Tōkai Kisen is a shipping company headquartered in 1-16-1, Kaigan, Minato, Tokyo, Japan (〒105-6891 東京都港区海岸一丁目16番1号). Its main business is freight and passenger transportation between the main island of Honshu and the Izu Islands in the Pacific Ocean. The company is listed on the Second Floor of the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
In general
Tōkai Kisen started its shipping business in 1889 as Tōkyo Bay Ships, combining four smaller shipping businesses, with twenty one ships and a total of 1.616 gross tons. In the following year, it was established as an incorporated company.
It soon added Hokkaido and Northeast Japan businesses, but later abandoned them. In 1942, it changed its name to the current name, Tōkai Kisen, which means East Sea Ships.
During the financially difficult time right after the Second World War, the company accepted investment from Fujita Kanko (Japanese: 藤田観光), one of the leaders in the hospitality industry, which has remained its largest shareholder with twenty percent of the company stock. It soon followed its expansion plans.
In 1969, Tōkai Kisen established Ogasawara Ocean Transport, a joint business with Kinkai Yusen, but now a Nippon Yusen's subsidiary.