What's the cheapest way to get from Tokyo to Shanghai?  I'm a U.S.
citizen, and I must be able to satisfy the Japanese and Chinese
immigration officers.  I will be using a Temporary Visitor visa in
Japan and a Category L visa in China.  I would consider ground
transport to a more advantageous location within Japan.  Actually, I
don't even need to get in to Shanghai, as long as I can make it into
China.  I would leave on December 9, 2002 and return on March 6, 2003
(can leave earlier than Dec. 9, and return earlier than March 6).

Please note there is a potential "gotcha" with the Chinese Category L
visa...it only allows a stay of 30 days.  I would like to stay 3
months.  Once in China, applying for a longer stay from the local
public security bureau is allowed, which I plan to do.  I do not know
if the Chinese immigration authorities will allow me to enter the
country with a return date so far in the future, so an
easily-changeable departure date would be advantageous.

There are ferries between Japan and China - this site

http://www.seejapan.co.uk/transport/sea/international.html

lists several including Osaka to Shanghai for "between ¥20,000 and
¥50,000 one-way with discounts of up to 40% on return tickets".
¥20,000 is about $US170. Bus travel from Tokyo to Osaka is about
¥14,000, or $US119. Is this the sort of price you are looking for?