is unsuitable for navigation due to its fast and changing currents. From Kansai to Shin-Moji Port, they can avoid passing through the Kanmon Strait. That is the main reason why several ferry terminals were moved from Kokura to Shin-Moji. We have passed under the Kanmon Bridge. A ship is approaching from behind. That is the international ferry “Panstar Miracle” between Busan and Osaka. A newly built ship that began service in April 2025. This ship will soon cease operation, but that ship has just started service. Please also check out my past video! The Kanmon Bridge recedes into the distance.
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0:16:22.015,0:16:28.759
Let’s head back inside the ship. It was a bit chilly, so I headed to the large bath first. The large bath on this ship is notable for having no windows. The information desk and shop are already closed. This shop will reopen for a very short time tomorrow morning. This room is always available at night. The facilities are old but well equipped. There are two microwave ovens. Coin lockers. The current ferry does not have such a large tatami room. Matsuyama is a town famous for its onsen, along with Beppu. Good night in the cabin… It’s 4:30 a.m., and we’re almost at Matsuyama Port. The lights of Matsuyama city can be seen in the distance. The island visible on the left is Gogo Island. It is a quiet sea before dawn. The sky and sea gradually brighten. The ship bypasses Tsukumo, a small island off the coast of Matsuyama Port. There is a small lighthouse on Tsukumo Island. The ship docks on the port side. The crew throws a line onto the wharf. This docking operation has been going on for more than half a century. The time to part with this ship is approaching. The docking operation proceeds smoothly and quietly. Arrival on schedule at 5:00 a.m. Let’s disembark. This ship will depart for Kokura again tonight. The 7-hour voyage is relatively short for a night ferry. You can rest on board until 7:00 a.m. I hesitated a little, but I quickly got off the ship. Proceed from the boarding bridge to the ferry terminal. The wharf and ship can be seen from the corridor windows. Goodbye and thank you, Kurushima! From this port, there are also high-speed boats to Hiroshima. You can also get to Matsuyama from Kokura by Shinkansen and high-speed ferry. This port is located northwest of Matsuyama city. The best way to get around from here is by shuttle bus. It is 34 minutes and $8 to Matsuyama Station. Arrival at the Station. Matsuyama Station was renovated in 2024. Construction is still ongoing. A new station building is being constructed next to the old station building. However, due to a design error, construction is delayed. The site of the old station building will become a large plaza. Old station name sign and new station name sign. Old ships and old stations are disappearing.

★サブチャンネル「ゆっくりフェリー旅」開設しました！★
https://www.youtube.com/@UCbw38RVTMNYdJ0HdhFi4P2g

松山・小倉フェリーは2025年6月末、松山～小倉の航路を廃止します。
これに伴い、この航路を1日1往復する「くるしま」が引退。
1987年の建造で、日本の中長距離フェリーで最古の船です。
この航路自体も1973年に開設され、国内のカーフェリーで最も歴史ある航路のひとつ。
今回、お別れ気分で小倉から松山まで乗船しました。
共有いただけましたら幸いです。

0:00　オープニング
0:28　小倉
3:40　乗船
11:02　出航
16:22　船内
18:12　松山
20:47　下船

#フェリー
#小倉
#松山
#福岡
#愛媛
#九州
#四国
#日本
#フェリー旅
#船旅