The slow boat to China

In the absence of affordable flights, Go reader WILL BURTONopted to take the ferry from Japan to China – and didn't look back once

LEAVING JAPAN on a ferry bound for China filled me with childlike nervousness. Who would the other passengers be? What type of food would be on board – Japanese or Chinese? Yen or Yuan? Would we be the only westerners?

At first, it was the economic factor that swayed it. We’d presumed there would be a low-cost airline plying the route between Japan and China, but if there is, we couldn’t find it.

There may be reasonable airfares available at certain periods throughout the year, but in our case it was far too expensive to consider. After a few Google searches, I happened upon the Su Zhou Hao ferry, run by the Shanghai Ferry Company. Leaving from Osaka, Japan to Shanghai, China, the route the ferry chose took us by many islands and peninsulas.

After some deliberation, we opted for a four-berth cabin (unsure what a communal bedroom for 30-plus people would be like) at approximately €180 per person. The ticket price for the communal room was considerably cheaper, so it may be an option for single travellers who do not mind sharing.

In the departure lounge, the passengers began to assemble, accompanied by a medley of trolleys, lashed down cardboard boxes, and plenty of chatter and laughter. We were the first westerners to arrive, and began to take stock of our fellow passengers. It was exciting; we were on our way overland from Japan to China, after an exhilarating three weeks in Japan.

We had travelled from Miyako-jima island in the far south up to Osaka for the ferry to China. The cabin was comfortable – two sets of bunkbeds in an economically sized room, with a small area for storing food and a small television. I had no intention of spending much time in the room – too many books to get through and the temptation to sit sipping Chinese beer on the deck.

The crossing would take two days, and one could follow the progress on maps in the communal area. This was in between matches of table tennis with energetic and excitable Chinese travellers.

Table tennis made up part of our day and we soon formed a mini routine for the two-night journey. At the start of the day was our budget-busting breakfast (we brought fruit and bread on board the ferry – once a backpacker . . .) and enjoyed a Chinese pot noodle from the snack shop for lunch.

An added bonus for the penny-pincher was the free green tea and coffee vending machine for the passengers. For those with cash to spare, there was a canteen open for breakfast and lunch, which had an extensive Asian menu to choose from.

Chinese Yuan and Japanese Yen were both acceptable forms of currency on board. The canteen was the perfect place to mix with our fellow passengers, swap stories, and get to know each other.

The journey was completely relaxing. The afternoon was broken up by numerous naps and punctuated with reading and walks on the deck. Late in the afternoon, we would have a cold Chinese beer on the deck and plan our time in China in the weeks ahead.

The scenery on the first day was breathtaking, and a spectacle of Japanese engineering at its finest. Huge bridges traversing islands and peninsulas were a challenge to capture on camera. The early morning mist was soon burnt away to reveal the last glimpses of Japanese territory.

The weather played its part in a pleasant journey: glorious blue skies with intense heat that was softened by a maritime breeze made for a perfect combination of sunbathing, reading and relaxing. The food on the menu was a blend of Japanese, Chinese and western dishes. Western dishes were not an option for us and the Chinese food was delicious and incredible value. After three weeks in Japan, these prices were as refreshing as the sea breeze.

A piece of advice for travellers who want to experience China, as well as Japan, is to take this ferry. It was a balanced blend of Japanese and Chinese people who were more than welcoming. The trip was ideal to relax, read and relish the feeling of travelling by sea to China.

We have vowed to include overnight ferry trips in any future backpacking trip. If your timescale and budget can stretch to the price, I highly recommend this ferry to relax at the beginning or end of a trip.

shanghai-ferry.co.jp