The Shimanami Kurushima Kaikyo Sightseeing Boat
was selected as the 8th best in the nation in the 9th Professional Selection of Top 30 Water Cruises for 2026,
has been selected as
the 8th best water sightseeing boat in Japan, up one rank from last year's 9th place in the 9th " Top 30 Water Sightseeing Boats Selected by Professionals" published by Travel Newspaper Co., Ltd., for 2026. This marks the first time that a boat has been selected as the 8th best in the country.
The 30 best boats were selected by tallying votes cast by 14,296 travel agencies nationwide between September 21st and October 31st via special postcards and online. The "Top
100 Hotels and Inns in Japan Selected by Professionals," which is also announced at the same time, is the tourism industry's longest-running ranking event.
The results were announced after review by a selection committee composed of travel writers and travel magazine editors from the sponsoring organizations, the All Nippon Travel Agents Association (ANTA) and the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA).
8th Place: 30 Best Water Sightseeing Boats Selected by Professionals_Press Release.PDF
will continue to strive to make the Shimanami Kurushima Kaikyo Sightseeing Boat popular with our customers, and will continue to operate with safety as our number one priority, so that we can introduce the wonders of Imabari and the Shimanami Kaido
to as many people as possible. We appreciate your continued support.
【 Shimanami Kurushima Strait Sightseeing Boat 】
This sightseeing boat allows you to experience up close the rapids of the Kurushima Strait, one of Japan's three strongest currents.
While enjoying the spectacular views of the Seto Inland Sea's many islands, you can also enjoy the rare experience of looking directly underneath the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge (passing under the bridge), and viewing the shipyards that are the symbol of Imabari, Japan's leading maritime city, from within the bay. You will
also tour historically significant islands floating in the Kurushima Strait, such as Kurushima, the remains of the Murakami pirate castle, and Kojima, where the remains of the gun batteries of the Geiyo Fortress remain. This experiential cruise is packed with attractions that will captivate anyone, even if you're not a history buff.