Sailing Japan: Secrets of Japanese Waters Paperback – March 20, 2026

Sailing Japan: Secrets of Japanese Waters is the first comprehensive English-language cruising guide to Japan's 7,000-island archipelago. Written by Paul Tsai — a UCLA-trained engineer, Carnegie Mellon MBA, and Japan permanent resident with over 40 years of experience in the country — this guide draws on native-level Japanese fluency and years of firsthand sailing to deliver the practical information foreign yachts need to navigate Japanese waters with confidence.Covering eight regions from subtropical Okinawa to the wilderness of Hokkaido, the guide includes port-by-port coverage with moorage options, shore-side facilities, passage planning, and cultural recommendations. Detailed chapters address clearance formalities, the Naikosen coastal permit system, tidal current strategy for the Seto Inland Sea, typhoon preparedness, provisioning, and Japan's unique Umi-no-Eki sea station network. Six practical appendices round out the guide with Japanese language essentials for sailors, emergency contacts, marina directories, recommended typhoon anchorages, cruising budgets, and a complete Umi-no-Eki directory.Whether you're planning a two-week cruise of the Seto Inland Sea or a full circumnavigation of the archipelago, this is the guide that didn't exist until now. Read more