Diplomat and long-distance cruiser Nicholas Coghlan had been curious about Japan ever since his father, a veteran of infantry fighting in Italy and Greece, confessed to him a dread of being sent to the Japanese front when the war in Europe ended in the Spring of 1945. Sailing to the Heart of Japanis a voyage of personal discovery as the author’s preconceptions are challenged. It’s also a unique account of one of the world’s least-known but most attractive cruising destinations.
Starting from New Zealand, Nicholas and his partner Jenny navigate Bosun Bird, their Vancouver 27, north through Pacific Island nations where memories of the war linger. They make their landfall on Kyushu, in southwestern Japan. Over a period of fifteen months, they venture to the remote and depopulated archipelago of Goto Retto in the East China Sea, through Kanmon Kaikyo narrows and into the island-scudded Inland Sea.
Everywhere – from Kagoshima to Tokyo Bay – Bosun Bird and her crew are met with astonishing kindness and thoughtful conversation. Travel by “yocto” allows them glimpses of an enigmatic land that are rarely offered to more conventional visitors.
A substantial appendix includes details (with GPS positions) of over sixty anchorages, along with advice on prevailing weather (including typhoons), charring, bureaucratic procedures, and much more.
Ocean Navigator magazine (USA):
“Sailing to the Heart of Japan is a superb work…. an excellent read for anyone, whether or not a mariner, contemplating an extended stay in Japan.”
Boating New Zealand magazine (NZ):
“Who better than a retired, now-sailing diplomat and his partner to introduce us to a new place – and especially to a different culture? This book traverses geographies both physical and soulful.”
Sailing Today magazine (UK)
“(Nick’s) latest book narrates an adventurous voyage from New Zealand all the way up to Japan. It’s an epic trip to take in a 27-ft yacht and offers further intrigue due to the fact that Japan is rarely explored by yachtsmen. The book is full of practical tips for cruising the area and also full of entertaining adventures.”
Royal Cruising Club (UK)
“This is a well-researched and well written read for those with or without intention to sail in Japan. It is packed with interesting cultural insights, and lots of historical context. It paints a picture of the friendliness and generosity that the Coghlans found in Japan. The appendix is full of useful comprehensive harbour information, very hard to obtain in Japan, with waypoints for guidance. The book is a good read…. Hopefully it will inspire many more yachts to go there.”
Pacific Yachting (Vancouver, Canada)
“Coghlan is a skilled writer and story-teller who captures the excitement and drama of the land of myths and legends, castles and temples, geishas and sumo wrestlers. Like some of the best travelogues, this book can be enjoyed by the armchair traveller who appreciates intriguing stories about Japan but it’s also perfect for the serious sailor who needs comprehensive cruising notes. “
Bluewater Cruising Association (British Columbia, Canada)
“This is a meticulously researched book accompanied by explanatory maps. Reaching beyond obvious cultural differences from our Western perspective, (Nick) achieves an almost amazing affinity with his subjects. It’s a serious work, but you will still laugh a lot. Nick displays a robust sense of humour, and you will be both instructed and entertained as he and his wife/Admiral Jenny sail their Vancouver 27 sailboat from New Zealand to Japan and then onwards to Kodiak, Alaska.”
QUAD (Oxford University Alumni magazine)
“In one sense a delightful travel narrative intelligently guided by Nicholas, a diplomat who originally studied Modern languages at Oxford, the book also offers a very original perspective of Japan seen from tiny marinas and harbours. The narrative is always very real, intimate and immediate and supplemented by terrific photos.”
Ahoy Cruise News (Island Cruising Association, NZ)
“I really enjoyed reading this book. Nick has a lovely writing style…A must-read for anybody contemplating a similar voyage.”
FORUM (Canadian Foreign Service Alumni magazine)
“A book that is insightful, perceptive, occasionally funny and an honest introduction to a voyage rarely undertaken.”
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