Ishigaki ferry tickets: how to buy, returns, passes, luggage

Buy your ticket from the company whose boat you will take, because Anei Kanko and Yaeyama Kanko Ferry (YKF) tickets do not work on each other's boats. Same-day tickets at the terminal are normal; book online by 18:00 the day before for the busy 08:00 Hateruma boat.

Two companies, two ticket systems

Anei Kanko (安栄観光) and YKF (八重山観光フェリー) ended their shared ticket on 30 September 2020. An Anei ticket only works on Anei boats (Anei Q&A) and a YKF ticket only on YKF boats (YKF Q&A). Fares match, for example 970 yen adult one way to Taketomi as published on 3 Nov 2026 (Anei fares, YKF fares). Only Anei sails to Hateruma. All fares and times are on the ferry timetables page.

How to buy

Anei Kanko

• Counter: in the Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal, tickets on the right, tours on the left. Buy at least 15 minutes before departure, even with a phone booking. Phone and agent bookings are issued only on the day (Anei Q&A).
• Web booking: prepay by credit card, skip the counter, and show the QR code from "My Page" at the pier at least 10 minutes before departure. Anei still advises reaching the terminal 30 minutes early (Anei Q&A). Web bookings close at 18:00 the day before and cost about 5% less, surcharge excluded (Anei guide). One QR code covers one group on one sailing (Anei booking).

YKF

• Counter: same terminal, no reservations (YKF Q&A).
• E-ticket: credit card only; then walk straight to piers 3 and 4. The web has a quota per sailing, so "sold out online" does not mean the boat is full (YKF tickets). Do not press the ticket's "start use" button before staff check it (YKF boarding guide).

Seats and when to buy

Seats are unreserved on both lines (Anei guide, YKF Q&A). Anei sells same-day tickets unless a boat is full (Anei Q&A). YKF caps sales per sailing and suggests an e-ticket ahead (YKF Q&A); even ticket holders may be moved to the next boat if one is full (YKF e-ticket page).

Anei asks you to book the crowded 08:00 Ishigaki to Hateruma boat online by 18:00 the day before (Anei timetable PDF).

Return tickets

• Anei: the return half is an open ticket, valid 14 days from the outbound date, on any sailing (Anei Q&A, Anei booking).
• YKF: the web sells one way at a time. Each leg is priced so two legs equal the return fare. Web and counter halves cannot be combined for the return price (YKF tickets). YKF does not publish a validity period for counter return tickets.

Cancelling and refunds

• Anei, your cancellation: 10% of the fare (minimum 200 yen) up to two days before, 30% (minimum 200 yen) the day before or on the day, the full fare after departure (Anei legal notice). Cancel web tickets in My Page until the day before, then at the counter or by phone. Unused tickets are not refunded unless cancelled (Anei Q&A).
• YKF e-ticket, your cancellation: online until the day before, by phone on the day (YKF Q&A). The e-ticket page lists 0% before departure and 100% after it or for a no-show (YKF e-ticket page). To change a time, cancel and buy again.
• When the operator cancels: Anei cancels prepaid web tickets itself and refunds via the card company (Anei Q&A); its carriage terms refund the unused fare (Anei carriage terms). YKF asks e-ticket holders to phone (YKF e-ticket page).

Multi-day passes

• Anei Island Hopping Pass: unlimited Anei high-speed boats on consecutive days. As published on 3 Nov 2026: 3, 4 or 5 days for 6,800, 7,800 or 8,800 yen (adult; half for children), or 12,000, 13,000 and 14,000 yen with Hateruma. Each leg's fuel surcharge is extra. Sold only at the Anei counter in Ishigaki; swap it for a ticket before each leg. No refund once used, nor for full boats or weather (Anei pass page).
• YKF Kariyushi pass (かりゆし周遊券): 3 days 10,000 yen, 4 days 11,000 yen adult, but sales are suspended because of fuel prices (YKF tickets).

Children and the fuel surcharge

On both lines, elementary school pupils pay the child fare and junior high pupils and older pay the adult fare. One preschool child per adult rides free on the adult's lap; a child with its own seat pays the child fare (Anei fares, YKF Q&A).

Published fares include the fuel surcharge. Anei's "stage 4" surcharge from 1 April 2026 is 360 yen of the Taketomi adult one-way fare and 1,840 yen for Hateruma (Anei surcharge notice). YKF's fares include its stage 4 surcharge; discounts never apply to it (YKF fares).

Paying

• Anei, Ishigaki counter: cash, credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, DC, JCB, AMEX, Diners, Nicos), Edy, WAON, iD, nanaco, transport IC cards and QR payments. Taketomi and Hatoma ports take cash only; Kuroshima and Hateruma take cash and PayPay (Anei Q&A). Web payment needs a card with 3-D Secure.
• YKF online: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX, Diners (YKF e-ticket page). Payment methods at the YKF counter: not published.

Luggage, bicycles, pets, wheelchairs

• Bags: Anei's carriage terms allow two cabin items, each up to 2 m in total length, width and height and 30 kg. Up to 20 kg in total is free (Anei carriage terms). No surfboard rule is published. Anei stores bags at its counter for 500 yen (large) or 300 yen (small) (Anei guide).
• Bicycles: Anei takes non-electric bikes on high-speed boats for an extra fee (amount not published) and may refuse them. E-bikes and motorbikes go on its cargo ships (Anei Q&A). YKF takes no bikes, except dismantled in a bike bag as hand luggage (YKF Q&A).
• Pets: Anei takes small pets in your own carrier, seated outside; ask first for large pets. Assistance dogs are welcome. Cats are restricted on Iriomote by Taketomi Town ordinance (Anei Q&A). YKF: not published.
• Wheelchairs: Anei carries your own wheelchair free (Anei carriage terms); Paijima and Paijima 2 have accessible toilets (Anei guide). Disability fares need a Japanese disability card or Mirairo ID, and at Anei are counter-only (Anei Q&A). YKF: no accessibility details published.

The terminal and boarding

The Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal (YKF calls it ユーグレナ石垣港離島ターミナル) has the operators' counters, travel agents, the Taketomi Town tourist desk, island hotel desks, shops, coin lockers and JA Bank and Seven Bank ATMs (Anei Q&A). Terminal opening hours: not published by the city or the operators. Anei's office is open 06:00 to 19:00 (Anei Q&A).

YKF boards from piers 3 and 4 from 15 minutes before departure. Buy counter tickets about 30 minutes ahead; e-tickets get no priority, and boats do not wait for late flights (YKF Q&A). See airport to ferry terminal.

If the boat is cancelled

When Uehara is cancelled, both lines take Uehara ticket holders via Ohara with a bus coupon; Anei auto-cancels web Uehara tickets, so buy again at its counter (Anei Q&A, YKF Uehara guide). More on rough sea and typhoons.

FAQ

Can I use an Anei ticket on a YKF boat?

No. The shared ticket ended on 30 September 2020 (Anei Q&A).

Do I need to book the Taketomi ferry in advance?

Usually not. Same-day tickets are sold unless a boat is full; a web ticket skips the queue.

How long is a return ticket valid?

Anei: 14 days from the outbound date. YKF sells online tickets one way at a time.

Can I pay by card at the terminal?

At the Anei counter, yes, also by IC card or QR code. YKF does not publish its counter payment methods.

Is there a ferry pass?

Anei's Island Hopping Pass covers 3 to 5 days. YKF's Kariyushi pass is suspended.

Facts on this page link to their sources; checked 2026-11-03.

Photos via Wikimedia Commons: High-speed ferries at the Ishigaki Port Remote Island Terminal (2013): Paipateroma, CC BY-SA 4.0.