NOTIFICATION SQUAD AND ALL ------ LEAVE ME SOMETHING IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!! Would YOU spend a full day on a ferry in Japan? Had no clue that there was THIS FUN of a route to get to Kyushu!
I just relax! After watching Solo Travel Japan I started taking ferries when I travel in Japan. It's such a relaxing way to travel if you don't mind taking a little bit of extra travel time.
Love how you turned your favorite family memory into this wonderful ferry adventure! Over 20 hours without stopping by any ports sounds very long and might give us motion sickness but as I watch you doing so many activities and having fun at any time of a day, definitely it's worth trying. Thank you so much for the amazing video😆
Love seeing you two interact in the comments. It's content creators like both of you, who have made me finally decide to stay in Japan long term so I can explore all the wonderful places for myself.
@@BossHOF Mostly software dev and running an online business. It's all remote work, so I was thinking of taking advantage of the new digital nomad visa for the whole allowed 6 months. After that, who knows!
My husband and I are travelling from Vancouver to Japan for an entire month (!!) in April 2025. We love ferries/boats but this was not something we had thought of for our trip. This has officially been noted to add to the itinerary! 😍 Thanks Norm! 🥰
You can go from Osaka to Beppu (a famous hot spring resort) . It's the newest and nice ship in Japan. Let's try it! let's search "Sunflower kurenai/murasaki"
I watch several Japanese UA-camrs whose whole channels are dedicated basically to just ferry and train travel in Japan, and it has absolutely made me put "take a ferry" on my list of things to do on a dream Japan trip. Say you spend five days in the Tokyo area, and now it's time to go down to Osaka and Kyoto, you take the ferry, decompress, do your laundry (many ferries have coin laundry), and then you're ready to roll again at your next destination. And as a bonus, you get to be on the ocean for a bit. What's not to love? Also, did you know there are ferries that are vending machine only? They everything you could want.
In the Baltic Sea we've got cruise ferries that have tax free shops, multiple restaurants, nightclubs and spas. Basically small cruise ships that go overnight between Sweden and Finland in a constant loop.
This looks awesome, like a miniature cruise ship. I would definitely enjoy a trip like this, especially since I get the opposite of motion sickness. As in rocking movements make me sleep like a baby.
Amazing video, I would love to explore this when we visit! I stayed in Scotland growing up, and my father worked in Ireland, so every school holiday we would go over on the ferry for a week to visit. In the 80s and 90s, these were not fast. What now takes 2 hours at most was, at that time, a full overnight sailing (I recall a now defunct route on the old pride of rathlin, it was at least 12 hours 😅 in a tiny cabin). I LOVED it. The sea air, the buffet meals, the staff. I was often invited to visit the captain, as my father would make trips 3-4 times a week, so he was known. Had completely forgotten until I watched this video. You brought back some amazing memories of my childhood 😊 Thank you!
Awesome video as always Norm. Norm you always show us the most unique and interesting things across Japan and you always sharing your day to day life and experiences in the land of the rising sun.
Thank you so much!! Love the way you dip into nooks and crannies and show us all these fantastic things. Highly appreciated! Be Safe!!! Many blessings!
Norm - “You don’t wanna hear me sing” Also Norm - randomly bursts into songs on other videos 😂 Have to admit, that is a nice looking ferry/boat. When you first said ferry, my mind went straight to the ones they have in Sydney 😂 That boat is more like a mini cruise ship style.
I wanna go on a Japanese ferry and have ever since I started watching Solo Travel Japan, the man has ridden all the ferries a few times each in various cabins.
Geez, this is much much nice than I thought it would be. Would definitely consider taking it should I visit Japan again. Thanks Norm, greetings from Aruba.
Well good to know that once Red Lobster is gone here in Canada, I can still go to Japan for it. It was also my family's go to place for special occasions. I will dearly miss the biscuits!
I love all of your adventures, but this one was definitely a treat! As someone who loves the water, but hasn’t had the chance to actually be on any sort of boat, this was a delicacy for the curious and wandering mind. That balcony was lovely, and the bath was amazing!
Now that I’m home and had a chance to watch, that is absolutely something that I would do - but only in the fancy room lol. Added to the list for a hypothetical future Kyushu trip 😊
Love the idea of this ferry trip, but I get really bad motion sickness so I would 100% need a view and maybe able to step out as many times as possible. The last time I was on a Ferry we hit massive waves, I still had to go outside and get soaked just to calm down lol! Pro tip for motion sickness : ginger biscuits. There was something "floating" on the water when passing Kyushu? Omg I need to go to Red Lobster!!!!!!! I loved it when I went to the US 10+ years ago, I must have it especially in Japan!!!! Thank you Norm foe the awesome video!
Hi Norm! It was really nice meeting you yesterday. Thank You for coming to London, I got to see and experience you in the flesh! Also, absolutely loved the Shamisen performance by KiKi. 👍
I'm from the Pacific Northwest, so ferries were a big part of my life growing up. I've been on more than my fair share, and I've never seen one so nice and accommodating. I'd absolutely love to spend a day on one like this Cruising Resort you booked. Doubly so traveling from Tokyo to Kyushu and back.
I already did the Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto last year. Planning on traveling with the folks (They have a hard time getting around now) who are into Cruise Ships and Japan travel so really appreciate you covering the Overnight Ferry experience made with your level of filmmaking to show them.
I did the 15-ish hour overnight ferry from Sendai to Hokkaido in 2022 and have previously done a 40 hour round trip between Sweden and Finland, as well as a 19 hour one-way trip from Denmark to Norway. Highly recommended for a chill experience. We did run straight into a big Pacific Ocean thunderstorm around 1 AM on the Japanese ferry but it was mostly soothing.
My mother is from Finland and when I grew up, every year we'd visit Finland by taking a ferry across the Baltic Sea, the ferry ride was always one of the highlights of those trips. it's been quite a few years ago now though so to be honest I'm getting a bit nostalgic watching this, might just have to book a trip on some random ferry soon just to ride a ferry again :)
When I heard about a 20+h ferry ride from Tokyo, I expected the destination to be the Ogasawara Islands, but now I´m also excited to see you explore more of Kyushu.
Oh man, that's a minor nostalgia blast, I took that same ferry when I went to Japan last year. I survived off that pot noodle machine because my jet lagged butt kept napping right through the set meal times.
I love how Norm goes blasting out of the room in the morning, not even making sure his door closed and locked properly 🤣 You pointed out the Kyusyu misspelling on the t-shirt, I also noticed it on the big building as you pulled in lol. I am finally going back to Japan in September, and have decided to work in a Ferry into my itinerary, it will feel like cruising, which I miss doing.
On my last trip to Japan, I took a ferry from Beppu to Yawatahama, Shikoku. Only 3-4 hours so not as long but I was amazed by the comfort on this boat ! There weren't many people so I had almost a whole cabin with seats for myself. They had TV screens around with games for kids, a pachinko, crane games and vending machines corner. They also had an entire tatami area split into individual spaces. It was a great experience and I have honestly never been this comfy on a ship. Highly recommend if you want to try something different.
Loved this, I took a 22hr ferry to Hokkaido for the yuki matsuri back in 2012 in one of the capsule rooms it was a lot of fun. Hung out with an old guy that didn’t speak any English and I didn’t know Japanese but after a few drinks neither of us could tell.
I watched this while on the bike at the gym....and chuckled throughout! I love Red Lobster Cheddar biscuits. Do you know there's a boxed mix you can buy of them!?!? So good!!! Amazing that you got a sponsorship through them. Thanks for being awesome Norm. I appreciate you. You always inspire me to explore!! So very grateful. ❤
So funny, my special restaurant as a kid was Red Lobster. I was so excited and confused to see one right outside the gates of Universal Japan. Thanks for the video!
Great video as always. As matter of fact I did ride an overnight ferry from Kagoshima to Yakushima; however it was the exact opposite of this one. Let's just say that taking that trip is for more the adventurous type. For those who are interested it is called the Hibiscus overnight freight ferry and I like how the site I got the info summed it up, comfort is the last thing they consider. And one more great memory that this video triggered was again when I had lived in Kagoshima, there is a volcano island called Sakurajima and on that island you can get curry where they shape the rice like Sakurajima volcano and then you pour the curry over it as if it was like lava erupting from the volcano.
I was stationed on a tug boat in Yokosuka in 1994-95, and for some reason this made me think of when we drive our little tug to Shimoda for the Black Ship Festival! Your trip was much more comfy, though!
Oooh, movie theaters on ferries are always nice! I saw the 1998 Godzilla on a ferry movie theater. Stormy ocean sure did bring a certain atmosphere to it :D
This was actually interesting timing, I'm doing a similar overnight ferry to Hokkaido next week with some friends. We are cycling from Sapporo to the west coast and then back through the mountains with an stop off at an onsen before catching an overnight ferry back to Tokyo. Unfortunately we aren't sponsored so we got the little capsule rooms. Our ferry is more like 12 hours though so we get on just as the sun starts going down and get off just after breakfast.
@@TokyoLens Definitely! After watching your videos for so many years, it was nice to see you with my own two eyes instead of a monitor, phone or whatever else people watch UA-cam videos on :D Also been a fan of shamisen music for long time so if there is opportunity to listen to live music I will try to attend :D
That's an awesome room for a ferry. I tend to get travel sick on certain journeys in the car, but I haven't been on a ferry overnight, I definitely think having that balcony and being able to get some fresh air would help a lot.
Another great video Norm. Also a fan of Red Lobster as well. Same thing with me but both parents and my American side of my family. Whenever I used to go and find myself in America, especially in Florida, I am from the Caribbean, one of the first restaurants I would go to and have a meal with my family. And it was like a tradition before departing from Florida to back home in the Caribbean. We don't go there anymore but great memories.
It's awesome to see you try the ferries in Japan, I watch a bunch of Japanese creators who review different ferries so it's nice to see it from the first-time perspective.
I've been wanting to do a ferry for a while now, but this video solidifies it for me. Taking a flight would definitely be easier, but I miss the sea. Taking the ferry seems to be a lot more relaxed, at least this one. Thank you for making this video!
This would be something I would want to do on a second trip or 3rd trip to Japan. As for Red Lobster, I'm with you as that was the birthday dinner/celebration dinner restaurant when I was growing up too.
Glad you enjoyed your trip on the Soliel. I live close to that port and I took that same ferry to Kyushu myself. I was not able to get the suite but i did get the state room, which was also pretty nice. Including the cost of shipping my car, the whole cost about 700 dollars each way. I will definitely do it again next year.
Holy Moly that Room was almost bigger then what I usually have on Cruise Ships... :D And yes, Balcony on a Ship is the best. I can't do Cruise Ships without anymore.
I am so excited for you! 🎉🎉 Good for you! 😊 That cruise looks like so much fun! Those jolt waves sound like they would be SO much fun to feel. 😅 I love that planetarium! Thank you for the tour! 😊 You're lucky that you don't get seasick. Sad that the restaurants put you on a countdown to get out. 😅 Nice Spa! Bummer on the movie. Beautiful views. 😴😴😴😂 You've earned it. 🎉 WOW! That was fast! Incredible video! As always, love from the Southern California desert 🏜
This reminds me of when I was younger going on the Star Cruises ships with my family for a weekend trip. Being able to walk around inside the ship discovering places and playing in the gaming arcade were the highlight of those trips.
I would *totally* spend a day on a ferry! I have good memories of the one I took from Kagoshima to Yakushima; loved it, though our rooms were *extremely* tiny and had bunkbeds. Here's a little something about balconies: I went on my one and only cruise with my sister and her three huge sons to the Honduras, the coast of Mexico and some other islands; it was great, but my nephews snored like snorkeling walruses and I couldn't stand it. We had a pretty large balcony and I figured that hey, if I can camp in tents in the desert I can sleep on a balcony; so I got the steward to bring extra blankets, sheets and a pillow, told him what I was going to do, and slept on the floor of the balcony for the entire cruise. It was wonderful! I watched herds of dolphins til I fell asleep some nights, learned that the ship had its own contingent of tiny yellow-winged birds that lived between the decks (my sister thought I was hallucinating til I woke her up around dawn to watch them flying back in to nest for the day), saw bats diving into the ship's floodlights to catch insects whenever we'd come near coastlines, and all of this for the cost of sleeping on a harder surface than usual. Big deal-- totally worth it. Balconies are wonderful.
One day when I'm big and I get to visit Japan, I definitely want to do this, and also finish the trip off at the Red Lobster as you did. I really enjoy your videos showing the "off the beaten track' type of places in Japan.
Looks like a lovely luxury (mid range) hotel room , "so this is my balcony " your balcony is just a natural way of getting your hair dried on how windy it was 😅
The picture on your cabin, was very similar to a Silent Hill picture. Instead of 9 red squares, it was 9 blue squares. I thought that that was interesting. And here in 70- something days, I will also be on a ship. I love being on cruises, they are a blast.
That ferry looks amazing! Would want to a room for the voyage but a small one would be fine. I used to travel by ferry from England to France and back for holidays growing up, so ferry travel has fond memories for me.
Ahhh Yokosuka to Kitakyushu. I’m hoping to do this one soon. I’ve done to Takeshiba to Kozushima and Hachijojima, then Hachijojima to Aogashima respectively and they were all great. After spending a few months on the USS Blue Ridge, I’m sure this ferry would be no big deal but the amenities sure are tempting.
I've been on a night ferry between The Netherlands and the UK when it was rough enough to roll from left to right in bed just a little and move the bathroom door when not closed. No windows in the cabin. Didn't mind it at all, kinda fun to be honest and slept well actually.
Love a Japanese ferry - I've done Osaka - Beppu, Kobe - Miyazaki and a bunch more. Also rode the overnight from Shinmoji to Osaka a couple of times, it's cheaper than the shinkansen and you get a private single bed for the night. I rode Ferry Soleil from Yokosuka to Shinmoji back in February to get to my new home in Fukuoka, and it was a great trip. Surprised you didn't start with a late night snack - soba and maruten fishcake was just the ticket. Food overall was great, and the scenery when passing the Shikoku coast was stunning. Passing the sister ship was also cool - a lot of people out on the observation deck to watch that. The capsules look really cosy, I had one of the tiny single rooms which was very comfortable - jealous of your balcony though, that room is bigger than my 1R apartment 😂 Oh, and the outdoor bath? I shared it with a 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙮 tattooed bloke, likely one of the truck drivers - not only do they have their own cabins away from the paying passengers area, they also have their own restaurant that is just the other side of the kitchen from the passenger side. Regarding Anglicised spellings: I've seen Kyusyu a number of times, it's always a bit weird - the mini towel I got from the ferry has that spelling. In Tokyo, the one that gets me is Shinbashi vs Shimbashi - they are used interchangeably and seemingly randomly 🤬 Cup Noodle FTW! Also darn it, I should have stopped at Red Lobster when I was in Huis Ten Bosch last month...
The only ferries I have experienced are in Puget Sound and are an awesome way to travel. Your Japanese Ferry is more than next level! Just having so many lights and conveniences with so few travelers-wow! I would love to be able to spend some time on that Ferry!
Been on the Kurenai Sunshine Ferry in their deluxe Japanese room with connecting western room (family trip). Left Beppu for overnight for Osaka. It was truly a great experience :) Not 24 hours but a good chance to try one of these out :)
When I was a child, we took a ferry from Tacoma to Vashon Island. For whatever reason, my father explained to us, at that point, that because life is unpredictable, we should try and live the moment and enjoy it, and told us there that one day he would leave this world, that we all would, so best to enjoy it. Make time to build memories. We are still blessed with my father having good health and still being around. That said, I took that same ferry in 2008. I love watching videos about trips on boats like this, specially because its in Japan, and specially because it always reminds me to live and enjoy the moment, and that life is unpredictable. Next trip to Japan, I'm going to try and take a trip on a ferry like that one. I'll look up Red Lobster too lol
Having the opportunity to make such a trip and following through with it while taking us along the way: thank you very much for that! Travelling a longer time on a boat ain't for everyone but I think you made many of us more eager to do so ourselfs ☺ And btw, really jelous of the meal at the end 😅
Back when I was living in Kansai I took the shorter route from Kobe to Kyushu with my motorcycle. It was a lot of fun and spared me at least one day of riding on expressways. Despite looking similarly glamorous inside that one had more the feeling of a working ship, full of trucks and their drivers plus a bunch of riders like myself. Definitely a very Japanese experience.
I have gone on ferries between Norway and Denmark a lot of times, and Norway and Germany twice. I think it's good, but I but too much drinking for my taste. I usually eat dinner, watch a movie if there is a theater or just chill with whatever is on my tablet in my cabin. These trips are usually 2 nights long with some hours on land, then going back the next night. Some food can be included in the ticket or one can eat smaller meals in a café. There are no Red Lobsters (and few sea food restaurants) at all in Norway, so I have never been.
Ferries are a fantastic way to get around Japan, and I would 100% overnight sail on one to get where I need to be. I don't get sea sick usually, have only experienced it once, and I blame it on the fried seafood I had before going out. Going to watch this one again as I've missed a lot of the in-depth detail watching on 2 hours sleep. Fun fact: I've never eaten at a Red Lobster. 👋 Hi to your Mom, and love that tradition.
I love ferry videos! That room is amazing; it looks like a pretty typical business hotel room. I can't believe it has a full bath! I love the balcony! I also love that you used drunken sailor. 😂 Love "treating yourself" with cup noodles. I've thought it would be interesting to do a ferry, as I loved when we took them in WA and BC as kids, but when we're in Japan, we're usually trying to get places, so a ferry seems like it would be too slow
If I had Lobster waiting for me at the other end, I would 100% do 24hrs on that boat. Ive had many experiences on 2 to 4hr ferry journeys, to the Isle of Man, where the local delicacy of Queenies (mini scallops) was at the other end. You running around that boat was my childhood back and forth across the Irish Sea. The 'getting there' is as important to me as arriving at the destination.
![Inside a NORMAL Tokyo Apartment - [Not So TINY!]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/RMwwjoBc1UM/mqdefault.jpg)
NOTIFICATION SQUAD AND ALL ------ LEAVE ME SOMETHING IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!!
Would YOU spend a full day on a ferry in Japan?
Had no clue that there was THIS FUN of a route to get to Kyushu!
@@TokyoLens I’d love to take this this ferry.
😻👍👍👍
I just relax! After watching Solo Travel Japan I started taking ferries when I travel in Japan. It's such a relaxing way to travel if you don't mind taking a little bit of extra travel time.
Heck yes! Will you do the vending machine ferry that makes a stop at Tokushima next?
As a bike traveler, if there is no "Rinko" requirement I'd take it over train.
Love how you turned your favorite family memory into this wonderful ferry adventure! Over 20 hours without stopping by any ports sounds very long and might give us motion sickness but as I watch you doing so many activities and having fun at any time of a day, definitely it's worth trying. Thank you so much for the amazing video😆
Aww Yuka san thank you so much for always being so kind in your comments!
You should try one of these ferries some day!!
Love seeing you two interact in the comments. It's content creators like both of you, who have made me finally decide to stay in Japan long term so I can explore all the wonderful places for myself.
@@ServerSideSquid what do you do for work
@@BossHOF Mostly software dev and running an online business. It's all remote work, so I was thinking of taking advantage of the new digital nomad visa for the whole allowed 6 months. After that, who knows!
Nice.
That bath section all by yourself is the most chill looking place. Love the view and the coziness cleaning myself there.
Really enjoyed it!
A touch windy but nice!!
My husband and I are travelling from Vancouver to Japan for an entire month (!!) in April 2025. We love ferries/boats but this was not something we had thought of for our trip. This has officially been noted to add to the itinerary! 😍 Thanks Norm! 🥰
Hi honey here is your hubby, unfortunately I cancelled the trip
Love you 😘
@@yak-machining uhhh do I know you? LOL
You can go from Osaka to Beppu (a famous hot spring resort) .
It's the newest and nice ship in Japan. Let's try it!
let's search "Sunflower kurenai/murasaki"
There's tons of lines! Solo Travel Japan does a lot of video about this stuff.
Congrats! One whole month is the dream. I wish that I could take that sort of time off work.
I watch several Japanese UA-camrs whose whole channels are dedicated basically to just ferry and train travel in Japan, and it has absolutely made me put "take a ferry" on my list of things to do on a dream Japan trip. Say you spend five days in the Tokyo area, and now it's time to go down to Osaka and Kyoto, you take the ferry, decompress, do your laundry (many ferries have coin laundry), and then you're ready to roll again at your next destination. And as a bonus, you get to be on the ocean for a bit. What's not to love? Also, did you know there are ferries that are vending machine only? They everything you could want.
!! It goes well with rice.
I randomly stumbled across solo travel Japan who does a lot of ferry stuff and def made me want to travel some of those routes as well.
I'm planning on renting a kei camper van and taking a overnight ferry to Hokkaido then driving back down the country to Tokyo.
I also watch those videos too. It’s the only reason I will randomly sing, “SUN-FLOW-AHH” !!!
I follow couple of them too. It is so relaxing to watch those and dream of doing it myself someday. ”Sunflower, sunflower…!” 😊
Definitely the fanciest ferry I've ever seen!! (Was lovely to meet you yesterday as well!)
Thanks so much for coming out!!!
In the Baltic Sea we've got cruise ferries that have tax free shops, multiple restaurants, nightclubs and spas. Basically small cruise ships that go overnight between Sweden and Finland in a constant loop.
@@Lightice1 Ahh nothing like a booze cruise on of the Silja Line or the Viking Line ships.
Aargh. I’m still trying to get home from London (yay UK trains) so will save this for when I can watch on a bigger screen with reliable WiFi lol
Hahaha
Thank you so much for coming out to the event!
It is always great to see you.
Get home safe !
I laughed when you said, "You don't wanna hear me sing anyway." (11:30) :D
This looks awesome, like a miniature cruise ship.
I would definitely enjoy a trip like this, especially since I get the opposite of motion sickness. As in rocking movements make me sleep like a baby.
Red Lobster!! Please sponsor more, love seeing Red Lobster around the world!
Wow looks sooooo fancy! The size of the room!
It’s awesome!
Amazing video, I would love to explore this when we visit!
I stayed in Scotland growing up, and my father worked in Ireland, so every school holiday we would go over on the ferry for a week to visit.
In the 80s and 90s, these were not fast. What now takes 2 hours at most was, at that time, a full overnight sailing (I recall a now defunct route on the old pride of rathlin, it was at least 12 hours 😅 in a tiny cabin).
I LOVED it.
The sea air, the buffet meals, the staff. I was often invited to visit the captain, as my father would make trips 3-4 times a week, so he was known.
Had completely forgotten until I watched this video.
You brought back some amazing memories of my childhood 😊 Thank you!
Awesome video as always Norm. Norm you always show us the most unique and interesting things across Japan and you always sharing your day to day life and experiences in the land of the rising sun.
Sixteen minutes and thirty nine seconds of a therapeutic getaway from the mad world we live in.
Thank you so much Norm, keep safe and stay healthy!
Thank you so much!! Love the way you dip into nooks and crannies and show us all these fantastic things.
Highly appreciated! Be Safe!!!
Many blessings!
Land, sea and sky. I wouldn't be surprised to see Norm there😄 Living by his word, "Explore everything always."
I really like the carpet in the atrium. Lovely yellow branches with white flowers over a blue-green background.
Norm - “You don’t wanna hear me sing”
Also Norm - randomly bursts into songs on other videos 😂
Have to admit, that is a nice looking ferry/boat.
When you first said ferry, my mind went straight to the ones they have in Sydney 😂
That boat is more like a mini cruise ship style.
I wanna go on a Japanese ferry and have ever since I started watching Solo Travel Japan, the man has ridden all the ferries a few times each in various cabins.
Geez, this is much much nice than I thought it would be. Would definitely consider taking it should I visit Japan again. Thanks Norm, greetings from Aruba.
Red Lobster wow!
Well good to know that once Red Lobster is gone here in Canada, I can still go to Japan for it. It was also my family's go to place for special occasions. I will dearly miss the biscuits!
There are some decent Cheddar Bay biscuit copycat recipes online, and they’re pretty easy and satisfying!
I love all of your adventures, but this one was definitely a treat! As someone who loves the water, but hasn’t had the chance to actually be on any sort of boat, this was a delicacy for the curious and wandering mind. That balcony was lovely, and the bath was amazing!
Now that I’m home and had a chance to watch, that is absolutely something that I would do - but only in the fancy room lol. Added to the list for a hypothetical future Kyushu trip 😊
As a sea gypsy, this is by far my favourite video of yours! More boats please!!!!!
This was such a chill video
Love the idea of this ferry trip, but I get really bad motion sickness so I would 100% need a view and maybe able to step out as many times as possible. The last time I was on a Ferry we hit massive waves, I still had to go outside and get soaked just to calm down lol! Pro tip for motion sickness : ginger biscuits.
There was something "floating" on the water when passing Kyushu?
Omg I need to go to Red Lobster!!!!!!! I loved it when I went to the US 10+ years ago, I must have it especially in Japan!!!!
Thank you Norm foe the awesome video!
Hi Norm! It was really nice meeting you yesterday. Thank You for coming to London, I got to see and experience you in the flesh! Also, absolutely loved the Shamisen performance by KiKi. 👍
Love the Ferry, much nicer than any I've been on here in Canada/US, almost comparable to some smaller cruise lines.
I'm from the Pacific Northwest, so ferries were a big part of my life growing up. I've been on more than my fair share, and I've never seen one so nice and accommodating. I'd absolutely love to spend a day on one like this Cruising Resort you booked. Doubly so traveling from Tokyo to Kyushu and back.
I already did the Tokaido Shinkansen from Tokyo to Kyoto last year. Planning on traveling with the folks (They have a hard time getting around now) who are into Cruise Ships and Japan travel so really appreciate you covering the Overnight Ferry experience made with your level of filmmaking to show them.
I did the 15-ish hour overnight ferry from Sendai to Hokkaido in 2022 and have previously done a 40 hour round trip between Sweden and Finland, as well as a 19 hour one-way trip from Denmark to Norway. Highly recommended for a chill experience. We did run straight into a big Pacific Ocean thunderstorm around 1 AM on the Japanese ferry but it was mostly soothing.
My mother is from Finland and when I grew up, every year we'd visit Finland by taking a ferry across the Baltic Sea, the ferry ride was always one of the highlights of those trips.
it's been quite a few years ago now though so to be honest I'm getting a bit nostalgic watching this, might just have to book a trip on some random ferry soon just to ride a ferry again :)
When I heard about a 20+h ferry ride from Tokyo, I expected the destination to be the Ogasawara Islands, but now I´m also excited to see you explore more of Kyushu.
Oh man, that's a minor nostalgia blast, I took that same ferry when I went to Japan last year. I survived off that pot noodle machine because my jet lagged butt kept napping right through the set meal times.
This was such a chill video, I wish it was another hour long! Thanks so much for sharing
I love how Norm goes blasting out of the room in the morning, not even making sure his door closed and locked properly 🤣 You pointed out the Kyusyu misspelling on the t-shirt, I also noticed it on the big building as you pulled in lol. I am finally going back to Japan in September, and have decided to work in a Ferry into my itinerary, it will feel like cruising, which I miss doing.
On my last trip to Japan, I took a ferry from Beppu to Yawatahama, Shikoku. Only 3-4 hours so not as long but I was amazed by the comfort on this boat ! There weren't many people so I had almost a whole cabin with seats for myself. They had TV screens around with games for kids, a pachinko, crane games and vending machines corner. They also had an entire tatami area split into individual spaces. It was a great experience and I have honestly never been this comfy on a ship. Highly recommend if you want to try something different.
Loved this, I took a 22hr ferry to Hokkaido for the yuki matsuri back in 2012 in one of the capsule rooms it was a lot of fun. Hung out with an old guy that didn’t speak any English and I didn’t know Japanese but after a few drinks neither of us could tell.
Aw i noticed that the staff always waved whenever flight comes back or take off i never realised they did it for ships too thats so cool
I watched this while on the bike at the gym....and chuckled throughout! I love Red Lobster Cheddar biscuits. Do you know there's a boxed mix you can buy of them!?!? So good!!! Amazing that you got a sponsorship through them.
Thanks for being awesome Norm. I appreciate you. You always inspire me to explore!! So very grateful. ❤
So funny, my special restaurant as a kid was Red Lobster. I was so excited and confused to see one right outside the gates of Universal Japan. Thanks for the video!
Your excitement is incredibly infectious and the static shots add so much to the video
Glad you enjoyed it!!
Great video as always. As matter of fact I did ride an overnight ferry from Kagoshima to Yakushima; however it was the exact opposite of this one. Let's just say that taking that trip is for more the adventurous type. For those who are interested it is called the Hibiscus overnight freight ferry and I like how the site I got the info summed it up, comfort is the last thing they consider. And one more great memory that this video triggered was again when I had lived in Kagoshima, there is a volcano island called Sakurajima and on that island you can get curry where they shape the rice like Sakurajima volcano and then you pour the curry over it as if it was like lava erupting from the volcano.
I was stationed on a tug boat in Yokosuka in 1994-95, and for some reason this made me think of when we drive our little tug to Shimoda for the Black Ship Festival! Your trip was much more comfy, though!
Enjoy your beautiful life Norm!
Luv ya!❤
Oooh, movie theaters on ferries are always nice! I saw the 1998 Godzilla on a ferry movie theater. Stormy ocean sure did bring a certain atmosphere to it :D
Taking a long ferry ride somewhere in Japan has been on my list for a while much like the overnight train to izumo. It looks nice.
This was actually interesting timing, I'm doing a similar overnight ferry to Hokkaido next week with some friends. We are cycling from Sapporo to the west coast and then back through the mountains with an stop off at an onsen before catching an overnight ferry back to Tokyo. Unfortunately we aren't sponsored so we got the little capsule rooms. Our ferry is more like 12 hours though so we get on just as the sun starts going down and get off just after breakfast.
Was nice to see you live yesterday and now we have new video :D
Hope you enjoyed it!
Thanks so much for coming!!
@@TokyoLens Definitely! After watching your videos for so many years, it was nice to see you with my own two eyes instead of a monitor, phone or whatever else people watch UA-cam videos on :D Also been a fan of shamisen music for long time so if there is opportunity to listen to live music I will try to attend :D
That's an awesome room for a ferry. I tend to get travel sick on certain journeys in the car, but I haven't been on a ferry overnight, I definitely think having that balcony and being able to get some fresh air would help a lot.
Another great video Norm. Also a fan of Red Lobster as well. Same thing with me but both parents and my American side of my family. Whenever I used to go and find myself in America, especially in Florida, I am from the Caribbean, one of the first restaurants I would go to and have a meal with my family. And it was like a tradition before departing from Florida to back home in the Caribbean. We don't go there anymore but great memories.
15:32 The Red Lobster Cheese biscuits are probably the most memorable thing from my few visits to one. Always so good!
💯
It's awesome to see you try the ferries in Japan, I watch a bunch of Japanese creators who review different ferries so it's nice to see it from the first-time perspective.
I've been wanting to do a ferry for a while now, but this video solidifies it for me. Taking a flight would definitely be easier, but I miss the sea. Taking the ferry seems to be a lot more relaxed, at least this one. Thank you for making this video!
This would be something I would want to do on a second trip or 3rd trip to Japan. As for Red Lobster, I'm with you as that was the birthday dinner/celebration dinner restaurant when I was growing up too.
Reminds me of the cruise I took around the Mediterranean. It was a fun time. Appreciate Red Lobster JP for your fun adventure!
Glad you enjoyed your trip on the Soliel. I live close to that port and I took that same ferry to Kyushu myself. I was not able to get the suite but i did get the state room, which was also pretty nice. Including the cost of shipping my car, the whole cost about 700 dollars each way. I will definitely do it again next year.
Holy Moly that Room was almost bigger then what I usually have on Cruise Ships... :D And yes, Balcony on a Ship is the best. I can't do Cruise Ships without anymore.
This looked like a perfect way to travel with beautiful views too 💜
I am so excited for you! 🎉🎉 Good for you! 😊 That cruise looks like so much fun! Those jolt waves sound like they would be SO much fun to feel. 😅 I love that planetarium! Thank you for the tour! 😊 You're lucky that you don't get seasick. Sad that the restaurants put you on a countdown to get out. 😅 Nice Spa! Bummer on the movie. Beautiful views. 😴😴😴😂 You've earned it. 🎉
WOW! That was fast! Incredible video! As always, love from the Southern California desert 🏜
This reminds me of when I was younger going on the Star Cruises ships with my family for a weekend trip. Being able to walk around inside the ship discovering places and playing in the gaming arcade were the highlight of those trips.
oh dang! room number 001, thats impressive.
I have watched so many Japanese ferry videos, so awesome to see yours.
I would love to take that ferry, except I think I would want a longer trip 😄
I would *totally* spend a day on a ferry! I have good memories of the one I took from Kagoshima to Yakushima; loved it, though our rooms were *extremely* tiny and had bunkbeds.
Here's a little something about balconies: I went on my one and only cruise with my sister and her three huge sons to the Honduras, the coast of Mexico and some other islands; it was great, but my nephews snored like snorkeling walruses and I couldn't stand it. We had a pretty large balcony and I figured that hey, if I can camp in tents in the desert I can sleep on a balcony; so I got the steward to bring extra blankets, sheets and a pillow, told him what I was going to do, and slept on the floor of the balcony for the entire cruise. It was wonderful! I watched herds of dolphins til I fell asleep some nights, learned that the ship had its own contingent of tiny yellow-winged birds that lived between the decks (my sister thought I was hallucinating til I woke her up around dawn to watch them flying back in to nest for the day), saw bats diving into the ship's floodlights to catch insects whenever we'd come near coastlines, and all of this for the cost of sleeping on a harder surface than usual. Big deal-- totally worth it. Balconies are wonderful.
One day when I'm big and I get to visit Japan, I definitely want to do this, and also finish the trip off at the Red Lobster as you did. I really enjoy your videos showing the "off the beaten track' type of places in Japan.
That’s amazing!! If you ever do it, send me photos!!
Some of my fondest memories are riding the ferry over to PEI as a kid! We had family reunions there every couple years and it was always so amazing. ❤
Love your vids my dude. keep it up!
That ferry actually looked quite lovely! I'd happily travel that way.
Was amazing to see you in person yesterday! And now another amazing video!! Thanks as always
Honestly thank you so much for coming!!
Looks like a lovely luxury (mid range) hotel room , "so this is my balcony " your balcony is just a natural way of getting your hair dried on how windy it was 😅
Looks like a great time. I’d defiantly take that ferry. It’s on the list for my next visit to Japan.
The picture on your cabin, was very similar to a Silent Hill picture. Instead of 9 red squares, it was 9 blue squares. I thought that that was interesting. And here in 70- something days, I will also be on a ship. I love being on cruises, they are a blast.
Love the vid Norm. I would definitely consider taking a ferry like that as an alternative to something like a domestic flight when visiting
That ferry looks amazing! Would want to a room for the voyage but a small one would be fine. I used to travel by ferry from England to France and back for holidays growing up, so ferry travel has fond memories for me.
That’s a nice ferry ❤
Your an Inspiration Norm! Love your adventures and stories man!
Ahhh Yokosuka to Kitakyushu. I’m hoping to do this one soon. I’ve done to Takeshiba to Kozushima and Hachijojima, then Hachijojima to Aogashima respectively and they were all great. After spending a few months on the USS Blue Ridge, I’m sure this ferry would be no big deal but the amenities sure are tempting.
When I make back I want to do a ferry trip all around Japan. Nice to see you finally tried one.
I've been on a night ferry between The Netherlands and the UK when it was rough enough to roll from left to right in bed just a little and move the bathroom door when not closed. No windows in the cabin. Didn't mind it at all, kinda fun to be honest and slept well actually.
This is so cool. I'd love to check this out sometime
10/10 would recommend!
Love a Japanese ferry - I've done Osaka - Beppu, Kobe - Miyazaki and a bunch more. Also rode the overnight from Shinmoji to Osaka a couple of times, it's cheaper than the shinkansen and you get a private single bed for the night.
I rode Ferry Soleil from Yokosuka to Shinmoji back in February to get to my new home in Fukuoka, and it was a great trip. Surprised you didn't start with a late night snack - soba and maruten fishcake was just the ticket. Food overall was great, and the scenery when passing the Shikoku coast was stunning. Passing the sister ship was also cool - a lot of people out on the observation deck to watch that.
The capsules look really cosy, I had one of the tiny single rooms which was very comfortable - jealous of your balcony though, that room is bigger than my 1R apartment 😂
Oh, and the outdoor bath? I shared it with a 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙡𝙮 tattooed bloke, likely one of the truck drivers - not only do they have their own cabins away from the paying passengers area, they also have their own restaurant that is just the other side of the kitchen from the passenger side.
Regarding Anglicised spellings: I've seen Kyusyu a number of times, it's always a bit weird - the mini towel I got from the ferry has that spelling. In Tokyo, the one that gets me is Shinbashi vs Shimbashi - they are used interchangeably and seemingly randomly 🤬
Cup Noodle FTW! Also darn it, I should have stopped at Red Lobster when I was in Huis Ten Bosch last month...
The only ferries I have experienced are in Puget Sound and are an awesome way to travel. Your Japanese Ferry is more than next level! Just having so many lights and conveniences with so few travelers-wow! I would love to be able to spend some time on that Ferry!
All the excitement on this one 👋 💜✌️🐦 more after i watch. Safe travels and have a great week, Norm
Thanks so much!!!
Been on the Kurenai Sunshine Ferry in their deluxe Japanese room with connecting western room (family trip). Left Beppu for overnight for Osaka. It was truly a great experience :) Not 24 hours but a good chance to try one of these out :)
When I was a child, we took a ferry from Tacoma to Vashon Island. For whatever reason, my father explained to us, at that point, that because life is unpredictable, we should try and live the moment and enjoy it, and told us there that one day he would leave this world, that we all would, so best to enjoy it. Make time to build memories. We are still blessed with my father having good health and still being around. That said, I took that same ferry in 2008. I love watching videos about trips on boats like this, specially because its in Japan, and specially because it always reminds me to live and enjoy the moment, and that life is unpredictable. Next trip to Japan, I'm going to try and take a trip on a ferry like that one. I'll look up Red Lobster too lol
I loved this episode
That ferry ride seemed amazing. It looked very clean just as you'd expect from Japan.
Having the opportunity to make such a trip and following through with it while taking us along the way: thank you very much for that!
Travelling a longer time on a boat ain't for everyone but I think you made many of us more eager to do so ourselfs ☺
And btw, really jelous of the meal at the end 😅
Back when I was living in Kansai I took the shorter route from Kobe to Kyushu with my motorcycle. It was a lot of fun and spared me at least one day of riding on expressways. Despite looking similarly glamorous inside that one had more the feeling of a working ship, full of trucks and their drivers plus a bunch of riders like myself. Definitely a very Japanese experience.
Oh can't wait to see the follow-on videos from this trip!
This is the only vid 😊
Love your videos Norm, as always thank you!
Yayyy a norm video to relax on my Sunday night with!!
Yes to both!
love it! that room is huge!
Me tooooo!!
I have gone on ferries between Norway and Denmark a lot of times, and Norway and Germany twice. I think it's good, but I but too much drinking for my taste. I usually eat dinner, watch a movie if there is a theater or just chill with whatever is on my tablet in my cabin. These trips are usually 2 nights long with some hours on land, then going back the next night. Some food can be included in the ticket or one can eat smaller meals in a café. There are no Red Lobsters (and few sea food restaurants) at all in Norway, so I have never been.
I'd love to get on one of these someday, seems like a good way to relax, can't wait for your Amsterdam videos
Ferries are a fantastic way to get around Japan, and I would 100% overnight sail on one to get where I need to be. I don't get sea sick usually, have only experienced it once, and I blame it on the fried seafood I had before going out. Going to watch this one again as I've missed a lot of the in-depth detail watching on 2 hours sleep. Fun fact: I've never eaten at a Red Lobster. 👋 Hi to your Mom, and love that tradition.
Awwww the double watch is my absolute favorite!! Thank you so much~
7:26 that is one SMOOOOOTH transition Norm
I am not that late this time around! Great video as always Norm!
I love ferry videos! That room is amazing; it looks like a pretty typical business hotel room. I can't believe it has a full bath! I love the balcony! I also love that you used drunken sailor. 😂 Love "treating yourself" with cup noodles. I've thought it would be interesting to do a ferry, as I loved when we took them in WA and BC as kids, but when we're in Japan, we're usually trying to get places, so a ferry seems like it would be too slow
If you ever get the chance, I fully recommend giving it a shot!!
If I had Lobster waiting for me at the other end, I would 100% do 24hrs on that boat. Ive had many experiences on 2 to 4hr ferry journeys, to the Isle of Man, where the local delicacy of Queenies (mini scallops) was at the other end. You running around that boat was my childhood back and forth across the Irish Sea.
The 'getting there' is as important to me as arriving at the destination.