Island-Hopping the Shimanami Kaido by Car Ferry: Routes, Fares and When It Beats the Bridges

Quick answer: On most of the Shimanami Kaido, the bridges are faster and usually cheaper than a car ferry. Take the ferry when it gets you somewhere the bridges don’t — the quiet Kamijima islands (Yuge, Ikina, Iwagi), the Tobishima Kaido via Okamura, or a “back door” onto Omishima from Takehara or Imabari. For Onomichi, the tiny Onomichi–Mukaishima car ferry (about ¥120 for a small car) is the classic local way across.

Most visitors drive or cycle the Shimanami Kaido straight over its bridges. But the islands were connected by boats long before the bridges came, and many car ferries still run. I’ve taken my car on the ferry from Imabari to Omishima, and it turns the journey into something different: about an hour on the water, arriving at a small port on Omishima. Here’s when a ferry is worth it, and which routes take cars.

Bridge or ferry? The quick maths

• Driving the whole Shimanami Kaido (Onomichi to Imabari) costs ¥2,950 with ETC on weekdays (¥2,310 on weekends and holidays; ¥4,920 in cash). See Driving to Shikoku: the bridge tolls.
• Imabari to Omishima by bridge is about ¥1,690 with ETC on weekdays. The car ferry for the same trip costs about ¥1,570 for a small car, but takes nearly an hour and runs only a couple of times a day.

So the ferry rarely saves much money. Take it for the experience, or to reach places the bridges don’t.

The routes that take cars

Fares are one way for a car under about 4 m, as published in October 2026. Where operators say so, the driver is included.

Onomichi ⇄ Mukaishima (Onomichi Tosen)

• Car: about ¥120 (under 4 m), driver included. Adults ¥100.
• Crossing: about 4 minutes, every 5–11 minutes, roughly 6:00–22:30. Cash only, paid on board.
• The short hop across the Onomichi Channel. It’s the cheapest way onto the first island and a lovely start to the route. (The other Onomichi car ferry, Fukumoto Tosen, closed in 2025.)

Imabari ⇄ Omishima (Munakata), and on to Okamura (Omishima Blue Line)

• Imabari ⇄ Munakata (Omishima): about ¥1,570 (4–5 m: ¥1,880), about 55 minutes. Only a few sailings a day go all the way to Imabari, and the ship holds just 16 cars.
• Munakata ⇄ Okamura: about ¥1,870, 23 minutes, 5 sailings a day.
• This is the route I’ve taken. Okamura is the gateway to the Akinada Tobishima Kaido — a second chain of bridges leading to the old port of Mitarai on Osakishimojima and on towards Kure. It’s the only way to link the two island routes by car without going back to the mainland.
• Sailings are cancelled in strong wind or high waves.

Tadanoumi (Takehara) ⇄ Sakari (Omishima) (Omishima Ferry)

• Car: about ¥2,100, about 25 minutes direct. On weekends and holidays there’s a discounted direct fare and passengers ride free.
• A back door onto Omishima and Oyamazumi Shrine from the Hiroshima side, without paying the bridge tolls from Onomichi.
• Some sailings stop at Okunoshima (Rabbit Island), but cars aren’t allowed on the island — visit on foot from Tadanoumi instead. See Rabbit Island.

Sunami (Mihara) ⇄ Sawa (Ikuchijima) (Yuba Kisen)

• Car: about ¥1,980, about 30 minutes, 10 sailings a day each way. Free parking at Sunami.
• Straight from the Mihara side to Ikuchijima (Setoda, Kosanji Temple, lemon groves).

Innoshima ⇄ Ikuchijima (Kanayama ⇄ Akasaki, Sanko Kisen)

• Car: about ¥200, 4 minutes, every 20 minutes. No service on weekends and holidays.
• A weekday shortcut between the two islands that’s barely different in price from the bridge.

To the Kamijima islands: Yuge, Ikina and Iwagi

The quiet islands of Kamijima sit just east of the Shimanami Kaido. They’re linked to each other by bridges (the “Yumeshima Kaido”, completed in 2022 with the new Iwagi Bridge), but not to the Shimanami Kaido — you need a ferry:

Take one ferry in and a different one out, and you’ve made a loop of islands most visitors never see.

Tips for car ferries

• Most of these short routes don’t take reservations — you queue in arrival order. The Imabari ferry (16 cars) can fill up on busy days, so arrive in good time.
• Bring cash. Many small ferries don’t take cards.
• Check the last sailing before you set off for an island. Some routes stop early or skip Sundays.
• Check car length. Fares go up by length band; a typical compact rental car is close to 4 m.
• Ferries are cancelled in strong wind and high waves. Have a bridge route as a backup.

A sample ferry day

1. Morning: cross from Onomichi to Mukaishima on the little Onomichi Tosen.
2. Drive over the bridge to Innoshima, then take the Habu–Ikina ferry to the Kamijima islands and drive the Yumeshima Kaido bridges to Iwagi.
3. Afternoon: ferry from Iwagi (Okogi) to Ikuchijima (Sunoe), visit Setoda and Kosanji Temple.
4. Rejoin the Shimanami Kaido and finish at Imabari or Omishima.

Stay overnight on an island to take it slowly. See Shimanami Kaido: Bicycle or Car? and Setouchi Road Trip.

FAQ

Are car ferries cheaper than the bridges?
Only on short hops, like Onomichi–Mukaishima. Longer ferries usually cost about the same as the tolls, or more.

Do I need to book?
Not for most routes. Arrive early at busy times.

Can I take a rental car on a ferry?
Check your rental company’s terms before you book.

Kaz

Tokushima local with family roots in Hiroshima

I live in Tokushima and my family is from Hiroshima, where I also used to live. I still go back several times a year. The guides here come from places I have actually been. Where I haven't tried something myself, I say so.