Japan - Facts

Japan FAQs

Japan Facts for Sailors

• Japan is an island country in East Asia. It is located in the Pacific Ocean and lies off the eastern coast of the Asian continent. It stretches from the  Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and the Philippine Sea in the south.
• The total population of Japan is about 127 million, about 90% of whom live in cities. The majority of the Japanese practice Shintoism or Buddism, or a combination of the two.
• Japan operates on Japan Standard Time. For specifics see General Info.
• Japan has four seasons. Spring is characterized by mild conditions whilst the summers can be hot and humid. Autumn can be unpredictable with the highest chance of typhoons whilst the winters are generally crisp with clear skies and snow in places. See Weather section below for more details.
• Japan has over 2,500 ports, so mooring opportunities abound. Visiting yachts typically moor in fishing ports (almost always free), at marinas (of which there about 120 that accept visitors), Umi-no-Eki marinas (“sea stations” - 50 mini-marinas run by local governments), and “Fisherinas” (small marinas operated by fishing co-ops, of which there are about 20 that can handle cruising sailboats).
• Japanese marinas are priced on a par with marinas in other developed countries and are more expensive in/near the larger cities (Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo/Yokohama).
• In general, visiting yachts rarely anchor in Japan (except in the southern islands and a few places in the Seto Inland Sea). Most protected bays are well-developed harbors, and anchoring inside official harbor limits is prohibited. Most other protected bays are occupied by aquaculture operations. See Yachting Essentials for further details.
• A major cruising attraction is the Inland Sea (Seto Naikai), which is a large body of water, connected by three passes to the surrounding ocean, and which allows yacht access into the very heart of the country. The place abounds with pretty anchorages or small fishing harbors, but there are also many marinas as well as yacht clubs, which usually offer hospitality to visitors. Those in the smaller places have only basic facilities, while in the larger towns clubs are on a par with the best yacht clubs in Europe or America.
• Typhoon season runs typically from July to October and it is possible to continue cruising during this time as long as you are watchful and cautious. Japan has very well-built harbors/marinas and an excellent early-warning system, allowing cruisers to seek safe harbor when a typhoon is approaching and then stay there until the danger has passed. The Seto Inland Sea is well protected from most typhoons and northern Japan is another good option as typhoons usually weaken by the time they get there.
• For more details on yachting services see Yachting Essentials.
• The Kuroshio, or Black Current, flows from south to north and is a very reasonable way for yachts in Asia to take the North Passage to the US West coast. It is easier to cruise the Japanese Islands moving in this direction.