I took a ferry from Tomakomai to Oarai. Both dinner and breakfast were buffet style for 2,900 yen. I enjoyed the restaurant fully during this special boat trip. I also ate on the way back from Oarai to Tomakomai, but the buffet content was mostly the same. They also had drinks and soft serve ice cream available.

This is a restaurant inside the ferry "Sunflower" that connects Oarai and Tomakomai. It operates for a short period from 7:30 am to 9:00 am, offering a buffet-style breakfast for around 1,000 yen. The price includes a drink bar. Payment is cash only.

This is a restaurant on the ferry "Sunflower" that connects Oarai and Tomakomai. They offer dinner and breakfast options, with dinner being a buffet style for 2,200 yen or set menu options. The buffet includes a drink bar. The highlight of the day was the bonito sashimi. They also offer made-to-order ramen.

I traveled from Oarai to Tomakomai on the Sunflower Sapporo ferry and had dinner (¥2200) and breakfast (¥1200) on board. There were no other options, but dining while looking out at the sea, even on a ferry, provided a unique experience. The buffet for dinner and breakfast was a bit limited, possibly due to the effects of COVID-19, but considering it was on a ship, it was understandable. As a fan of vegetables, I appreciated the unlimited salad bar. For dinner, there were options like curry, bonito sashimi, xiaolongbao, cabbage rolls, and desserts including soft serve ice cream and fruits. Non-alcoholic drinks were free-flowing at the drink bar, and you could purchase wine and sake from the restaurant vending machine. There was also a vending machine outside the restaurant selling draft beer, which you could bring in. The staff were polite and overall it was a pleasant experience. Although opportunities to board the ferry are rare, I would like to visit again when I have the chance.

The lunch menu at this café offers light meals such as udon or keema curry for 600 yen. I decided to try the curry for comparison. The portion size is quite generous for the price. The temperature is still lukewarm as usual. The curry has a lot of meat and the aroma of spices like coriander and garam masala powder. If only they served this for dinner too, it would have been great.

Well, it's a ferry, so it can't be helped. But still... The buffet is 2000 yen, so it's probably decent. This time I had a set meal. You can choose 3 items from fish, meat, and special dish for 1000 yen each. It seems to change daily. Today's options were eel bowl, pork cutlet curry, and ginger pork. Without hesitation, I chose the pork cutlet curry, while the customer before me got the ginger pork which looked really hearty. It was more like a large serving of ginger pork than ginger pork. Additionally, it came with a huge simmered fish. I wondered what kind of pork cutlet curry would come... I had a slight expectation, but it turned out to be disappointing. The curry had a taste of retort, not bad though. It's the kind you often find in hotels, with no ingredients. The pork cutlet was two small pieces. The rice was lukewarm and so was the curry. I thought it would have been better if the rice was freshly cooked and hot... As I was lost in my thoughts, I took a bite of the cutlet. Ouch, it's hot! Strangely, the batter was lukewarm, but the inside meat was very hot, and I ended up burning my mouth! This could be a lawsuit in America. The thickness of the meat was around 4mm, like thinly sliced pork loin. The batter was about the same thickness as the meat, if not more. Sadly, I couldn't taste the flavor of the pork cutlet at all, it felt like I was eating batter curry. Well, the difference between the special dish set meal and the meat set meal was just too much, so I couldn't help but write about it. It's my fault for falling for the strategy of not putting photos on the menu, but I will probably make the same mistake again in the future. Oh, I mentioned it earlier, but it's not bad, so if I hadn't had any expectations and just focused on the pork cutlet curry, I wouldn't have felt this way. It's like a drive-in, ski resort restaurant, or food court.

I will be traveling to Hokkaido from Oarai in Ibaraki Prefecture using a ferry that runs twice a day. The ferry departs in the evening from Oarai and arrives in Tomakomai the next afternoon. There are no food options available in vending machines, and the onboard shop only sells souvenirs and cup noodles. It's best to get the dinner and breakfast set ticket as there are limited food options onboard. Although there is a light lunch menu available, I recommend waiting until you arrive to enjoy local cuisine. The buffet on board offers a variety of delicious dishes, with the shrimp fry being a personal favorite. The weather was bad on the day of my trip, causing quite a bit of turbulence. It was challenging to carry food to my seat, especially liquids. Many passengers focused on drinking rather than eating. Just be careful not to overindulge in food or alcohol, as the rough seas can lead to discomfort. Enjoy your ferry trip with a sense of maturity and moderation.

I used it on a ship trip to Hokkaido. It's a good deal to buy it with breakfast and a set ticket. There are dishes made with high-quality ingredients like asparagus that you don't see in regular buffets, so I think the cost performance is amazing. However, since it's on a ship, it could be dangerous if you eat too much just because it's delicious.

Visited at 6:00 p.m. on April 18, 2022. After finishing a two-week business trip in Hokkaido, I boarded the Sunflower Ferry departing from Tomakomai Port at 6:45 p.m. Started drinking before departure at the restaurant that opened at 6:00 p.m. (the best!). Since dinner at this time will surely make me hungry in the morning when I admire the sunrise, I purchased a dinner for ¥2,000 and breakfast for ¥1,200 set ticket with a ¥500 discount (Dinner & Breakfast Set Ticket ¥2,700). I also bought a ticket for a "Hyo-ketsu Musan Lemon" Chuhai for ¥200. The first drink is best with draft beer, but I bought self-service draft beer for ¥500 in cash. It's not a special menu, but eating on the ferry always feels more luxurious than usual. There will be no visits to Hokkaido until November, so it's a temporary farewell. I'll have to wait until then to board the ferry. The travel time feels like a holiday, so let's enjoy the boat trip slowly! Dinner is over for now. Thank you for the meal.

When you ride on the Sunflower ferry, you will have at least three meals on board. Due to the current situation with COVID-19, they are serving set menu breakfasts instead of the usual buffet. There are two options available: Japanese breakfast set and Western breakfast set, both priced at 1070 yen. The Japanese breakfast set includes a main dish of sliced salmon, similar to a set meal. The price may seem a bit high, but it is typical for onboard prices on any ferry. There are grated yam and raw egg placed on the side, perhaps suggesting to eat the second bowl of rice with egg after finishing the grated yam rice. I was too embarrassed to ask if rice refills were allowed, so I ate the egg rice first and then enjoyed the grated yam separately (laughs).

This is my second time boarding the Sunflower ferry this year. Last time, I ate the food I brought in my room for dinner, but this time I dined at the onboard restaurant. I decided to splurge a little and ordered the most expensive seafood bowl on the menu, which cost 1800 yen. Other options included grilled fish, cream stew, and Genghis Khan set meals, which I believe were around 1500 yen. The seafood bowl for 1800 yen was a bit disappointing because the salmon was in flakes, but the taste of the meal I had in the clean restaurant with COVID-19 measures in place was excellent.

The restaurant "Sanferrari" is located inside the ferry "Sanferrari Sapporo" and operates with the following hours: From Oarai departure 7:30-9:30 (last order 9:00), 11:30-12:30, 18:30-20:30 (last order 20:00). From Tomakomai departure 7:30-9:30 (last order 9:00), 11:30-12:30, 18:00-20:00 (last order 19:30). It is open every day. I visited the restaurant for breakfast on a weekday at the opening time of 7:30. The Self-Defense Force personnel had already started eating at the window counter seats overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The restaurant is located on the port side, facing the Pacific Ocean, which seems to make it difficult to receive mobile phone signals. Currently, you can probably see the ferry heading to Tomakomai off the coast of Ishinomaki and Soma cities in Fukushima Prefecture. The main menu is the same as the outbound journey. Due to the current situation with the coronavirus, the buffet (all-you-can-eat) is not available. I had the same breakfast set (Western-style) as I did on the outbound journey, and it was delicious as usual. The Self-Defense Force personnel seemed to be having a Japanese set meal with dried horse mackerel, which also looked like a special menu. I would like to try that as well.

Sinfonia Restaurant■2020/9Ferry "Sunflower Sapporo"Restaurant inside the ferry operating hours are as follows: From Oarai 7:30-9:30 (LO 9:00), 11:30-12:30, 18:30-20:30 (LO 20:00)From Tomakomai 7:30-9:30 (LO 9:00), 11:30-12:30, 18:00-20:00 (LO 19:30)Open every dayI visited for dinner on the return trip (Tomakomai to Oarai). The atmosphere inside the restaurant was similar to a company or school cafeteria. There were 8 counter seats by the window, 4 window tables for 3 people, 1 reserved window table, and several other table seats. Unfortunately, I couldn't secure a window seat as they were already taken. The background music was classical music playing softly. I visited on a Sunday at 18:40, and there were a few customers already seated. This time, it seemed like a group was using the restaurant, as tables were already set up with plates and utensils. They also started placing dishes like meatballs and fried chicken, which seemed to be special menu items. Although they were labeled as special, I believe they were items previously offered in buffet style. Rice cookers (for warming) and miso soup pots were placed on the customer tables. It seems a group of Self-Defense Force members who arrived in a Jeep (Mitsubishi?) were using the restaurant, numbering around 30-40 people. They mentioned they frequently use the ferry, but in times of emergency or natural disasters, the ferry would be suspended, so it must be an unusual occurrence. They seemed to be eating a lot. By the way, rice refills were free at the counter for regular customers. This time, I managed to secure a counter seat by the window as it was before departure, and I could see the lights of the harbor. However, it was already dark, and I could hardly see anything. The main menu items were: Hokki Curry 1200 yen, Seafood Bowl 1800 yen, Hot Iron Plate Genghis Khan 1500 yen, Japanese Set Meal 1800 yen. Currently, due to the COVID-19 situation, there is no buffet service. Both on the way there and back, for a limited time (9/15-9/25), they are offering a "Regional Support Menu" that gives a taste of Hokkaido. I remember that the bath on the ferry was only available on the return trip (Tomakomai to Oarai). The hot water had a slight hot spring scent, so there may be differences between the outbound and return trips. I tried the Hokki Curry, Seafood Bowl, and Genghis Khan, but I wasn't in the mood for a Japanese set meal. However, the words "hot iron plate" caught my eye, so I ordered the Hot Iron Plate Genghis Khan (with extra rice). The meat was lamb, with a bit of chewiness. The sauce had a slight acidity to it, probably due to soy sauce. The portion was surprisingly generous, but unfortunately, it wasn't "hot," it was slightly cold. Perhaps they prepared this dish earlier to cater to the group customers. Usually, it would be served hot. As for the taste, it was average. It came with boiled cabbage, onions, and bean sprouts, along with 5 pieces of squid tempura. It was delicious even though it was cold. The rice was of normal quality, cooked a bit firm, which was good. The large portion was satisfying, but at 1500 yen, it felt a bit expensive. Now, I'm thinking of going to the bath.

SUNFLOWER Restaurant■2020/9Ferry "Sunflower Sapporo"Restaurant inside the ferry operating hours are as followsOarai departure 7:30-9:30 (LO9:00), 11:30-12:30, 18:30-20:30 (LO20:00)Tomakomai departure 7:30-9:30 (LO9:00), 11:30-12:30, 18:00-20:00 (LO19:30)Open every dayThe restaurant was used for breakfast on the way (Oarai departure-Tomakomai arrival)The atmosphere inside the restaurant was like a company cafeteria or school cafeteriaWindow counter seats 8, window tables for 4, window reserved table for 1, and many other table seatsWindow seats offer a view of the seaWhile trying to bake the bread well, I was overtaken and couldn't secure a window seatBGM is classicalNo smoking inside the restaurant (smoking rooms on each floor)I visited before 7:30 on Friday, but there were already about 2 groups waitingThere was also a long line on the sofa in front of the storeMain menu (including tax) is as follows【Breakfast】Japanese set meal 1070 yenWestern set meal 1070 yen【Lunch】Toast set 500 yenOriginal Keema Curry 500 yenDaily special menu 500 yenIce/Hot Coffee 300 yenIced Tea 300 yenSoft Drink 300 yen【Dinner】(Limited time offer 2020/9/15-9/25)Seafood bowl 1800 yenTeppanyaki Genghis Khan 1500 yenSunflower Matsuhana-do 1800 yenHokki Curry 1200 yenRice and bread are free refillsCurrently, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there seems to be no buffet serviceThe menu composition is the same for both the outbound and return tripsI ordered the Western set mealA genuine quiche with small, thin mushroomsAnd bacon cooked 8-9mm thickStill warm, maybe because it was early morningTaste was surprisingly okayThe light yellow potato salad was surprisingly deliciousLet's pretend I didn't notice the boiled broccoli (I don't like vegetables)One slice of soft and delicious 20mm thick sliced breadLuxurious bread on a diet, so I only had one refill for the breadThe salad consisted of shredded lettuce and tomatoThe dessert had an orange, and the mango dessert was just deliciousThe soup was a corn potage with a hint of retort tasteWarm, but the taste was ordinaryThe drink was orange juice, and milk was available as a free drinkNothing particularly noteworthyFull and satisfiedThe price for breakfast was over 1000 yen, so there was no sense of satisfaction in terms of price, but it was just deliciousThinking of having it again on the way back.

As a measure against the new coronavirus infection, dinner, which is usually served as a buffet, is now provided as a set menu. However, the lunch service before disembarkation remains the same. Various dishes such as curry and spaghetti are offered at a reasonable price of 600 yen. I enjoyed my lunch while admiring the view outside the window under a clear sky. The curry contained a lot of minced meat and had a hint of keema curry flavor. It wasn't very spicy and had a taste that even children could enjoy. The price of 600 yen is quite reasonable for a restaurant on board, but it would be nice if the portion size was a bit larger.

I wanted to challenge myself with a drive in Hokkaido with my own car. I finally did it in September 2006. I never thought I would do it after getting married and having kids (laughs). I took the ferry from Oarai to Tomakomai for both the outbound and return trips, using the suite room on the "Hiryu" on the way there and on the "Sunflower Sapporo" on the way back. On the way back, there was a guided tour to the cockpit, but my camera ran out of battery... so here is a picture from the restaurant inside the ferry. There were food samples displayed, and you could purchase meal tickets and place your order. The inside of the restaurant had a food court-like atmosphere. As for the taste... well, it was okay. We spent 17 hours slowly heading towards the northern land under the moonlight. The public bath even had waves, and my child and I bathed while being gently rocked by the ship. Currently, it seems that the Hiryu is no longer in operation as East Japan Ferry has withdrawn and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines has taken over, but it looks like they are building new ships. I hope to ride on it again someday.

I took the Sanfura ferry from Oarai to Tomakomai for the first time. There was a food ticket machine where you could get a dinner and breakfast set for 2300 yen, which is about 500 yen cheaper than buying them separately. I chose the Yochi pork tonkatsu from the 4 main menu options. It wasn't freshly fried, but the pork was good. The set also included rice, miso soup, salad, soft serve ice cream, dessert, and a drink bar with unlimited refills. Beer was 500 yen per glass. The cafeteria-style menu is nice, but this system was good too. The staff were also very friendly.