| Seikan ferry | |
| Crosses: | Tsugaru Strait |
| Route: | Aomori–Hakodate |
| Locale: | Aomori Prefecture, Hokkaido |
| Operator: | Kyoei Transportation Co., Ltd. and Northern Japan Shipping Corporation |
| Transit Type: | Passenger and automobile ferry |
| Traveltime: | 3 - 4 hours (2018) |
| Opened: | 1973 |
| Connection1: | Aomori |
| Bus1: | Aomori City Bus |
| Train1: | Shin-Aomori Station |
| Road1: | Port Road Route 1 Aomori Bay Bridge |
| Connection2: | Hakodate |
| Bus2: | Hakodate Bus Corporation |
| Train2: | Goryōkaku Station |
| Website: | http://www.seikan-ferry.co.jp/ |
The is a privately owned ferry service crossing the Tsugaru Strait, which separates the Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Honshu. The company,, was founded in 1973 and runs between the cities of Aomori on the northern tip of Honshu and Hakodate in southern Hokkaido.
This route links the Port of Hakodate in Hakodate with the Port of Aomori in Aomori. A trip takes three hours and twenty minutes one way, and is operated by four ships: the Hayabusa, Hayabusa 3, Asakaze 5, and Asakaze 21. Each ship makes two round trips a day, with a total of eight round trips per day between Aomori and Hakodate.[1] With the conversion of the Seikan Tunnel from conventional trains to the Hokkaido Shinkansen, this route has seen a resurgence in ridership as a budget alternative between Aomori and Hakodate.[2]
| Ship | Built | Gross tonnage | Length | Width | Passengers | Trucks | Speed | Former Owner | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayabusa 3 | 2000 | 2,107 | 101.5 m | 15.9 m | 105 | 25 | 19 | Kyoei Unyu | |
| Hayabusa (4th Genaration) | 2014 | 2,949 | 114.9 m | 19.0 m | 300 | 44 | 19 | Kyoei Unyu | |
| Asakaze 5 | 1998 | 1,958 | 144 m | 15.8 m | 103 | 24 | 19 | Kitanihon Kaiun | |
| Asakaze 21 | 2017 | 2,048 | 101.5 m | 15.8 m | 198 | 26 | 21 | Kitanihon Kaiun |