From Sakaiminato, we were to set sail for Hagi, but there were gale warnings and our ship’s captain did not feel it would be safe to proceed. We stayed in Sakaiminato overnight. The next morning, we had the option of visiting Tottori Flower Park in Sakaiminato. It was raining so we decided to stay back on the ship. These are pictures from the Flower Park that were taken by the ship’s photographer.

That afternoon, we departed Sakaiminato for Beppu on the island of Kyushu. The waves weren’t as strong as the night before, but still significant. Our captain said the ship could handle them. These are pictures from the bridge and also from our balcony, both on Deck Five. Fortunately, neither of us suffered any adverse effects from the rough sea but some of our fellow-guests did.

The seas calmed overnight and we got up early (about 5:30AM) as we sailed through the Kanmon Straits. The Kanmon Straits is the stretch of water separating Honshu and Kyushu, two of Japan’s four main islands. At its narrowest point, the strait is about 1,600 feet wide. It handles considerable ship traffic, averaging 500 ships per day.

We sailed under the Kanmon Bridge, a suspension bridge which opened in 1973. At the time, the 3,500-foot bridge was the longest in Asia. In addition to the Kanmon Bridge, the two islands are connected by multiple underwater tunnels including a pedestrian tunnel where people can walk beneath the ocean floor. It was a beautiful morning and a beautiful sunrise.