photo: A replica of a ship that used to carry Japanese envoys to China passes by the Japan Pavilion at the Expo. Niu Yixin / China Daily

The China daily reports:
A replica of a ship that carried Japanese envoys to China during the 7th to 9th centuries makes its debut at the Expo garden in Shanghai after more than one month of sailing to highlight exchanges between China and Japan in ancient times.
The life-size replica of the vessel, with a golden phoenix design adorning its bow, is 33.6 m long and 9.2 m wide, featuring Japanese patterns and classic Japanese architecture. The original ship, also known as "Kentoshi" in Japan, sent more than 10 groups of envoys to China to learn about Chinese culture during the Tang Dynasty (618-907).
The replica ship started its journey on May 8 from Osaka, the port from where envoys in ancient Japan started the journey to China. The cruise followed the same route, passing by seven ports in Japan including Hakata and Nagasaki before arriving in Shanghai on June 11.

2010-3-9: Update Brought to you by Oceanic Preservation Society

"We are so very honored that The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has awarded The Cove with the 2009 Oscar® for Best Documentary Feature!

Director Louie Psihoyos and Producer Fisher Stevens accepted the Academy Award® onstage at the Kodak Theater on Sunday night, accompanied by Producer Paula Dupré Pesmen and Ric O'Barry.

The Oscar® is the utmost honor within the film industry, and the biggest exposure for our cause that we could ever hope for.

We recorded a special Oscar® acceptance speech with Louie Psihoyos that you can watch here. Also watch his additional thank you message for all of our supporters."

[Ed note: Shouldn't that be "O$ca®": None the less, congrats to the team at the Oceanic Preservation Society. Hope the message gets through.]

2010-3-4: « Kagayaki III » made it safely to Yokohama: after being taken to Hayama Marina, she is now ready for her first test sails.

This first «Asian» Bordeaux 60 has been highly customized in consideration of her owner’s wishes: the red of the leather inside upholstery, elegantly enhanced by the light oak cabinetwork, has also been retained for the cockpit cushions, the mast and the boom. For extra comfort, the owner also elected to have a Jacuzzi tub in the forward bathroom.

« Kagayaki III» certainly inaugurates with verve and elegance the semi custom CNB Yachts debut in Asia!

By Niña Catherine Calleja
(Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

MANILA, Philippines—A 10-member team on two replicas of ancient Japanese sailboats braved the seas from Indonesia to the Philippines, relying on natural navigation techniques for more than 100 days.

It reached Philippine shores in July and stirred hopes among Filipino adventurers embarking on a similar voyage.

Steering the boats Pakur and Jomon, four Japanese nationals and six fishermen from the Mandar tribe of Indonesia, traveled some 2,000 kilometers in over three months.

The team, led by anthropology professor and surgeon Yoshiharu Sekino, traveled using the wind, stars and clouds for basic directions.

The goal of the Japanese explorers is similar to that of the “Voyage of the Balangay,” led by the people who were part of the first Philippine Mt. Everest expedition: to trace their ancestors’ migration route. A balangay is a precolonial boat.

Registered Sail Japan members have access to our Downloads area. There have been a number of files added recently, including most recently, Sailing Directions for Japan from the NGA. Most files are in PDF format, and can be viewed on any Mac/PC.
Check it out.

Three sailors from Osaka University Yacht Club whose dinghies were among 8 overturned by 15m/s winds, were rescued by the coast guard early this afternoon (Nov 2nd).
The dinghy sailors set off from their Shin Nishinomiya based yacht club for a regular training session and were caught out by 'unexpectedly' strong, westerly winds a little after midday. Of the 8 dinghies which got into difficulties, 2 ended up on the rocks while some had to be towed back to safety and others managed to make their way back to land. No serious injuries were reported.
High wave advisories and Gale warnings for the area are still being issued, with Westerly to N.Westerly winds of up to 35kts expected well into tomorrow.
Video of the rescues here.

June 25th, 2009. Due in part to the lack of demand for new yachts in the current financial climate, and the relatively high prices of Japan built yachts, Nagoya based Tsuboi Yachts, one of the oldest yacht builders in the country, has closed it's doors for what may be the last time.
Founded in 1933, Tsuboi began with production of pleasure yachts. During the war years, they produced patrol boats, lifeboats and other utility vessels, but it was after the war when occupying U.S.officers placed orders for over 100 sailing cruisers for the export to the American market, providing much needed jobs for the decimated local workforce.
Tsuboi pioneered many construction techniques in Japan, most recently Carbon and kevlar prepreg builds and RIV construction.
Sadly, the demise of Tsuboi leaves a gaping hole in the Japanese yacht building community, their having been the only yard with the facilities and know-how to undertake these modern methods. It remains to be seen if anyone steps up to rescue the company or take over the facilities with a view to yacht production.

Cheers to Kim over at YachtPals.com who's just dropped me an email with the good news that Akio Yonago is safe and well having made landfall in Phuket, Thailand.
Seems like the pirates didn't nab him after all! Glad to hear it!
Read the post over at YactPals here.

Friends and supporters of Osaka round-the-world yachtsman Yonago Akio fear that he may have run afoul of pirates in the waters off the Seychelles, his last known location, having not been able to make contact with him since his departure April 28th.
Japan’s Foreign Ministry said it has not been confirmed whether he has been seized by pirates as reported or not.
ECOTERRA INTERNATIONAL reports in it's Somali Marine & Coastal Monitor update of may 10th: "According to statements from the Seychelles the sailor was guiding on 28th April one of four sail-boats due to leave in a convoy from Seychelles. Three left, with the third lagging somewhat behind, which then was stopped by the French Navy and advised to turn back to Mahe Island, as two vessels who had just passed before him had been pirated. Recent attempts to reach the sailor, who is known for his adventurous voyages, including sailing solo across the Pacific and the Atlantic in 1997, have been unsuccessful, which is why the alarm was raised. "We have sent an S&R alert to all our marine observers along the Somali coasts concerning the S/Y EMU II and a possible second yacht, but so far do not have a direct response" an ECOTERRA spokesperson stated and added "However, we found some information and have sent for clarification, if the sailor is already held in Somalia or together with one other hostage on the way to a Somali coast."

One of the best places to view the total solar eclipse of 2009 July 22 will be just south of Kyuushu, around Amami-O-shima. At least four yachts from the Kansai region are heading down there to see it. Wild Boar (ex- Melbourne-Osaka) and friends will be setting off this Golden Week and will spend the next few weeks moving down there in stages.
If you're in Osaka, you can expect an eclipse peaking at 87% and lasting for almost 3 hours. This is the LONGEST total solar eclipse in this century.
The coast guard have set up a web page telling people to be extra cautious and properly prepared if in the event that they are at sea and experience trouble during the eclipse.
There's another site with a lot of info in English here, and tours are being arranged here.

A list of locations and the times and degree of eclipse they can expect to experience can be found here.