Under clear, wide autumn skies, this route winds through narrow“ Seto” straits to explore the beautiful island seascapes of Setouchi. After departing, guntû follows the setting sun west through the Onomichi Strait to anchor overnight off Omishima. On the morning of the second day, enjoy a horse racing ritual held as part of the autumn festival in the community of Kikuma in Imabari on Shikoku. This event that began some 600 years ago was inspired by the horse running ceremony that is part of Kyoto’s famous Aoi Matsuri. Local boys shout while riding horses through the shrine grounds in a thrilling display.

A history written over many centuries is woven into the landscape and culture of Setouchi. This route explores Setouchi’s past with a walk through a port town that bustled with merchant ships in feudal times and an experience making traditional mizuhiki cords in northern Shikoku. The journey culminates on the third day with a visit to Shodoshima, where maritime trade with the Kansai region brought kabuki culture to the small village of Nakayama. Kyoto geiko will entertain with a flawless“ teuchi” performance of vibrant wooden claps and singing to celebrate the reconstruction of the community’s outdoor kabuki stage.

This voyage carries guests to the Niihama Taiko Festival, known as one of Shikoku’s three great festivals. Floats dedicated to a local deity in appreciation for the autumn harvest grew larger and larger over the years as the festival became a competition for the most extravagant designs and skillful displays. Around 150 men lift each of the enormous floats and shake them in the air in a powerful and dynamic display.

Every four years for over 1,000 years, the residents of Iwaishima in Yamaguchi Prefecture have practiced a religious custom known as “Kanmai.” The tradition began after islanders rescued a group of priests sailing from Kyushu who were caught in a storm. In appreciation, the islanders were taught wheat cultivation, and formed a spiritual connection to a shrine in Bungo Province across the sea. During the five-day festival, guests will go ashore to attend a kagura performance of music and dance that represents this mutual gratitude.

This voyage is a chance to enjoy fireworks displays over the open waters of the Inland Sea, away from crowds in comfort aboard guntû. During a journey that ties together many Setouchi delights, watch the fireworks of a 450-year old festival amid the cool nighttime breeze, glimpse the beautiful scales of fish glimmering on the sea around Ibukijima, and view contemporary art on Toyoshima in Ehime Prefecture.

From our home port of Bella Vista Marina in Onomichi, guntû travels slowly westward towards Kaminoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture. In these quintessential Setouchi waters, you can enjoy a unique combination of the Inland Sea’s beautiful island chains, temples and shrines, and modern industry. For centuries before overland travel improved, travelers and merchants sailed along vital sea routes through Setouchi that carried products from Kyushu and across Asia to the capitals of Japan's emperors and shoguns. Glimpses of this old Setouchi can still be seen in the local culture passed down on Iwaishima, the prosperous merchant houses of Yanai, and the lifestyle of islanders on Kashima.

Departing from Onomichi, this final route to savor the western Inland Sea navigates through numerous “seto,” the narrow straits between Honshu and Shikoku that gave the sea its name. Delight in encounters with spiritual traditions and history that reveal islands’ religious roots and local lifestyles amid vistas of Setouchi's island-rich waters.

The Geiyo Islands around the Shimanami Kaido bridge network are famed for some of the world’s fastest currents, a result of the complex topography of the closely clustered archipelago. In times when shipbuilding and maneuvering technology was far less advanced, seafarers knew this island chain as a daunting obstacle that was exceptionally difficult to navigate. They relied on the Murakami Suigun for their expert knowledge of the tides and skills as ship pilots. A powerful local group sometimes called pirates or a navy, the Murakami Suigun ensured safe passage, maintained order, and facilitated trade through these waters. On this route, guntû sails between islands these legendary sailors called home.

From Onomichi, this route traces a wide path westward to Omishima in Ehime Prefecture, and eastward to the Shiwaku Islands in Kagawa Prefecture. On the first day, enjoy vistas of the intricate landscape of the Geiyo Islands, before emerging into wide-open waters off the coast of Kagawa on day two. Off-ship activities will carry you to stunning Setouchi scenery formed by the distinctive natural setting of the Seto Inland Sea.

Beginning in 1985, the island of Naoshima has been reimagined as a cultural village where visitors can reflect on the human world in spaces where nature, history, and contemporary art intersect. The transformation of Naoshima led many islands and locales in the eastern Setouchi region to welcome and support artists from across Japan and overseas, with more than ten significant art islands today. This route will visit Naoshima and Teshima, two of the islands emblematic of the Inland Sea’s art culture, as well as other islands such as Shodoshima, Megijima, and Ogijima. Over two days, we will explore the best art sites of the season for a fulfilling artistic experience of Setouchi.

This route introduces traditional Setouchi culture and technology passed down over generations. After departing Bella Vista Marina, guntû passes beneath the Great Seto Bridge en route to an anchorage off the coast of Tamano. On the second day, experience some of the region’s treasured crafts, from bonsai cultivation in Takamatsu, Bizen pottery, and decorative temari balls. From there, sail westward into the slowly setting sun before anchoring on the final night in Takuma Bay. We will take you to experiences of local cultural traditions best for the time of year and conditions.

This route strings together old and new charms nestled in the magnificent scenery of eastern Setouchi. Off-ship activities include visits to contemporary art on world-famous Naoshima or Teshima, as well as going ashore on Shodoshima, home to both beautiful natural landscapes and industries proudly passed down over generations. Returning westward, guntû passes beneath the Great Seto Bridge, whose mighty appearance is a monument to modern engineering, before sailing through the scenic seascape of the Shiwaku Islands, a node in maritime networks since ancient times. This three-day journey gives a taste of both the heritage of the past and the future of Setouchi that is always changing with the times.

After departing Bella Vista Marina and passing through the Onomichi Strait, this route turns east to anchor off the coast of Tamano, Okayama Prefecture. On the second day, visit the rich industries of Shodoshima and enjoy the nature and bold scenery of the Bisan Islands and the Great Seto Bridge.