Shikoku Kyukou Ferry which operates Uno - Takamatsu ferry service announced that December 15 will be the last day of the service of Uno -Takamatsu ferry route. This will end Uno - Takamatsu ferry after 109 years of service.

Uno - Takamatsu ferry service (Ukou route) started on June 12, 1910 (Meiji year 43) by the government entity called Tetsudou In (鉄道院), predecessor of JR, as connection between Honshu and Shikoku train service. Until 1988 when Seto Bridges opened and connecting Honshu and Shikoku by road JR operated ferry service between Uno and Takamatsu connecting to train service at each end. Back when air travel was not yet reached the level of mass transit in Japan it was a standard route to get to Shikoku. Take a train to Okayama, transfer to Uno line to Uno, take a ferry service to Takamatsu, then transfer to trains at Takamatsu and head to various parts of Shikoku. JR used to have overnight Limited Express sleeper service "Seto" bound for Uno operated daily departing Tokyo station every evening.

After opening of Seto Bridges on 1988 JR inaugurated direct train service to Shikoku from Honshu via Seto Bridges and ended JR Ukou ferry service. Shikoku Kyukou Ferry and two other companies continued operation of ferry service between Uno - Takamatsu after opening of Seto Bridges on 1988, but today Shikoku Kyukou Ferry is the only one left operating Ukou route. Now Shikoku Kyukou Ferry announced termination of Ukou route on December 15.