How do you travel from Tempozan to Universal Studios Japan?
I think many people plan to have a good time at Tempozan, with its many attractions such as Kaiyukan aquarium, the Giant Ferris Wheel, Tempozan Market Place, and the lowest mountain in Japan, and plan to go to USJ.
Each is a representative tourist attraction of Osaka.
A rather wide river runs between Minato Ward, where Tempozan is located, and Konohana Ward, where USJ is located.
Unfortunately, there are no bridges in the vicinity that allow people to pass through.
Many of you may be thinking of taking trains.
This is not a problem, but it will force you to take the long way around.
Since you’ve come all the way to Osaka, why not use some unusual way to get around?
For those people, I would like to recommend, The Captain’s Line.
This passenger boat connects Tempozan and USJ in about 10 minutes.
You can enjoy the view of the Osaka Bay area from the boat while heading to USJ.
This article is intended for
・Those who like to travel by boat.
・Those who want to move quickly to USJ.
・Those who are interested in something different.
By reading this article, you will be able to discover the charm of the Captain’s Line and feel like taking a ride on it, knowing how it differs from the train ride and the Tenpozan ferry previously mentioned.
Thank you again for your cooperation.
What is a captain line?
Captain Line is a passenger ferry that connects USJ to Tempozan and Osaka Port, where Kaiyukan, the Giant Ferris Wheel, and Tempozan Market Place are located.
Basic fares are as follows (as of October 13, 2023)
| adult (Junior high school students or 13 years and older) |
900 yen one way | Round trip 1,700 yen |
| child (Elementary school students) |
500 yen one way | 900 yen round trip |
| infant (3 years and older) |
One way 400 yen | Round trip 700 yen |
*One child 1 or 2 years old is free for each adult.
They also offer special offers, set sales, and group discounts.
For more details, please refer to the official Captain Line website.
Many tourists use this service to connect two of Osaka’s most popular tourist destinations.
This was the first time for me, hiikun, to ride the Captain’s Line.
(Boarding from Tempozan side at 17:00 on October 12)
Probably the locals will not use it.
I think everyone was a tourist except me.
I was surprised that there were more users than expected. There must have been at least 20 people on board.
Most of the passengers were on the observation deck, taking pictures and enjoying the scenery and the boat trip.
What happens when you travel by train?
Now let us see what route you would take if you were traveling by train.
First, take the Osaka Port Station, the closest station to the Tempozan area, to Benten-cho Station two stops away on the Osaka Metro Chuo Line (take the No. 1 train).
At Bentencho, change to an outbound JR Osaka Loop Line train to the next station, Nishi-Kujo Station.
From Nishi-Kujo, transfer to the JR Yumesaki Line and get off at “Universal City Station” two stops away.
From “Osaka Port” to “Benten-cho” is 240 yen.
From “Benten-cho” to “Universal City” is 170 yen.
The total cost is 410 yen.
It takes 20 to 30 minutes to get to the station, transferring between stations, and waiting for the train.
While cheaper than the captain’s line, it forces you to take a significant detour.
The map shows this clearly.
However, traveling by train is an easy and reliable way.
If you are worried about seasickness, we recommend that you take the train instead.
Please refer to the official website of each railway operator for details such as timetables and routes.
Click here for JR Odekake Net.
Click here for Osaka Metro’s official website.
Now let’s see how it compares to the Tenpozan ferry.
Difference from Tempozan Ferry
Tempozan Watership is one of the eight ferry boats operated by Osaka City.
This is the most time-consuming way of transportation compared to the Captain Lines and trains.
However, this is the cheapest way to travel.
Because you can board the ship for free.
Local residents and those who work in the neighborhood (including foreign employees of USJ) rather than tourists
use this ferry service.
You can read more about the Tenpozan Watership in our previous post.
If you are interested, please refer to this page.
Thank you for your patience.
Finally, it is time to board the Captain Line.
Let’s enjoy the boat trip together.
Let’s actually take a ride on the Captain Line.
Now let’s take a ride on the Captain Line.
The starting point was going to be in front of Kaiyukan aquarium and the ending pointwas going to be Universal City Station….
But here I made a serious mistake.
I failed to check the departure time.
The Captain Line departs every hour at 0:00 (on the West Hatoba side of the Kaiyukan).
I was going to board the 16:00 boat.
However, it was 15:55 when I arrived at Tempozan by local bus.
I decided not to take the 16:00 boat because the distance from the bus stop to the Captain’s Line boarding point was quite long and I could not make it in 5 minutes.
Therefore, I decided to start from the Tenpozan side of the Captain Line (Kaiyukan West Gate) and verify how long it would take to get from there to Universal City Station, the final stop, by boat and on foot.
I killed time by strolling around Tempozan Harbor Village until the 17:00 boat arrived.
Even though it was a weekday, I was surprised at the number of tourists.
There were many school excursion students as well as ordinary Japanese and foreign tourists.
It is easy to see why Tempozan is so popular.
Moreover, on the day of our visit, a foreign luxury cruise ship was docked.
Presumably, those passengers also disembarked and enjoyed sightseeing.
*Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of that luxury liner…(crying).
It is labeled “shuttle ferry.”
Go straight through the passage between Kaiyukan and the commercial building with souvenir stores, Starbucks, etc.
After passing through the passageway, you will see this.
The mouth of the Aji River can be seen on the right hand side of Osaka Port.
And Osaka Bay can be seen in the distance.
Walking along the Kaiyukan, you will see a sign for a shuttle boat (Captain Line).
Down this hill and turn right…
you will arrive at the Captain Line ticket office.
I arrived 40 minutes before departure.
Allow plenty of time for everything.
I purchased a ticket for the boat. It also includes a discount ticket for the Giant Ferris Wheel.
I, hiikun, headed to USJ from Tempozan.
Conversely, it is also a good idea to go from USJ to Tempozan and take a leisurely ride on the Giant Ferris Wheel using a discount coupon upon arrival.
Men, why don’t you consider this course for your date?
I am sure your girlfriends will be delighted.
Here comes the ferry which I will be on this time.
After arrival, we waited for a while for maintenance, etc.
This is a view of the boarding area.
While waiting, I looked out to sea and to my surprise, I saw a sightseeing boat, the Santa Maria.
I encountered this the last time I took the Tempozan ferry.
Actually, I have never been on the Santa Maria.
I would love to ride it in the near future.
Finally, it is time to board the ship.
I did not use the seats on the first floor, but used the observation deck on the second floor.
I have secured the area directly behind the cockpit.
I wanted to photograph the entire deck, but there were more people than expected, so I refrained from doing so.
The bright red bridge in the back is Port Bridge (Minato Ohashi).
It is a truss bridge with a total length of 980 meters. With a center span of 510 meters, it is the third longest bridge in the world and the longest in Japan, making it a symbol of Osaka Bay. Up close, you will be overwhelmed by its sheer size.
It was completed in 1974. It will be 50 years old next year.
When I went to a driving school 20 years ago, I crossed that bridge for training for driving through highway.
Actually, that bridge is two stories. I ran the upper floor.
For more information on the Harbor Bridge, please refer to this page.
It’s 5pm and I thought we were going to sail. ・・・・
What a rush to get on board!
It seemed that they had bought the boarding tickets in advance, but a few passengers came to the boarding area in a hurry, perhaps because they had got the time wrong. As I mentioned earlier, please allow plenty of time for your activities.
The boat with everyone on board is finally ready to set sail.
I’m looking forward to it!
Now it’s time to go to USJ!
Depart from Kaiyukan West Hatoba to near the mouth of the Aji River.
The river is so wide that it feels as if I were crossing the ocean.
I managed to take a picture of a luxury liner that I had failed to photograph.
I wonder where it comes from.
The Tenpozan ferry terminal (Sakurajima side) can be seen on the left.
And on the right is the Tempozan ferry terminal (Chikko/Tempozan side).
For more information about Tenpozan Watership, please read this article.
This is the Tempozan Bridge. And behind it, you can see the roller coaster of USJ.
We can see a magnificient hotel right in front of JR Sakurajima Station, beside the bridge,
which I passed the last time I walked to the Tempozan ferry terminal.
Revel Hotel at Universal Studios Japan
Tempozan Bridge, the Giant Ferris Wheel, luxury cruise ships, and the sunset.
How beautiful!
We were also blessed with good weather.
There were hardly any clouds and the sky was a beautiful blue.
The sea breeze was pleasant and very cool.
A group of hotels around Universal City Port and JR Universal City Station area
came into view.
Even from here, we can see the skyscrapers of Osaka.
Ahhh…the fun boat trip is over (sad).
Arrived.
About 15 passengers were waiting at the boarding area. They were expected to head toward Tempozan.
Hotel Universal Port
Immediately after loading passengers, the ferry returned to Tempozan.
Go straight along the promenade along the river in front of the hotel.
Walk toward the Minions that appears small on the far right.
After walking for a while, under the watchful eye of the Minions, I arrived at a familiar place.
Hotel Universal Port Vita
Hotel Keihan Universal Tower
This is the first intersection we passed the last time we went to Tempozan.
Even from here, I could hear the screams of the roller coaster riders.
Turn right at the intersection…
We arrived at the end of the line, at the south entrance of JR Universal City Station.
The Cingulari Hotel & Sky Spa at Universal Studios Japan
It took us about 20 minutes to get here from the Captain Line Kaiyukan West Hatoba.
I didn’t feel tired because it was fun!
In summary, let’s review the differences between the three modes of transportation.
Finally, let’s review the pros and cons of traveling by Captain Line, Tenpozan ferry, and trains, respectively.
Travel by train
Cons: long detour, two transfers required, congestion at certain times of the day.
Pros: Naturally, the number of services is overwhelmingly high, so travel is almost guaranteed.
Transportation by Tempozan Ferry
Cons: The most time-consuming mode of transportation. It takes at least 20 minutes to walk from the Tenpozan ferry (Sakurajima side, Konohana-ku) to Universal Station. Not recommended for those who are not comfortable walking for long periods of time. Also, the area around the ferry (especially on the Sakurajima side in Konohana-ku) is not very popular at night.
Pros: cheapest means of transportation. Completely free. Recommended for those who are not in a hurry, like to walk, and like boats.
Travel by Captain Line
Cons: The most expensive means of transportation. Not recommended for those who are worried about getting seasick, as it takes longer than the Tempozan ferry. The first boat departs late and the last one leaves too early.
Pros: Fastest way to get around. Only 10 minutes to reach the other side of the river. After arriving at Universal City Port, an 8-minute walk will take you to Universal City Station.
Each has its advantages and disadvantages.
However, if you highly value speed and comfort, I would definitely recommend the Captain’s Line, which I introduced in this main article. I actually enjoyed the ride very much.
Dear readers who think train travel is boring!
Why not take a ride on the Captain Line and experience something out of the ordinary for a short time?
The view of Osaka Bay area from the boat is great (especially in the evening).
It will surely be a good memory of your trip.
We look forward to welcoming you aboard.
Thank you very much for reading this issue to the end.
