The is a privately owned ferry service crossing the Tsugaru Strait, which separates Hokkaido from Honshu. The ferries run three routes: Hakodate to Aomori and Hakodate to Ōma, Muroran to Aomori.
Routes
Hakodate—Aomori This route links the Port of Hakodate in Hakodate, Hokkaido with the Port of Aomori in Aomori. 6 round trips are made per day, with each trip taking three hours and forty minutes one way. The route is operated by four ships: the Blue Dolphin, Blue Happiness, and Blue Luminous. Each ship makes two round trips a day. With the conversion of the Seikan Tunnel from conventional trains into the Hokkaido Shinkansen, this route has seen a resurgence in ridership as the cheaper alternative. It connects Japan National Route 4 in Aomori with Japan National Route 5 in Hakodate.
Hakodate—Ōma This route links Hakodate with the Port of Ōma in Ōma, Aomori. National Routes 279 and 338 run along this route as well. A trip takes ninety minutes one way, and is operated by the with two round trips a day.
Muroran—Aomori This route links the Port of Muroran in Muroran with the Aomori. 6 round trips are made per week, with each trip taking seven hours one way. The route is operated by Blue Mermaid.
History Since 1965, the was the primary operator of passenger ferries across the Tsugaru Strait. Aside from the current routes, the Higashi Nihon Ferry also operated a wide network connecting Muroran, Tomakomai, and Iwanai to the north; Sendai, Hachinohe, Ōarai, and Jōetsu to the south; and Busan, South Korea. However, these lines proved to be less and less profitable and closed one after another.
Meanwhile, the was founded in 1972 as a part of Higashi Nihon Ferry, ro-ro cargo service between Hakodate and Aomori. In October 2000, Dōnan Jidōsha Ferry began operating passenger services with a newly built ship, the Esan 2000. In November 2008, Higashi Nihon Ferry suspended its Hakodate—Aomori, Hakodate—Ōma, and Muroran—Aomori services and sold three ships (Venus, Virgo, and Vayu) to Dōnan Jidōsha Ferry. Dōnan Jidōsha Ferry, however, chose not to operate the Muroran—Aomori route. On November 1, 2009, Higashi Nihon Ferry was merged into Dōnan Jidōsha Ferry, and the resulting company was renamed as Tsugaru Kaikyō Ferry.
Fleet ShipBuiltRouteGross tonnageLengthWidthPassengersCarsSpeedDaikan Maru2013Hakodate-Ōma1,91290.7 m15.7 m47821 Trucks or 60 Cars18Blue Mermaid2014Hakodate-Aomori8,860144 m23.0 m51071 Trucks or 230 Cars20Blue Dolphin (2nd generation)2016Hakodate-Aomori8,850144 m23.0 m58371 Trucks or 230 Cars20Blue Happiness2017Hakodate-Aomori8,851144 m23.0 m58371 Trucks or 230 Cars20Blue Grace2025Muroran-Aomori8,897144 m23.0 m42265 Trucks or 230 Cars20
References