Japan Yacht Rally 2024

The inaugural Japan Yacht Rally (JYR), organized by Konpira Consulting, was held from March 29 to June 1, 2024. Taking participants from the southern island of Okinawa to Hokkaido in the north, it was planned especially to help cruisers safely make the most of their relatively short time in Japan before heading to Alaska and/or other North America destinations.

JYR 2024 attracted four participating boats, three from the United States (S/V Voodoo, 70’, 4 people; S/V Illimite 46’, 2 people; S/V Lorien, 38’, 2 people) and one from New Zealand (S/V Somerset, 40’ catamaran, 5-6 people).

The Rally had three stops.

• March 29-31: Yonabaru Marina, Okinawa.
• April 26-28: Iki Island, Nagasaki (600 NMs from Yonabaru).
• May 30-June 1: Otaru Port Marina, Hokkaido (1,000 NMs from Iki Island).

Highlights at Three Stops

At each stop, there was a potluck dinner, a bus tour of the local area, and a dinner with members of the local community. Other activities included the following.

• At Iki Island, there was a special Ocean Cruising Club (OCC) 70th Anniversary celebration. The four JYR participants were joined by six boats in the Setouchi Rally (a one-month rally to explore the Seto Inland Sea that in 2024, for the first time, started in Iki), by OCC boats from Canada and New Zealand, and by the boat of the Rally sponsors (Japan Ocean Sailing Association and Sail On, Japan’s #1 yacht insurance broker).
• Also at Iki Island, about 50 local children and their parents were given tours of the foreign cruising boats. The event was widely covered by the local media.
• Although not part of the original schedule, one of the most memorable Rally activities was a soba-making class in Otaru, organized at the request of Voodoo. It was a big hit for both participants and the organizers, and it was also covered by the local media.

Other Highlights

Some of the other highlights at the three stops included:

• Going to a pottery shop in Okinawa to make shisa (traditional guardian lions);
• Having a tour and tasting at a shochu distillery in Iki (shochu is a distilled liquor popular in western Japan, with the Iki version made from barley);
• Enjoying a long soak at a luxurious seaside onsen (hot-spring bath) in Iki;
• Going to a glass-blowing shop in Otaru, with each person making their own cup;
• Have a tour and tasting at the Nikka Whiskey distillery in Otaru.

The Binder

At the beginning of the Rally, each boat was given a binder with detailed information on moorage options between Yonabaru and Otaru. Using that, and with other information provided as the boats went along, the participants were free to stop wherever they wanted and to move at their own pace.

Favorite Stops

Some of the participants’ favorite stops included the following.

• Remote Akuseki Island, population 120.
• Koshiki Islands, off the SW coast of Kyushu, where some participants enjoyed a private tour and then dinner at the home of a local fisherman (arranged by Konpira Consulting).
• Yunotsu (SW Honshu), which is famous for its hot-spring baths, classic Imperial Court music-dance performance, and nearby Iwami Ginzan silver mine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Oki Islands, stunningly beautiful islands about 50NMs off the west coast of mainland Japan.
• Sado Island, one of the original eight Japanese islands in ancient mythology and well known for its gold mines, shrines, and tub boats.
• Matumae, the first “capital” of Hokkaido.

What Participants Liked

Based on participants’ comments and the results of a questionnaire, it’s clear that the Rally was a great success. Participants especially appreciated:

• The camaradie and friendships that developed among everybody on the four boats;
• The tours and activities (planned and unplanned) that helped them experience and appreciate Japanese culture and hospitality;
• The detailed information they received on how to cruise Japan and where to moor;
• Being forced/helped to stick to the tight schedule necessary to get to Hokkaido in time for the short weather window to head to Alaska;
• The clear-in and clear-out support;
• The assistance received along the way (filling propane tanks, replacing a cell phone dropped in the ocean, making moorage reservations, etc.).

The Wrap

The Rally wrapped up on June 1, after which all four boats headed 150NMs north to Wakkanai (in some cases making a few stops along the way). There they topped up their fuel tanks, waited for a good weather window, completed clear-out procedures, and then left for Alaska. They all headed to Attu, at the western end of the Aleutian Islands, and had smooth, uneventful (albeit cold) passages.

2025 Japan Yacht Rally

Plans are now being made for the 2025 Japan Yacht Rally. The route will remain unchanged but, based on input from this year’s participants, the 2025 Rally will start two weeks earlier, so it will have the following schedule.

• Yonabaru Marina, Okinawa, March 14 to 16
• Iki Island, Nagasaki, April 18 to 20
• Otaru Port Marina, Hokkaido, May 30 to June 1

For more information on the 2025 Japan Yacht Rally, see the rallies page.

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