What memories do you have of ports in your country?
A place where you waited for a boat with family, friends or someone you loved. The excitement of setting off on a journey. The sight of someone departing for a distant destination. The memories that come to mind will be different for everyone.
In Japan, too, boats carry people between places all the way from Hokkaido in the north to Okinawa in the southwest.
Using the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s Annual Report on Port Statistics, we have mapped passenger arrivals and departures at 134 ports across Japan.
Why not bring your own memories along as we explore Japan’s coast together?
Find Ports Across Japan on the Map
The circles on the map represent passenger arrivals and departures by ship.
You can switch between 2019, 2021 and 2024, and choose all routes, domestic routes or international routes. Select a circle to see the figures for that port.
You can also search by port name. Start with somewhere you know or a region you would like to visit.
A few notes about the map
Domestic and International Routes
Domestic routes connect ports within Japan. International routes connect Japan with other countries.
Switching between route types changes the size of the circles, even at the same port. Some ports mainly serve Japan’s islands and coastal regions, while others see more international passenger traffic.
The Difference Between “0” and “Not Listed in the Source Data”
“0” means that the port appears in the source data for that year, but no passenger arrivals or departures were recorded for the selected route type.
“Not listed in the source data” means that the port has no row in that year’s passenger table. This does not necessarily mean there were no passengers, so the two are shown separately.
These Figures Count Passenger Movements, Not Unique Individuals
The figures combine passenger embarkations and disembarkations. If the same person travels several times, each embarkation and disembarkation is counted separately.
The map does not show cargo volumes or the overall size of a port.
Passenger Arrivals and Departures Across Japan
The data card shows a sharp fall in passenger arrivals and departures in 2021, followed by a recovery towards pre-pandemic levels in 2024.
The recovery on international routes is particularly noticeable. The figures offer a glimpse of passenger travel by sea between Japan and other countries returning.
Different Patterns Across the Regions
Looking at the national map, you can see many large circles clustered around Kyushu and Okinawa.
Even within the same region, however, ports differ in both their passenger numbers and the balance between domestic and international routes.
Connections between islands, gateways to major cities, and arrival points for ships from overseas—what role might each port play?
Switching years or route types may reveal a different picture from the one you saw when you first opened the map.
With the ports of your own country in mind, what new discoveries might you make in Japan?
Sources
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Annual Report on Port Statistics, 2019: Class A Ports, Table 2, Passenger Embarkations and Disembarkations
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Annual Report on Port Statistics, 2021: Class A Ports, Table 2, Passenger Embarkations and Disembarkations
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Annual Report on Port Statistics, 2024: Class A Ports, Table 2, Passenger Embarkations and Disembarkations
Note: The 134 ports included are those listed in at least one of the three years of source data used here. This is not the total number of ports in Japan.
Note: Port locations on the map are representative points.