Cruising Japan-Does anybody do it?

[boatman61]

Just be Careful..... The Whales arrrr fighting back...
sunk one Japanese boat already...

[minaret]

My good friend Bruce Johnson did the Osaka-Seattle race quite a while back with John Guzzwell aboard John's boat. Bruce took the boat over and spent quite awhile solo circumnavigating Japan before the race. He said it was one of the best cruising destinations he'd ever been to, despite the technical challenges. Weather can be extremely harsh, currents are often pretty extreme, etc. his experience was that there are small fishing villages with well protected commercial harbors everywhere in Japan, so when the weather goes south you never have far to run. He also told me that the rural Japanese experience, particularly on the coast, is totally different than the big cities. A lot more xenophobia. He's a very large, very distinctive looking white man. But he said that local school kids were always his in, because they want to practice their English. He ended up being taken home for dinner everywhere he went, with the kids to break the ice. I've wanted to go ever since seeing the pics and talking to him about his trip. 54 days non stop Osaka to Seattle return trip sounded less appealing however.

[mikefossl]

We are currently in Setonaikai, the Inland Sea, Island hopping from west to east. We started in Okinawa, on up the West Coast of Kyushu and now are half way to Osaka.

We don't find things all that expensive. While Marinas may cost upwards of $40 per night, we mostly stay in small fishing ports, often on little used pontoons for free. Some food is expensive but we have always managed to find bargains. Beer is as cheap as anywhere we've been and fish is also very reasonable. While the bureaucracy is Byzantine and often time consuming, it is also free.

So far it's some of the best cruising we've done.

[rebel heart]

Some of my friends went up there from Australia, boat's name is Wooshie; ~31' if I remember correctly. They're currently in the South Pacific. They loved it. Jim Howard (Hanbook of Offshore Cruising) spent a lot of time there as well and loved it.

Regarding why more people don't do it, people in general prefer the easier routes that are well established. There's something to be said for the tropics as well. Mosquitoes and all that but also warm water, great fishing, nice waves, and sunshine.

Purposefully taking a boat somewhere with crummy weather rubs me the wrong way.

[Adelie]

There was an article in Cruising World 10-15yr ago about a couple sailing Japan in a Yamaha 33 or 37. Bit circular in a way.