Returning home to the Kobe Rokko Island Ferry Terminal on the Hankyu Ferry "Yamato" after taking a morning bath, the ferry passes through the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. For breakfast on board the "Ferry Yamato," you can use a meal coupon worth 1,000 yen at the restaurant on the 6th floor. Any difference in price must be paid in cash, and there are no refunds for any remaining amount. Check out the blog post with photos for more details: http://tushio.jp/blog-entry-5840.html. The menu includes options like the "Morning Set Meal with Choice of Side Dish (Mackerel)" for 650 yen and the "Cold Tofu (Large)" for 320 yen with "Furikake" topping for 20 yen, totaling exactly 1,000 yen. Rice and miso soup are refillable. The restaurant is open from 19:00 to 22:00 in the evening and from 07:00 until arrival in the morning. We enjoyed a delicious meal without alcohol. This quick tour was so much fun! "Hankyu Ferry Yamato Restaurant" is located at 1-1 Shimmoji Kita, Moji-ku, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture (the headquarters of Hankyu Ferry Co., Ltd.). Phone: 093-481-6581. Operating hours: 19:00-22:00 in the evening, 07:00 until arrival in the morning. Closed on unspecified days. Completely non-smoking.

I boarded the Hankyu Ferry Setsu, which departed at 20:00 from Shin-Moji Port, and returned to Kobe. I didn't eat dinner, but I went to the restaurant on the ferry for breakfast. There were various menu options, and it seemed like you could also customize your order, which was quite convenient. I chose the mackerel set for breakfast, which was priced at 680 yen. It included rice, miso soup, grilled mackerel, tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette), pickles, a small dish (I chose hijiki seaweed), and nori seaweed sprinkles that you could take as much as you like. The mackerel was delicious with a good amount of fat, and I enjoyed a well-balanced meal in the morning. The price was also reasonable at 680 yen, considering it was on a ferry. Sitting by the window, I had a great view of the sea and had a pleasant time. Thank you for the meal.

- Date: July 5, 2022, 20:00 - Restaurant: 6th floor restaurant on the "Yamato" ferry departing from Shin-Moji Port Ferry Terminal at 18:40. - Menu: - Chicken with Yuzu Pepper Tempura: ¥560 - Mozuku Seaweed: ¥260 - Western-style Steamed Spring Cabbage and Clam Rice Bowl: ¥410 - Egg Tofu: ¥260 - Fried Eggplant: ¥290 - Boiled Ara Cab: ¥410 - Chirimen Jako (small dried fish): ¥210 - Rice: ¥200 - Clam Miso Soup: ¥270 - Octopus Vinegar: ¥260 - Marinated Amberjack: ¥460 - Daily Grilled Curry: ¥560 - Bottle of Beer: ¥630 - Kobe Wine (White): ¥970 - Review: - The Yuzu Pepper in the Chicken Tempura was not very noticeable, but it would be great as a side for other dishes. - The Mozuku seaweed with onions in vinegar was refreshing. - The Ara Cab, a Kyushu term for Mebaru, was a flavorful dish. - The Octopus Vinegar with sliced carrots was a tasty appetizer. - The Daily Grilled Curry had meatballs and a soft-boiled egg as toppings, but the specific toppings vary each day. - Switched to Kobe Wine (White) after the beer. - Room: Deluxe Western-style room. - Overall, getting used to this ferry route and enjoying the unique dishes that reflect Kyushu and Kobe flavors.

On December 4, 2021, at 19:45, I dined at the 6th-floor restaurant of the "Settsu" ferry terminal in Shin-Moji Port, departing at 20:00. I had charcoal-grilled chicken for ¥410, chicken tataki for ¥560, autumn salmon and mushroom gratin for ¥550, and a bottle of beer for ¥610. I also tried the Tornado beer for ¥750, which was served using a special dispenser creating a swirling effect in the glass. The food was warm and delicious, with the gratin being particularly creamy and perfect for a cold evening. The restaurant also offered Kirin Lager beer and Ice for sale at the vending machine outside. Additionally, they had the sought-after "Kurogane Hard Bread" available at the store. The standard Western-style room was comfortable, and the open-air bath in the men's bath provided a stunning view of Awaji Island. The morning bath with the sunrise over the ridge of the island was a delightful experience. We passed under the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge around 7:10.

This is a restaurant on the ferry. The restaurant operates on a cafeteria-style system where you can choose your own dishes and then pay at the register. It's similar to the system at Marugame Seimen. I chose chicken tataki, grilled chicken, chicken tempura, and okonomiyaki. The total cost was almost 2000 yen. Everything was delicious. The chicken tataki was slightly raw. The grilled chicken is a specialty of Miyazaki Prefecture and was really tasty. I must say, I made a perfect choice. Except for the okonomiyaki, the other dishes were typical of Kyushu cuisine.

The morning breakfast on the Han-Kyu Ferry "Settsu" on Sunday, August 1st was delightful. The ferry was luxurious and clean, with amenities like a large bath, open-air bath, restaurant, karaoke room, and observation room. The breakfast at the restaurant on the 6th floor was delicious, with options like the morning set meal with mackerel, fried egg, and okra. The meal was within the 1,000 yen meal coupon provided, and rice and miso soup were free refills. The experience on the ferry was fun and satisfying.

While traveling from Hiroshima to Osaka on April 2nd, 2021 around 4:30 AM, I woke up on the "Sankyu Ferry" bound for Izumiotsu Port departing at 5:30 PM (Shin-Moji Port) with Hibiki as the attendant. When I arrived at the observation deck, I could see the lights of Kobe City in Hyogo Prefecture on the port side, and the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge connecting Kobe City and Awaji Island at the stern, making me realize that Izumiotsu Port was getting closer. After having a smoke break in the smoking area, I freshened up in my room and then headed to the restaurant when the announcement that "the restaurant is now open" was made at 5:00 AM. I checked the menu, ordered the breakfast curry set for 500 yen, paid at the counter, and then found a table. The breakfast curry set included a choice of Fukujinzuke, curry rice with a slightly spicy curry roux that really activated my brain in the morning, and a fresh vegetable salad with dressing. I poured the dressing over the salad and tried the breakfast curry set, which was incredibly delicious.

Sanko Ferry. From Izumiootsu to Moji. Maybe because of the coronavirus, they are not serving buffet style, but rather a set meal style. You choose your favorite dishes and put them on a tray, then pay at the counter. The food was very delicious.

On March 18, 2020 at 18:45, I dined at the 6th floor restaurant of the "Tsukushi" ferry departing from the Hankyu Ferry terminal on Rokko Island. The menu included Mushroom Chowder for ¥300, Spring Vegetable and Prosciutto Niçoise Salad for ¥650, Grilled Beef Loin with Sharipin Sauce for ¥800, Beef Sukiyaki for ¥550, Salted Mackerel for ¥210, Steamed Rice (free refills) for ¥200, and a bottle of beer for ¥630. The Mushroom Chowder was rich in the umami flavor of various mushrooms. The Niçoise-style salad was generous with onion slices. The Grilled Beef Loin with Sharipin Sauce was carefully cooked and flavorful. I opted for a large bottle of Sapporo Black Label beer. The cafeteria-style dining was more affordable than expected, especially the beer prices and selection. Before boarding, a staff member mentioned that the "Tsukushi" ferry was old compared to the "Yamato," but as I enjoyed the view of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge while sipping my drink, I found the "Tsukushi" cruise to be quite enjoyable. It was my first experience on an overnight ferry, and I realized the importance of a comfortable bed.

I used it between Izumiotsu and Shimonoseki. It is a cafeteria-style with a wide variety of Japanese, Western, and Chinese dishes. Among the dishes I had this time, the sashimi was particularly delicious. The sweetness of the fatty fish was excellent. The breakfast salmon with sweet and salty seasoning was also delicious. Overall, the other menu items were of high quality.

This time, I was asked to transport a car from Kumamoto to Osaka on my way back from a business trip, so I decided to take the ferry. It was the Hanshin Ferry (^O^) We departed at 8:00 PM, so I was quite hungry and headed to the restaurant on the ship! I have used the restaurant on the ship many times before, and it's quite delicious with a variety of options to enjoy. It's like a cafeteria where you line up to order. Today, I was alone, so I ordered a draft beer for 590 yen, grilled fish for 210 yen, and chicken sautéed with mustard for 450 yen ( ´∀｀) The chicken had a great flavor with the mustard sauce! And it's affordable! You can also choose between large and small sizes for the grilled fish. If you look closely, you can also choose between large and small portions of chilled tofu! There are also set meals with various side dishes, and they even serve ostrich meat (^◇^;) I didn't have the courage to try it though! They also have sashimi like yellowtail and salmon, so the menu is quite extensive! However, it gets quite crowded, so it's important to give up your seat after eating! It's better to drink in your room afterwards haha. There is also a large communal bath, so taking a morning bath is also refreshing (^O^) Sometimes, a boat trip is nice too! Thank you for the mealー

■■■Revisit in July 2018■■■ The night before, I must have fallen asleep while lounging in my room, as I woke up still in the dark. I headed straight to the communal bath to freshen up. I was surprised to find an open-air bath there. It was still dark, but I could see the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge passing right below me. After getting out of the bath and getting ready, I went to the breakfast venue. Unlike my previous trip on the Kobe route, where I had breakfast upon arrival, this time I was heading straight back without any detours, so I had breakfast on the ferry. Since we arrived at Izumiotsu Port early, breakfast was served from 5 am. I went just before the opening time, but there was already a queue forming. However, since the breakfast menu was limited, the line moved smoothly after opening. I opted for the Morning Curry Set (500 yen) with miso soup (150 yen). They asked if I wanted to add Fukujinzuke. The curry rice was mildly spicy, just your average curry. The salad was just a token amount, but for 500 yen, the set was quite satisfying. Since it didn't come with soup, I added the miso soup. The miso was rich but not too salty, and it tasted delicious. Curry is indeed a quick meal to finish. After that, I was able to watch the sunrise from the deck. Thank you for the meal. It's a leisurely boat trip, but having breakfast at the restaurant can make the morning quite hectic. It might be nice if the departure time was delayed by about an hour.

■■■Revisited in July 2018■■■ After enjoying the origin of karaage in Usa and visiting Usa Shrine, I headed north. Before boarding the ferry back, I aimed for the northernmost point of Kyushu. However, the actual northernmost point of Kyushu is an industrial area where general public cannot access. So, I settled for a location that seemed to be the northernmost point accessible to the public. With that, I have now conquered the east, west, south, and north ends of Kyushu. From there, I moved to the ferry terminal in Shin-Moji Port. Instead of taking the ferry from Beppu as originally planned, I chose to head to Izumi-Ohtsu this time. The private room usage fee on the Beppu route was quite high, and the meals were buffet style, so I opted for this route instead. I boarded the ferry on time and headed to my private room. The ferry seemed newer compared to the one I took on the Kobe route four years ago. The private room was spacious, equipped with a sink, TV, and individual air conditioning, making it quite comfortable. The restaurant was open from the departure time, but on this day, it was crowded with students on a training camp or school trip. The line at the register was long, and even the communal bath area was bustling like a training camp. I decided to come back later to avoid the crowds. So, after exploring the ship, I decided to have a light dinner in my room to start the drinking party. I bought a 500ml beer (370 yen), grilled chicken (300 yen), and apple cake danish (150 yen) at the store. The grilled chicken was warm and delicious. The meat was crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and spicy, which went well with the beer. It seems like there was a high percentage of chicken dishes in the latter half of my homecoming trip. Since I enjoyed the apple cake danish before, I bought it again. I had it as dessert after drinking in the restaurant. It was mildly sweet and delicious. The restaurant announced that the last order was at 19:30 and they would close at 20:00, so I went back before 7 pm. As expected, the spacious restaurant was moderately empty. However, they still had a good selection of dishes on display. I wondered if the leftover dishes would be for the staff to eat. In the midst of the increasing number of casual ferries without restaurants, the variety and quality of dishes on this ferry were impressive. The abundance of small dishes was great. It's nice to be able to enjoy a casual pub-like experience on board. I started the drinking party with a draft beer (590 yen). For snacks, I had squid marinated in vinegar miso (500 yen), potato salad (250 yen), menchi katsu (200 yen), and takana (100 yen). The tray was designed not to slip. Although there was a wide variety of sashimi, I deliberately chose squid. It had been a while since I had squid marinated in vinegar miso. The squid was large, providing a satisfying bite. The potato salad was rich in flavor, making it a great accompaniment to beer. However, the menchi katsu was the most enjoyable with beer. It had a strong flavor, and there was no need for the Worcestershire sauce. There was Kyushu's sweet soy sauce on the table. The takana was not the spicy mustard greens but slightly spicy stir-fried takana. I often have spicy mustard greens at ramen shops, so it felt like a while since I had regular takana. Overall, the seasoning seemed on the stronger side, likely to complement rice and beer. After the draft beer, I had a refill (390 yen) and a lemon highball (380 yen). The refill system allowed you to get another draft beer for 390 yen by bringing back the empty glass to the counter. Although I had already finished a 500ml can in my room, seeing this made me want another draft beer. The lemon highball was bittersweet. As the last order time approached, I had my last meal. I ordered simmered arakabu (450 yen), rice (180 yen), and clam soup (250 yen). While most dishes had strong flavors, the simmered arakabu had a lighter seasoning. This light seasoning allowed the deliciousness of arakabu to shine through. I felt a little sad thinking that I might not hear the word "arakabu" for a while. However, in the Kanto region, you wouldn't find this dish at such a price. The clam soup was served generously with clams, perhaps because it was right before the last order. Furthermore, the staff asked if I was okay with extra green onions, to which I replied, "Yes, please." The good service might have been due to my frequent visits to the register in a short amount of time. The soup had a good broth and plenty of clams. It was a satisfying end to the meal.

For the past few months, I've been overwhelmed with work, causing delays in updates. Around October, I started feeling the urge to see the sea for some reason... So I decided to go on a trip with the Hankyu Ferry, and it turned out to be eligible for travel support! The cost for a private room for two people was around 8,000 yen, with a discount of 8,000 yen and a 1,000 yen coupon for weekends! The maximum travel support amount for the Hankyu Ferry is 8,000 yen. The suite has two beds, a bathroom, toilet, fridge, and a view of the sea, all for around 16,000 yen with the discount. It felt like staying in a luxury hotel. The room was spacious, with comfortable beds, a bath, and even a fridge with welcome drinks. The atmosphere was relaxing, and there was free Wi-Fi for watching YouTube on my Mac while gazing at the sea. The ferry also had a cafeteria for meals, and a shop for snacks like onigiri or bread. The dining options ranged from affordable to a bit pricey, but all offered a taste of travel enjoyment. I would definitely recommend trying out other routes or returning on the Hankyu Ferry in the future!

The dinner at Settsu was delicious and satisfying, much like Yamato. While traveling by Shinkansen or airplane is enjoyable, I love ferry trips because you can relax and enjoy the scenery and sea breeze along the way.