THE KERAMA ISLANDS - Okinawa and the Ryukyu Islands - page 240

There are two different sets of ferry services for the islands. One sails to Tokashiki, the
other goes to both Aka and Zamami. All passenger ferries for the Keramas use the sea ter-
minal at Naha's Tomari Port ( 泊港 ; Tomari-kō; also called Tomarin).
Subject to some seasonal variation, such as additional service in summer, in general for
Tokashiki there are three sailings a day, two on the Marine Liner Tokashiki Express fast boat
and one on the ferry Kerama , which takes motor vehicles. The fast express ships leave Naha
daily at 9:00 AM and 4:30 PM . Each sailing takes 35 minutes to reach the island and 25 minutes
to unload and reload. The ferries then leave at 10:00 AM and 5:30 PM , respectively, for the
35-minute return to Tomari Port. In addition, the passenger and vehicle ferry leaves Naha
every day at 10:00 AM . It takes 80 minutes, arriving at Tokashiki at 11:10 AM . The ship then
waits until 3:30 PM or 4:00 PM , depending on the season, before returning to Naha, arriving
at 4:40 PM or 5:10 PM respectively. All ships arrive and depart at Tokashiki Port ( 渡嘉敷港 ;
Tokashiki-kō), which is on the island's east side, facing Naha.
There is also a fast passenger service and slower passenger and vehicle service to and from
Aka and Zamami. In general, the Queen Zamami III , which is the fast boat, carries passen-
gers only, no vehicles, and departs Tomari Port twice daily at 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM . The early
sailing goes directly to Zamami, arriving at 9:50 AM . Ten minutes later, at 10:00 AM , it sails
over to Aka, which takes 10 minutes. Another 10 minutes later, now 10:20 AM , the ferry de-
parts Aka and returns to Naha, arriving at 11:10 AM .
The afternoon sailing of the Queen plies a slightly different route. Leaving Naha at
4:00 PM , the ferry first goes to Aka, arriving at 4:50 PM . Ten minutes later, at 5:00 PM , it con-
tinues over to Zamami, arriving at 5:10 PM . Ten minutes after that, at 5:20 PM , it departs and
heads back for Naha, arriving at 6:10 PM .
If you wish to bring your car or motorbike/cycle/scooter over to the islands, you need
to take the slower boat, the ferry Zamami . In this case, there is at least one departure, often
two, per day. The ferry leaves Naha at 10:00 AM and takes 90 minutes to reach Aka, arriv-
ing at 11:30 AM . After unloading and reloading, the ferry leaves Aka at 11:45 AM and sails to
Zamami, arriving at noon. There the ferry docks until 3:00 PM when it departs and returns
to Aka, arriving at 3:15 PM . Again taking on new passengers, the ferry leaves at 3:30 PM and
returns to Naha 90 minutes later, arriving at 5:00 PM .