MOL Sunflower Schedules 2026

MOL Sunflower — Shosen Mitsui Sunflower — runs the main overnight ferries between Kansai and Kyushu, on three route pairs with three generations of ship: Osaka–Beppu on the Kurenai and Murasaki (2023), Kobe–Oita on the Gold and Pearl (2007–08), and Osaka–Shibushi in Kagoshima on the Satsuma and Kirishima (2018). The company also operates a separate Tokyo-area to Hokkaido service.

The bath is the point

Every ship carries a 展望大浴場 — a large public bath with a sea view — alongside restaurants, shops and public lounges. On a Japanese overnight ferry this is not a novelty amenity; it is the reason many passengers choose the ship over a flight. Cabins range from private rooms to shared berths, and the site publishes a 360-degree interior view for each vessel.

Daytime option

Alongside the overnight sailings the Osaka–Beppu route offers a casual daytime cruise through the Seto Inland Sea, which turns the crossing itself into the destination.

Booking and policies

Internet booking earns points through Sunflower Members. The company publishes dedicated guidance for wheelchair users and passengers needing assistance, for pets, and for pregnant passengers and those travelling with small children — plus a stated customer harassment policy protecting its own staff, an increasingly standard disclosure among Japanese transport operators.