guntû

guntû is a 17-suite ship sailing the Seto Inland Sea from and back to Bella Vista Marina in Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture, on cruises of two or three nights; it works like a ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) on the move, with a shared hinoki bath, a sushi counter and a Japanese dining room. It suits couples on honeymoon or marking a big occasion who want to end a trip to Japan with a few days on the water among the islands, without repacking. Guests must be at least 15.

A ryokan that sails

The ship was designed by architect Yasushi Horibe, with wood and plaster interiors. It is 81 m long and 13 m wide, which lets it pass through narrow straits, and its route adapts to the tides. In the evening it anchors off an island, without calling at any other port. Shore excursions change with the season and the route: craft workshops, fishing ports, temples and shrines, historic townscapes.

Boarding is at 3 pm at Bella Vista Marina, and the ship returns around 11 am on the last day. The fare, per person and including tax, covers meals and drinks on board, except rare wines, shore excursions and a car transfer from Hiroshima Airport or JR (Japan Railways) Fukuyama Station on the Shinkansen (bullet train).

Routes from December 2026 to May 2027

guntû sails all year; bookings are open through May 2027. Cruises follow four families of routes:

• westward, as far as Kaminoseki in Yamaguchi Prefecture, and Miyajima;
• central, among the Geiyo Islands of the Shimanami Kaido, along the old routes of the Murakami Suigun, seafarers known for their mastery of tides and piloting, remembered as the Murakami pirates;
• eastward, towards the art islands of Naoshima, Teshima and Shōdoshima;
• drifting, three-night cruises in the west, centre or east, where the route is set by the sea.

Two special cruises are planned for spring 2027: five days departing 14 April, devoted to Inland Sea produce, with the head chef and local producers; and four days departing 2 May, devoted to small-island festivals, with village kabuki on Shōdoshima and mikoshi (portable shrine) races on Manabeshima.

Choosing a suite

All 17 suites have a terrace close to the waterline, a bathtub and 120 cm Simmons Western beds. The room table gives sizes; to choose:

• Terrace Suite (50 m², 10 suites): the most common, at the lowest fare on board, with a glassed-in bathroom along the terrace and a sitting area at the water's edge.
• Terrace Suite with Open-Air Bath (50 m², 2 suites): the same size, with an open-air cypress bath on the terrace and the bed right by the window.
• Grand Suite (80 m², 2 suites): the largest terrace on board, with daybed and open-air cypress bath.
• Terrace Suite Prestige (90 m², 2 suites): the only one for three, with two bedrooms, an indoor bath, an open-air cypress bath and a private dry sauna; for three adults, or parents with a child aged 15 or over.
• The guntû Suite (90 m², just one): the only cabin with windows facing the bow, with an open-air bath on the terrace and a wine cellar; a honeymoon choice.

Baths and treatments

Besides the suites' own baths, the ship has a shared hinoki (Japanese cypress) bath whose large window looks over the wake, a dry sauna and a steam sauna. A treatment room offers Chōkoku-Lymph and Nentai massages, and there is a Technogym gym. Tattoos must be covered in public areas, and the shared bath and saunas are closed to tattooed guests: a suite with its own bath is the answer.

Dining on board

• Washoku, the Japanese dining room: 7 to 10 am, 12 to 2 pm and 5.30 to 8.30 pm.
• Sushi: a six-seat counter facing the sea, overseen by chef Nobuo Sakamoto.
• Yōshoku: Japanese-style Western cooking.
• Café & Bar: 7 am to 11 pm.
• Engawa, the veranda: sweets, sake and snacks.
• Lounge: matcha and wagashi (Japanese confectionery) served by a tea master.

Before and after the cruise

Onomichi, the home port, lies on the coast of Hiroshima Prefecture. Azumi Setoda, on Ikuchijima island, 40 minutes from Onomichi by fast boat, makes a stop before boarding; Miyajima and Hiroshima, with Iwaso or KAI Miyajima, are reached by Shinkansen from Fukuyama Station. The region is covered on our Seto Inland Sea, Naoshima, Teshima and Setoda page, and the Japan honeymoon in 11 days itinerary ends with two nights on board.

guntû, Benesse House or Azumi Setoda

In our Inland Sea selection, guntû is the only address that moves: you see the islands from the water, along the route, with everything included. Benesse House is Naoshima's museum hotel, for contemporary art, and Azumi Setoda an 1876 estate in the port of Setoda, for cycling and the public bathhouse. guntû is also the only one of the three limited to guests aged 15 and over.