From Expo Osaka 2025 to the Seto Inland Sea

With the theme “Designing Future Society For Our Lives,” Expo Osaka 2025 will take place from April 13 to October 13, 2025 on Yumeshima, an artificial island at the western end of Osaka, and is touted as an event that “brings together the world's knowledge [...] to create and share new ideas that help solve global problems facing humanity.” The much-anticipated 2025 event will not only attract numerous visitors but also exhibitors to Japan — with a huge selection of events and pavilions represented by different countries, a visit to Expo Osaka will be an unforgettable experience on your next trip to Japan.

So, if you are already in Osaka, the Seto Inland Sea region is not far away. Tokushima Prefecture can be reached by a single express bus from Osaka. To reach Okayama or Kobe stations, simply take local JR lines or the Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka Station. And firstly, this is the exact connection we will now take to start our cruise with the Kobe Cruise Concerto from the port city of Kobe.

Kobe Cruise Concerto: Enjoying the Cinematic Views of the Seto Inland Sea

The beautiful scenery of the port city of Kobe shows many faces in a day, from the bustle of the city during the day to the fantastic sight of the illuminated lights at night. I especially love the emotional atmosphere of the cityscape with the Port of Kobe in the background that emerges from the station toward the seaside on a slightly foggy day.

One of the best ways to experience the coastal scenery of Kobe — where picturesque bridges perfectly complement the stylish urban architecture and Rokko’s mountain range — is to take a tour on the tastefully luxurious Kobe Cruise Concerto. Departing from Kobe Harborland Mosaic, the symbol of Kobe, the Concerto has a calm interior and an elegant atmosphere with live piano and violin music. In my opinion, this magnificent city view within the Seto Inland Sea rivals iconic cityscapes such as New York City and Tokyo, both during the day and the night when the city towers and the iconic bridges stylishly light up.

There are four daily cruise departures, each with a different theme. The Lunch Cruise departs at noon, whereas the Night Cruise departs a various times depending on season — both lasting approximately two hours. There is a gourmet meal offered on both tours, including French cuisine, the famous Kobe beef, and Teppanyaki. Concerto is considered a restaurant cruise, so guests will be required to add some food or drink plans in order to participate.

A Tea Cruise also departs, where passengers can enjoy a light meal or a dessert set.

For those who want to enjoy the beautiful setting sun at dusk and fantastic views of the city of Kobe, the Twilight Cruise is recommended.

Or, if you want to fully enjoy the wonderful night view of Kobe, enjoy a night cruise.

While Kobe’s many landmark buildings, including Kobe Port Tower, Kobe Maritime Museum, Kobe Ohashi Bridge, and Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge (one of the longest suspension bridges in the world), can be seen from the cruise, it is the majestic beauty of the entire panorama that will likely stay with you.

Luxury Catamaran Yacht from Okayama Uno Port: A Deeper Experience on the Seto Inland Sea

While the Kobe Cruise Concerto is a beautiful way to appreciate the grandeur of the scenery along Kobe Harbor, the day and overnight luxury catamaran charters departing from Okayama offer the chance to sail deeper into the Seto Inland Sea and explore its unique culture.

There are many different catamaran tour plans that you can choose from that will take you to different sets of islands. The length of the tours also varies, including three-hour-long lunch or sunset tours, full-day and overnight tours. You can also customize a private itinerary of and the length of the trip.

Naoshima, Teshima, and Inujima are three islands you can visit on a catamaran tour. The “Art Hopping” plan is an ideal way to explore these three islands — where artistic innovation meets the nature of Japan at a leisurely pace. The plan involves two-night stays on board and full-day visits to each of the islands. Each has its own permanent art museums, including the Teshima Art Museum, Chichu Art Museum, Lee Ufan Museum, and plenty of outdoor contemporary art sculptures spread around the islands to visit.

Another plan takes you to Shodoshima Island, the second largest island on the Seto Inland Sea after Awajishima. The island is home to many beaches and nature sites with a mountainous interior. Although it is much less known than the famous Shikoku Pilgrimage Route, the island is also home to a popular pilgrimage route covering 94 sacred sites.

The spacious interior of the luxurious and comfortable yacht is just like a hotel, with three private rooms, toilets and showers, as well as a full range of amenities and wi-fi. Meals can be enjoyed according to your travel style, including boxed lunches, catered meals, and options prepared by a dedicated chef.

Whirlpool Sightseeing Boat in Tokushima: Observe One of the Most Powerful Phenomena in the World

Tokushima whirlpool sightseeing boats departing from Naruto Park in Tokushima offer an experience unlike any other. These boats have only one mission and a specific target — to position you up close to one of the most powerful whirlpools in the world!

Naruto Whirlpools (that can reach 30-meters in diameter) occur in the narrow Naruto Strait connecting the Seto Inland Sea to Kii Channel, which opens to the Pacific Ocean. The narrow strait is home to one of the three strongest currents globally, reaching speeds as high as 20 km/hour, alongside the powerful Strait of Messina in Italy and Seymour Narrows in Canada. This large-scale whirlpool is attributed to the narrow width and unique topography of the Naruto Straits.

While the idea of traveling close to a whirlpool may seem a little too venturesome, the whirlpools are not dangerous for the boats, making the Naruto sightseeing boats one of the most thrilling (as often evidenced by the cheering passengers) yet safe ways to experience this natural phenomenon up close. The morning and afternoon tours are the most popular since the Naruto whirlpools can best be observed twice a day within the one-to-two hour time frame before and after each tide. The online tide calendar is a great tool to track the best viewing hours.

There are two boat options available to take you to the center of the action. A ride in Wonder Naruto does not require any reservation, and the boat can host up to 399 passengers. There are 12 trips per day, lasting around 30 minutes for 1,800 yen. With an extra fee of 1,000 yen, you can also board the second floor of the boat, offering even better views of the whirlpools. The other alternative is Aqua Eddy, a smaller option at 2,400 yen that can accommodate up to 46 people and, as of October 2024, takes approximately 25 minutes. This boat has a window at the bottom of the boat that allows you to look into the water and see the whirlpools.

While the experience of being close to one of the most powerful whirlpools is exciting enough, the scenery along the way featuring Onaruto Bridge, Awajishima, and Tokushima coastlines and the picturesque boats do not disappoint either.

While I love the scenic beauty of the bridges that serve all the Seto Inland Sea coasts, getting in a boat and approaching this archipelago from the sea level makes me feel more immersed in its unique geography.

Photographs and text by Burcu Basar