Naoshima Ferry Cancelled? Here’s Exactly What to Do
If there’s a typhoon warning or a rough-weather forecast anywhere near your Naoshima dates, you want two things fast: a way to actually check if your specific sailing is running, and a plan if it isn’t. Here’s both, using the same information the ferry operator itself publishes.
First: It’s All One Operator
Every ferry and passenger boat route to Naoshima — from Uno, from Takamatsu, even onward to Teshima and Inujima — is run by a single company, Shikoku Kisen. That’s actually good news: you don’t need to hunt across multiple operators’ websites. You need one site, and the right page on it.
Check Your Specific Route’s Status Page
Shikoku Kisen publishes a live operating-status page for each individual route. Go straight to the one that matches your sailing rather than the general homepage:
| Route | Status Page |
|---|---|
| Uno → Miyanoura (car ferry) | shikokukisen.com/uno-miyanoura-ferry-unko/ |
| Uno → Honmura (passenger boat) | shikokukisen.com/uno-honmura-passenger-unko/ |
| Takamatsu → Miyanoura (car ferry) | shikokukisen.com/takamatsu-miyanoura-ferry-unko/ |
| Takamatsu → Miyanoura (high-speed) | shikokukisen.com/takamatsu-miyanoura-express-unko/ |
| Miyanoura → Ieura (Teshima) → Inujima | shikokukisen.com/miyanoura-ieura-inujima-express-unko/ |
| Uno → Seto | shikokukisen.com/uno-seto-ferry-unko/ |
Finding Naoshima Note: Shikoku Kisen also runs a general notices page at shikokukisen.com/information/, which is often where a disruption gets posted first, before the individual route page updates. Worth a quick check alongside your specific route.
Know Which Boat Is Most Likely to Stop First
Not every sailing is equally exposed to bad weather. Car ferries tend to keep running through light-to-moderate rain — they’re the larger, more stable vessels. High-speed passenger boats are the ones that typically get suspended first once winds or seas pick up. If your plan relies on a high-speed connection and the forecast looks marginal, it’s worth checking whether a car ferry on the same route is still scheduled to run.
Finding Naoshima Note: This is exactly why, if you’re arriving via Takamatsu’s high-speed boat and the forecast is shaky, the slower Takamatsu–Miyanoura car ferry can be the more reliable backup — check both status pages, not just the one you originally booked.
If You Need to Talk to a Human
The status pages don’t list phone hours, but these are the numbers Shikoku Kisen publishes for each ticket counter:
| Location | Phone |
|---|---|
| Takamatsu head office | 087-821-5100 |
| Takamatsu ticket counter | 087-821-6798 |
| Naoshima (Miyanoura) ticket counter | 087-892-3104 |
| Uno (Miyanoura/Honmura routes) ticket counter | 0863-31-1641 |
| Uno (Seto route) ticket counter | 0863-32-2400 |
We couldn’t confirm refund or rebooking policy details on the general site pages — if your sailing is cancelled, the ticket counter for your specific route is the authoritative source on what happens to your fare, not a general web search.
Plan Ahead If You’re Traveling in Typhoon Season
August falls squarely in Japan’s typhoon season, and our best time to visit guide flags summer ferry disruption as a real risk worth planning around — especially for a single-day trip. The concrete advice there holds here too: build in a buffer day if your schedule allows it, and avoid stacking a same-day return ferry directly against a flight departure. A delayed sailing can cascade into a missed flight fast.
If You End Up Stuck for a Night
If a cancellation strands you — on the island, or trying to get back to the mainland — don’t panic about finding a bed. See our comparison of staying on Naoshima vs. Uno vs. Takamatsu or our Uno Port travel guide for what’s actually available on short notice at either end of the crossing.