Ferries

Ferry services to Zamami Island operate on either the high speed timetable for the Queen Zamami 3 and the more leisurely Ferry Zamami.

All ferry departures to Zamami come from the island of Naha, out of the Tomari port.

Watch Queen Zamami arrive at Aka port for a stop off between Tomari and Zamami in this video:

Finding The Tomari Port For The Queen Zamami 3 Boat Or Ferry

Upon reaching Tomari, use highway 58 to get to the port, allowing plenty of time ahead of your sail time. Departures are daily, either direct or via Aka. You can also connect from Aka to Zamami via a short speedboat ride.

Booking Places Aboard The Queen Zamami

At busy times, it’s essential to book your transport ahead of time. It’s also advisable where possible throughout the year outside of the summer tourist season and especially the Golden Week. Golden Week is popular because of the four bank holidays in quick succession, across the end of April into the first week of May.

To make your reservation aboard the Queen, you’ll need to call on 098-868-4567. Allow a good amount of time for your call, as staff are often busy preparing for peak season and it can take time to answer. In addition, the language barrier can mean that confirming dates and passengers will take longer than you might be used to.

When you make your telephone booking, it’s common to pay later on arrival. Traditionally, reservations are not purchases, so your transaction will need to be completed on arrival, which is why you need to allow sufficient time when you arrive before the departure time.

East China Sea Weather

Due to the climate affecting sailing on the East China Sea routes to Zamami, you need to be aware that cancellations are possible. Typhoons and generally inclement weather are possible, particularly either side of the peak summer months.

While we’re primarily talking about disruption to reaching Zamami here, it’s worth noting that disruption can occur in either direction, so be mindful of the possibility of being stuck on the islands for longer than planned if extreme weather takes hold. The ferry companies are good at accommodating changes to ticketing when their services are disrupted by weather, so there should be no additional cost, just a delay to travel. For most people this is a minor inconvenience, however if you have airline connections to make after your island visit, keep an eye on forecasts and local news.

Tourist information points will be able to tell you of any weather warnings that are activated during your visit, however extreme inclement weather does not always come with much notice.

Queen Zamami 3

The Queen Zamami 3 is better known as Queen Zamami locally or even just ‘The Queen’. While both boats are ferries, this is the speed demon when it comes to reaching Zamami Island quickly, gliding majestically through the waves.

Here’s a typical schedule of sail times between Tomari (那覇  泊), Aka (阿嘉) and Zamami (座間味). Arrows indicate sailings without a stop at Aka.

Term	Ship	Tomari	Aka		Zamami		Aka		Tomari
		Departs	Arrives	Departs	Arrives	Departs	Arrives	Departs	Arrives
01-27	1	09:00	→	→	09:50	10:00	10:10	10:20	11:10
	2	16:00	16:50	17:00	17:10	17:20	→	→	18:10
28	1	09:00	09:50	10:00	10:10	10:20	→	→	11:10
	2	16:00	→	→	16:50	17:00	17:10	17:20	18:10
29-30	1	09:00	→	→	09:50	10:00	10:10	10:20	11:10
	2	16:00	16:50	17:00	17:10	17:20	→	→	18:10

Ferry Zamami

The ferry is your only real option if you’re bringing significant possessions on your trip. For example, vehicles including bikes, and multiple or sizeable suitcases are impractical on the Queen, so relaxing aboard the slower ferry is a great choice. What’s more, it’s a cheaper way to travel too, as the expense of a faster crossing. Typically those staying on they island tend to use this ferry to reach their accommodation on Zamami.

The lower cost means that large parties like school excursions tend to choose to use the ferry, so be aware that these events can impact the schedules. The ferry is a little more reliable in rougher waters, however is still liable to cancellations in very choppy sea or strong winds and weather.

Here’s a typical schedule of sail times for the ferry between Tomari (那覇  泊), Aka (阿嘉) and Zamami (座間味).

Term	Tomari	Aka		Zamami		Aka		Tomari
	Departs	Arrives	Departs	Arrives	Departs	Arrives	Departs	Arrives
01-30	10:00	11:30	11:45	12:00	15:00	15:15	15:30	17:00

Mitsu Shima

Earlier on this page, we mentioned the speedboat to get between Aka and Zamami. Here’s the details – it’s suitable for use with bikes, but nothing bigger.

You can get your ticket at either end of the route, prior to departure.

	Zamami	Aka		Zamami
Boat	Departs	Arrives	Departs	Arrives
#1	7:45	8:00	8:00	8:15
#2	11:45	12:00	12:15	12:30
#3	14:30	14:45	15:30	15:45
#4 (summer)	17:30	17:45	17:45	18:00
#4 (winter)	17:15	17:30	17:30	17:45

Ferry Passenger Fares

Of course, pricing is subject to change, but here’s the information at the time of writing. Note the savings on return (round trip) ticket standard bookings.

Pricing	One-way	Return	Group One-way	Group Return	Disabled One-way	Disabled Return
Queen adult	¥3,140	¥5,970	¥2,830	¥5,660	¥1,570	¥3,140
Queen child	¥1,570	¥2,990	¥1,420	¥2,840	¥790	¥1,580
Ferry adult	¥2,120	¥4,030	¥1,910	¥3,820	¥1,060	¥2,120
Ferry child	¥1,060	¥2,020	¥960	¥1,920	¥530	¥1,060

Car, Bicycle, and Motorcycle Fares

Again, these prices may be outdated by the time you read this, however will give you an indication of cost.

Car Fares*	Tomari to Zamami or Aka	Between Aka & Zamami
Cars under 3m long	¥8,900	¥900
3m – 4m	¥11,200	¥1,130
4m – 5m	¥13,500	¥1,360
5m – 6m	¥15,800	¥1,590
6m – 7m	¥18,100	¥1,820
7m – 8m	¥20,400	¥2,050
8m – 9m	¥22,700	¥2,280
9m – 10m	¥25,000	¥2,510
10m – 11m	¥27,300	¥2,740
11m – 12m	¥29,600	¥2,970
Bicycle	¥370	¥100
Motorized Bicycle	¥760	¥210
Scooter/Motorcycle	¥1,510	¥310

Please note, vehicle tickets are one way only and include the fare for the driver/rider. Passengers are charged extra per person.