For long-distance travel in Japan, the Shinkansen or a flight is often faster.
Even so, depending on where you are going and how you are traveling, a ferry can be the more practical choice.
The clearest example is traveling to an island.
Japan has many islands that are not connected to other areas by bridge, and some do not have airports. In those places, a ferry is not simply a scenic way to travel. It can be an ordinary and necessary means of transportation.
On some islands, ferry routes support everyday life by carrying residents who need to travel for things such as shopping or medical appointments. For some islands, traveling by sea is also the standard way for visitors to get there.
Another situation where ferries can be especially useful is when you want to take your own car or motorcycle with you.
A train or plane may move you faster, but it cannot normally take your vehicle with you. On a ferry, you can drive your car or motorcycle aboard and continue your journey from the port after arrival.
That can be especially convenient if you are carrying a lot of luggage or plan to drive long distances after reaching your destination.
Long-distance ferries can also make good use of the night.
You may board in the evening, sleep on the ship, and arrive the next morning. In that case, transportation and overnight accommodation partly overlap.
The ferry may still take longer in terms of total travel time.
But if most of that travel happens while you are sleeping, you may lose very little daytime to transportation. Seen as part of the whole trip, that can make the ferry surprisingly efficient.
Of course, ferries are not always the most convenient option.
Ports may be farther from city centers than major train stations, departures may be less frequent, and bad weather can cause cancellations. If your only goal is to move quickly between major cities, rail or air travel will often make more sense.
Ferries become especially practical when you need to reach an island, carry your own vehicle, or travel a long distance overnight.
In an island country like Japan, a ferry is not just a slower form of transportation chosen for the scenery.
In some situations, it is simply the most natural and useful way to get where you are going.
References
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “Domestic Passenger Routes Supporting Local Life and Tourism”
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, materials on maintaining and securing remote-island routes
