SEA PASEO is “a park for everyone who enjoys traveling on the Seto Inland Sea.”

This ferry with a new concept went into service between the regular lines connecting 3 cities, Hiroshima, Kure, and Matsuyama on August 1, 2019.
The name of the ferry is “SEA PASEO”!

The concept of SEA PASEO is “a park for everyone who enjoys traveling on the Seto Inland Sea.”
The design of the ship is clearly different from those of regular ferries, and you can enjoy strolling on the boat while you enjoy the view of the Seto Inland Sea, just like you are in a park.

The name of “SEA PASEO” is the combination of 2 words, “sea” in English and “paseo,” the Spanish word for“promenade.”
The design of both the appearance of the ship and the spaces inside have “circles” and “roundish” shapes, and that makes all those spaces so fascinating.

You can experience being on board the SEA PASEO with a 360-degree movie at the end of this article, so don’t miss it!

The roof deck is an observation park where you can fully enjoy the Seto Inland Sea!

The “Shine Deck” on the roof of SEA PASEO is a first-class location on this ship!
You can see the islands and the horizon of the Seto Inland Sea from here.

When you go down the stairs at the back of the deck, there is a half-open-air space called the “Patio of Gentle Breezes.”

Cabins are also relaxing space for the splendid scenery.

Please remember that the cabins for passengers of SEA PASEO are also spacious and relaxing spaces.
The “Panorama Sofas” are on the bow near the stairs, and people sitting there can enjoy the view from the front window.
Of course, sockets for mobile chargers and free Wi-Fi are available.

On the other hand, there is an observation/living room where you can take off your shoes called “HANARE over the Backwash” on the stern.
It is very unusual for passengers to be able to see the backside of the ship from inside the cabin, so this is one of the most unique features of the SEA PASEO’s design.

There are some seats in the open-spaces on either side of the center of the ship, where you can feel the sea breeze.

This shop sells original drinks, foods, and souvenirs.

You can fully enjoy the attractions of Setouchi on the sea route between Hiroshima, Kure, and Matsuyama!

Not only the ship, but also its sea route is one of the best cruising courses for fully enjoying the attractions of the Seto Inland Sea!

So, in this article, we will introduce some highlights on the route between Hiroshima Port and Matsuyama Tourist Port, during the 2 hour and 40 minute ride.

After the departure from Hiroshima Port, the ferry goes south to the east of Edajima Island, heading to Kure Port.
It takes about 45 minutes to go from Hiroshima Port to Kure.
You can see the beauty of the many islands in the Hiroshima Gulf, such as Ninoshima, Tougejima, Kanawajima, and so on.
When the ferry reaches the Kure area, you can see industrial districts and shipbuilding yards up close.

After leaving Kure Port, you will reach “Ondo-no-Seto” in 10 minutes, and this is a beautiful scenic spot to the south of Kure.
“Ondo-no-Seto” is a pretty narrow strait between Honshu (the main island of Japan) and Kurahashi-jima Island.

There are 2 bridges over “Ondo-no-Seto,” and the moment when the ship passes underneath the bridges is the highlight of this route between Hiroshima and Matsuyama!

After passing through Ondo-no-Seto, the strait (with its width of 500m) continues for a while.
When you pass Nasakejima Island, the ship finally goes out into the wider sea.
After going around Nasakejima, the ferry heads straight to Matsuyama.
In this area, you can enjoy the scenic beauty of many islands on the sea, such as Kurahashi-jima, the Hashirajima archipelago, Aki-nada Tobishima Kaido, and so on.

Finally, you arrive at Matsuyama Tourist Port after 2 hours 40 minutes of travel time from your departure at Hiroshima Port.

The real experience on board the SEA PASEO in a 360-degree movie!

Let’s check out a 360-degree movie which simulates the nice cruise between Hiroshima Port and Matsuyama Tourist Port!

※If you are unable to play the video, or would like to use a larger screen, press the 『YouTube』 button at the lower left and open the video in the YouTube app.

Photographs and text by Hironobu Matsuoka