by sea

Yakushima ferry options include the Toppy / Rocket (2,5 hours), the Yaku 2 car ferry (+4 hours) and the overnight Hibiscus freight ferry (13 hours).

Toppy / Rocket hydrofoil

One of the most popular ways to get to Yakushima is by the Toppy or Rocket hydrofoil service. There are around eight round trips daily between Kagoshima’s high speed ferry terminal and Yakushima (Miyanoura or Anbo Port). Some travel directly to the island, but others go via the neighboring Tanegashima Island or Ibusuki. Voyages take between 2 – 3 hours depending on the number of stops.

A one-way fare costs 12,200 yen and a round trip ticket costs 22,300 yen and the return journey must be used within seven days. Standard tickets allow for multiple changes between the time of reservation and the day of departure. As travel arrangements often change then we recommend the standard tickets.

If travelling in the high season, at the weekend or during national holidays such as Golden Week or Obon, then pre-booking your tickets is strongly recommended.  

YES offers a free reservation service for Toppy tickets. The offer is available if you either book a YES tour or book over 40,000 yen of services from the YES website (this amount usually requires guests to book Yakushima accommodation with YES or transfer their current booking with a different agency to YES). For guests interested in transferring their current accommodation to YES and benefit from this service then please contact YES . YES reserve tickets, but do not cover the cost of the tickets.

In the case of typhoons or very high waves then the service may be delayed or cancelled.  If you are concerned whether your scheduled jetfoil will depart or not then check this link.  A circle next to the timetable means it will depart on time; a triangle means it may be delayed or cancelled and  欠 means that the ferry is cancelled.

October 1st 2024 to March 1st, 2025 Winter timetable（Toppy＆ Rocket）

March 2nd 2025 to March 31st, 2025 Spring Timetable（Toppy＆ Rocket）

April 1st 2025 to August 31st, 2025 Summer timetable（Toppy＆Rocket）

Yaku 2 car ferry 

(October 2024 – ) The Yaku 2 ferry is currently not operating.

The Yaku 2 car ferry leaves every morning from Kagoshima Port (just south of the main Kagoshima Port) to Miyanoura Port on Yakushima.  It returns to Kagoshima in the afternoon. The one way sailing takes four hours and costs 6,000 yen.  A return ticket costs 11,500 yen. The cost for bringing an average sized car onto the ferry is about 40,000 yen return.  You can also bring pets or bicycles on this ferry, though there is a fee for both.

The Yakushima 2 ferry leaves Kagoshima at 08:30am and arrives at Miyanoura Port at 12:30.  The return voyage leaves Miyanoura at 13:30 and arrives at Kagoshima at about 17:40.  For more details see the Yakushima 2 Ferry website.

Hibiscus overnight freight ferry

Another option is to take the Hibiscus freight overnight ferry. This leaves Kagoshima (Taniyama Port) at 18:00 and arrives at Miyanoura Port the next morning at 07:00.  The ferry stays overnight in the Tanegashima Port, but Yakushima passengers cannot disembark.  The return journey leaves Miyanoura at 08:10 and arrives at Kagsoshima (Taniyama Port) at about 14:40.  Return fares are 7,800 yen and cars can be booked onto the ferry. 

The Hibiscus ferry departs from the Taniyama Port in the south of Kagoshima, so give yourself plenty of time to get there and find the port. One further word of caution regarding the Hibiscus is that this is a freight ferry and comfort is the last thing they consider. You will sleep on the floor and blankets are available. There are no bathing facilities and no food. In the summer the heat within the cabin can be stifling and in the winter the cold can keep you awake.

For more details visit the Hibiscus website.