In the Land of the Rising Sun
Japan - April 11 to July 23, 2026 - Part 1
Yeah, I know… It’s been a tiny little while since the last blog post. Okay, maybe a little longer than that. You’re probably wondering what we’ve been up to these past few months. Mainly—you won’t believe this—we’ve been sailing. We also went through customs, explored new places, got to know other cultures, met fascinating people, tried all kinds of food, and learned new languages (well, at least we tried). And of course, we tinkered, cleaned, repaired, worked, and slept—and then did it all over again. Oh, and we also took a vacation back home. Just all the things you do in six months. But let’s start at the beginning.
On March 1, 2026, we left Micronesia. Ahead of us lay 350 nautical miles on a 0° course northward to our next destination: Guam. To get there, we had to sail over the Mariana Trench—the deepest known ocean trench in the world. While Mirko focused on the horizontal nautical miles ahead of us, I thought about the vertical ones right below us: about 6 nautical miles—that’s an incredible 11 kilometers of water! I wonder what’s hidden in those depths?
For us, Guam was primarily intended as a stopover on the way from Micronesia to Japan. That’s right: Our next big adventure was going to be Japan—the Land of the Rising Sun! Mirko and I deliberately decided against the “usual” route, which takes most sailors on to the Philippines or Indonesia. Instead, we wanted to take a big detour through the Pacific.
There isn’t all that much to say about Guam itself. Although this U.S. territory looks small on the map, it plays an important role for the U.S. military: about 30 percent of the land area is used for military purposes. For sailors, there was only one anchorage or mooring spot, where numerous shipwrecks from the last major typhoon lay. Twice a day, the American national anthem drifted over from the nearby Navy Base to the Yum Yum. We met a few nice people who gave us tips on restaurants, sights, and hikes, and even invited us to a Japanese BBQ at their home one evening. That’s how we got a little glimpse into (very American) life on Guam, ate a few greasy but incredibly delicious burgers, and—amidst all the residential areas—even found a small cove where we could unwind a bit while making more or less successful attempts at fishing with line and hook.
Tipp: Fotos antippen, um sie zu vergrößern 🔍
The “specialty” in Guam: Smashed Burgers & Fries A confiscated Japanese submarine you can explore up close. A Hidden Paradise in Guam: Cetty Bay
After three weeks, the long-awaited weather window finally arrived, allowing us to make the crossing to Japan. We had been underway for nine days and about 1,200 nautical miles when, on the evening of our last day, we were suddenly greeted by a sea of lights on the horizon—a sight that had become completely unfamiliar to us and was utterly overwhelming. Yonabaru, south of Naha, the capital of Okinawa, seemed to be stretching out its flashing and radiant arms in every direction. Somewhere in between lay the marina: our first port of call in this unfamiliar new land. After such a long time in the South Pacific with its small, sparsely populated islets, we were no longer used to seeing so much human activity in one place.
Even before we entered the harbor, the Japanese Coast Guard spotted us on the AIS and asked us at least 30 questions over the radio—in broken English. Yet the authorities had long been aware of our arrival: we had registered with about ten agencies well in advance. After “island time,” we first had to get used to just how meticulous the Japanese are when it comes to bureaucracy. But just as meticulous as they were with forms and procedures, they were also very considerate toward us: The official wished us good night over the radio and asked us several times to be careful. He said it was dark and the water in the bay was shallow. We thanked him and couldn’t help but smile, because huge 200-meter tankers were also anchored there. So it had to be deep enough for our Yum Yum.
The next morning, clearing customs also took some time. With the help of the friendly staff, we filled out about twenty forms—some of them seemed identical, but apparently each government agency required its own. The fact that they were entirely in Japanese didn’t make it any easier; most of the staff didn’t speak English.
Mirko and I spent the first few weeks in the tropical region of Japan. Japan extends further to the southwest than many people realize—I didn’t know that either. The so-called Ryūkyū Islands stretch beyond Okinawa almost all the way to Taiwan. Japan’s westernmost island is actually only 110 kilometers away from it.
Right at the start of our trip to Japan, we picked up two folding bikes so we could get from A to B quickly and easily on land. However, we certainly couldn’t say that Japan lacks transportation options: as soon as there are people living on an island, there seems to be a ferry. On top of that, there are plenty of buses, even though it feels like every Japanese person owns one of those small, square “box” cars just to drive to the supermarket around the corner.
We used our bikes to tour the entire island and explore both valleys and the rolling countryside—areas that we would never have been able to reach on foot in that amount of time. Our route took us through small, authentic fishing villages, to Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples—Shinto and Buddhism go hand in hand here—as well as to Japanese castles and along hidden paths that led to small churches. We probably covered more kilometers by bike during our first three months in Japan than we had walked in all of Micronesia combined.
Clearing Customs with the Helpful Japanese Our bikes are finally here: Land Cabbage & Black Bird Japan's Island Paradise: Kerama Islands (Okinawa)
In addition to the fascinating culture and the many little discoveries along the way, there was something else that really thrilled us: Japanese food. We fell in love with Japanese cuisine right away. Especially if you like fish or tofu, you’ll be in for a real treat here—and that refers only to the food, not the price. Eating out in Japan is actually inexpensive.
At almost every stop on our trip, we’d go to a small local restaurant in the evening, if there was one. Sometimes it was a ramen restaurant where you order from a vending machine; other times, an izakaya offering many small dishes. Sometimes it was just a small, family-run spot with three dishes on the menu. Everything we tried tasted great.
The best choices were actually always the ones recommended by the chef, the owner, or the waiter. And here’s an insider tip: The magic Japanese word for this is おすすめ (osusume), which translates to “recommendation.” This word not only led us to delicious dishes, but also, on one occasion, to a free tasting of shōchū and sake—the typical Japanese spirits and rice wine.
Sightseeing in Naha is easier with fresh sushi Our First Izakaya Experience: Maki, Fresh Sashimi, Tofu Salad, and Corn Tempura 
Street Food (Yatai) in Fukuoka
While a wide variety of fish dishes landed on our plates and we sailed past numerous, massive tuna farms, the fish themselves were surprisingly scarce in the ocean—at least in the waters off the more densely populated areas. At any rate, at some point our fishing line caught more seaweed than fish there.
As for nature, we initially found islands with white, unspoiled sandy beaches and pristine landscapes. But the further we traveled northeast toward the main Japanese islands, the more frequently we encountered massive breakwaters and colossal concrete walls. Since Japan is regularly hit by powerful typhoons, these bare, gray protective structures are meant to safeguard the population. We didn’t always find them beautiful, but we could certainly understand their purpose.
Japan had already surprised us in so many different ways during those first few weeks—with its culture, the great food, and above all, the incredible warmth of its people. But we were yet to discover what it feels like to travel through Japan on a sailboat.
Simple Freshwater Fishing with Line and Hook in Guam Soldiers Only: Guam is an important U.S. Navy base in the Pacific The Best Thing to Do in Guam: Shopping 
Crossing from Guam to Japan in perfect weather Our First Stowaway: The Booby named Dodo Even the captain needs a little sleep sometimes Our second, slightly smaller passenger: a Pacific tern Three cheers for Amazon! Our folding bikes made it to Yonabaru Marina in Okinawa, safe and sound. ... and will be tried out right away. 
Ordering from a vending machine—just a normal part of everyday life in Japan One of our favorite meals: ramen Tropical Islands in Southeastern Japan At that point, Mirko didn't know that this would be his last big catch... Shisa—the Guardians of Okinawa Shuri Castle, Naha, Okinawa 
Okinoerabujima, the Island of Cliffs and Caves Mirko is bringing our latest find—a fender—back to the Yum Yum “Sailor's gold": a round fender among (unfortunately, a great deal of) trash washed ashore 
A “Box” car is quickly loaded onto a private fishing boat. Tempel in Yanai, Yamagutchi 
Delicious hot sweet potatoes! (Imo) Fish market in Naha A local specialty on Yoron Island: hot rice topped with cold green tea 
Japanese rice porridge, Yoron Island Okinawa's White Sand Beaches A typical Japanese coastline: breakwaters and concrete walls as far as the eye can see Preparations for a festival featuring hundreds of Yanai goldfish lanterns Why isn't this available in Europe yet? 99 islands of Sasebo, Kyushu Anchoring Among the “Island Mushrooms” in Sasebo We're having oysters we harvested ourselves for dinner Spicy Miso Ramen, I love you Something different: A deep-fried flying fish from Yakushima
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