Has anyone had any experience with these ferries?
or
does anyone know any cheap flights between Shanghai and Tokyo?


do you start from China or from JPN, ex China there simply are NO really cheap flites INTERnational to JPN.
between these 2 (TYO/Narita) is UNITED, onward to the USA, the cheapest choice, try their site, it may even be poss to do some onlibne booking, leave from JPN its usually best to do it via 1 of the nottoomany agents specialising in serving gaijin/gwailo
As noted there are NO budget airlines to Japan from China or the reverse.
For ferry information try looking in the FAQs at the top of the NEAsia branch under the Japan section. I believe that there is a link for international ferries for Japan.
Ruth

I read on my guidebook (not LP's, sorry!) that there is a ferry leaving out of Shanghai harbor, and arrives in Osaka. It takes a while, however. For example, if you leave on a saturday, you arrive on a monday.
hope this helps (only if you're leaving from Shanghai)
k.

I had a good expereince with www.9588.com on a flight one way Beijing to Tokyo. The aircraft/airline was NWA operated.
It was pretty cheap, too, by UK standards.