Using Local ferries

Hi. I'm new here and planning a 2 month cycling journey to Japan for next march april may.

I will want to use some local ferries instead of trains so that its easier to take my bike from A to B.

I have no trouble finding out about the major ferry routes but would like to know more about the smaller or more obscure ferry services.

I will be travelling cheap class.

Firstly, fares. How much is a one hour ferry trip, a three hour ferry trip, a 5 hour ferry trip and 12 hours. I just need some indication so that i can make rough estimations for myself when considering to take a ferry or to ride or to decide which ferry to take.

How would i get from the coast near Nikko to Hakone area. (I am trying to bypass Tokyo) and save time as this will be near the end of my trip.

For the start of my trip, i am considering a ferry to Hagi. Would this be very much more expensive than taking the train? How would i do this route? Do i need more than one ferry and how long would it all take do you think?

If i don't go to Hagi, I need another southern port on Honshu. I don't want to double back and i want to visit Mijajima so i need to go south of there, or west if you prefer.

Otherwise any advice as to how plan for ferries and use them would be great. Do many of the smaller ferries have showers?

1)2)
depend on route/ferry campany.

http://www.fune.co.jp/J-index/Z-teiki/Z-teiki.htm
click right menu then enlarge area finally click route line black mark.

Use google translate.

3)
from where?

Thanks for the great link. I haven't tried to translate anything yet but the site is really well laid out and clear. I only wish there was a button saying "ENGLISH VERSION" lol

I take it that if this is the extent of the ferry services in Japan, that ferries do not coastal cities or towns but only islands and cross gulfs.

Please correct me if i'm wrong.

I'm from Australia - close to Cairns, on the great barrier reef.

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2355.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2355_01.html

http://www.japanvisitor.com/japan-travel/japan-transport/japan-ferry

Alas, Sam i've found that information already but it wasn't what i was after. Those are long distance routes. I wanted to make shortish trips.

Thanks anyway.

I take it that if this is the extent of the ferry services in Japan, that ferries do not coastal cities or towns but only islands and cross gulfs.

Yes, that's pretty much it. Some of the long distance ferries stop at a few coastal cities along the way, but other than that ferries are slowly dying out in Japan and typically only exist to serve islands and cross bodies of water where bridges are impractical.