A Fly On The Mast

[LifeAtSea]

Just want to send out my appreciation for the invaluable tid-bits of information that I am able to glean from all who post on this forum.
I am a virtual beginner but strokes of good luck have landed me with a yacht to play around with[I am based in Japan] and from now on all I can think about is getting hands-on experience and eventually living 'out there'.

Lots to study. Lots to practice. Lots to listen to.
Always the fly on the mast, silent, unseen but not without thanks to you all.

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[AndrewB]

I've often wondered what cruising is like in Japan. Doesn't the area have something of a stormy reputation? Do many yachts visit from elsewhere?

 

[LifeAtSea]

I'm still in the embryonic stages of sailing but via a general knowledge of our weather patterns can say that we do get quite a few typhoons - especially in June and September.
I'm based in Kobe and from now on will be a frequent sailor in that area. The more I know and experience, the more I can impart.
Some Norweigen guys who I met recently in Kobe, just left for a Japan to Alaska trip, having come up from the South Pacific. Probably unrelated to your question but it might give you an idea of what the conditions are like over here at the moment. How long would that trip take?

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[Sunnyseeker]

I've just finished a great book by Giles Milton, called Samurai Wilson or something similar. Made me want to make my next trip in that direction, all about the early colonists and the East India companies adventures. Sounds like there were a few storms then as well, but otherwise sounds like some fantastic exploring grounds. I got the chart out and it looks very interesting...I'll have a look for Kobe next time.
Are there many older harbours and anchorages that have remained un spoilt?

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[LifeAtSea]

I came across the journal of a couple who spent a bit of time exploring the inland sea of Japan. Their boat is called Illywacker. They seemed to be impressed with the little fishing villages that still hug the coast of this very over-populated country. In such inlets, one can still find slices of Japan that have remained as unchanged as you might 'not' expect, given the extreme modernity of this super-tech nation. Again, the Illywackers experienced what most foreigners experience upon arriving in Japan - boundless hospitality from their hosts and a people ever-willing to help out, despite the obvious and remaining language barriers that make this country still very 'alien' and yet very intriguing. Those who make it to Japan might find that one does not need a pile of yen the height and mass of Fuji-san, to get by afterall.
What I have found interesting about Japan and yachtingm, is that it is still not really 'thought' about. In my native country of the UK, everybody has considered what it must be like to go sailing or to own a yacht. In Japan, given,I suppose, the number of hours and committment that the average salaried person puts into their working life, the idea of sailing away, even for a day, just doesn't seem to cross people's minds. Those who do take the plunge, don't get to use their boats as often as they would like to and this in turn leads to a very vibrant and bargain-filled market in the second-hand boat range. Think about how well-looked after Japanese used-cars are and it will give you an idea of how many bargains are out there.
I'm waffling. I sometimes go on a bit because it's nice to think and write in English for a change.


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[Abigail]

The Pardey's book 'Serraffyn's Oriental Adventure' describes their time in Japan in (I think) late 60s/early 70s and is fascinating.

It's definitely on our list, but via NZ, and right now we're in Ipswich ...

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