Board a sightseeing vessel and glide through the 300-metre-wide Onomichi Suido strait, the historic waterway separating the city from Mukaishima Island. The compact, mirror-flat channel frames old merchant townhouses, fishing boats, and hillside temples in a scene unchanged for centuries.
What to expect
The cruise departs from inside the Onomichi Waterfront Building and traces the straight at a leisurely pace, allowing you to photograph the skyline of stacked temples, the rusting hulls of fishing trawlers, and the pine-covered hill at a perspective only the water provides. Commentary (in Japanese with English materials available) covers the strait's role in the Murakami pirates' domain and the Meiji-era shipping boom that built Onomichi's elegant merchant quarter. The short crossing to Mukaishima by ferry is included, allowing a brief walk through the island's unhurried citrus-growing village before returning.
Good to know
Departures from Higashigoshocho, Onomichi City, inside the Waterfront Building — a 5-minute walk from the cruise pier. Confirm current schedule directly at dive-hiroshima.com; cruises run seasonally. Excellent as a standalone morning experience before the Temple Walk.
Sail there
Luxury cruises that call at Onomichi — book through us, the fare is identical and your concierge stays on your side.