national

Japanese man, 83, becomes oldest to sail nonstop solo across Pacific

25 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© KYODO

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

25 Comments
Login to comment

He's been alone on his boat for two months, and yet still the forward thinking j-gov has subjugated him to Covid quarantine protocol.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Power to your shoulders. Congratulations on your second feat of solo sailing across the Pacific Ocean. I remember your 1962 solo sailing across the Pacific Ocean making headline news, too, in Washington, D.C., where I was studying. Sixty years have passed since then. Very nostalgic. Keep challenging, Mr. Horie.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Amazing!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

wonder if he stashed a load of beer like he did on his first journey across the pacific. it's a great book.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

modern days Joshua Slocum senior.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Good on him! He is a hero in my mind. Proof that age is no limit, if you keep your body and mind healthy and keep chasing your goals.

Those who are saying he is "reckless", and not following "safety"...these are the risks this brilliant 83 year old man can take himself. No one can tell him - or anyone - otherwise.

Follow your dreams!

1 ( +4 / -3 )

"The White Paper on Tourism was first prepared in April 1964, based on the Tourism Basic Act enacted in 1963, and so the 2013 Edition is the 50th. 1964 was a significant milestone for postwar Japan, being the year that the Tokaido Shinkansen opened and the Tokyo Olympics were held. It was also the period in which Japanese tourism began to make serious leaps forward. For Japanese people at that time, overnight sightseeing trips meant domestic group travel, since traveling overseas for the purpose of tourism had only just been liberalized -- with restrictions -- on April 1, 1964. To mainstream citizens, traveling abroad was still a very distant dream, and foreign tourists visiting Japan also numbered only around 300,000 a year. 50 years have now passed. The circumstances surrounding Japanese tourism have changed"

https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001018364.pdf

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I love Greta. Sho took a sailboat rather than a plane. This old man can teach young people a thing or two.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Did he have a passport and vaccination docs this time?

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

The adventurer has said that he wants to keep challenging himself until he becomes a centenarian.

It's good to keep on learning thruout your life. t doesn't have to end after HS or even college.

My own aunt (now in her 90s) has taken many vacations thruout the USA after she retired, and took up belly-dancing as a hobby. For fun.

This guy is an inspiration himself. I bet he could tell you some interesting stories.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

didouToday  06:56 am JST

60 years back, he was arrested when coming back to Japan. He left secretly the country. It was a time when I think, Japanese were not allowed to travel overseas individually ( or something like that )

Japanese were travelling overseas 60 years ago. Maybe you are missing an extra zero.

" The chief of the United States Travel Service office here said that Japanese travel to the United States had risen from 24,000 in 1962 to 35,000 in 1963,"

https://www.nytimes.com/1964/02/09/archives/dday-for-japanese-tolrist-ban-on-pleasure-trips-abroad-will-be.html

If he ran into trouble, I would suspect it would be for not following proper immigration procedure.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

I'd like to have a beer with him, just to chat for a few hours.

There's something that draws me to the ocean for sailing. I can't explain it. I enjoy sailing on lakes too, but it isn't the same as knowing you are in the middle of the ocean.

There are lots of people who sell their homes and go for a sail for years. Some have youtube channels for those interested.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

He was arrested in the USA, not Japan. Japanese were regular travelers, and they were not prohibited from leaving Japan at any time in modern history.

From at least 8 December 1941 until 31 March 1964 ordinary Japanese living in Japan could not obtain passports for purposes such as tourism. Passports were usually designated for single-use, such as for leaving the country for emigration. When Horie sailed from Japan in May 1962 he therefore did not have a passport and his departure was illegal, as was his arrival in San Francisco.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

they were not prohibited from leaving Japan at any time in modern history.

(Slightly off topic, but a very difficult visa was required after USA invasion/occupation of Okinawa.)

this is a great news story. Inspirational. When my partner read about this she actually had tears in eyes. Very rare for her.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

How is that possible? How did he get food and fresh water?

You can have a fridge and freezer on a boat, canned goods you can also have a water maker as well as a little kitchen. Google reveals his boat which has a reasonable number of solar panels plastered around it so likely those will be run by that.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

How wonderful he had a chance to do it again. Of course, the first time the technology available today was missing, and the man will be the first to tell us about that.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Congratulations Sir, he is a true adventurers and we wish him the best on his next one. At 83 it shows that AGE IS JUST A NUMBER and nothing else.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

 including a nonstop solo journey around the world

How is that possible? How did he get food and fresh water?

There are several youtubers who have done the Pacific crossing and their videos are fascinating.

-2 ( +5 / -7 )

60 years back, he was arrested when coming back to Japan. 

He was arrested in the USA, not Japan. Japanese were regular travelers, and they were not prohibited from leaving Japan at any time in modern history.

Important is that he keeps a good degree of safety, else his example could end tragically and undone some of the inspiration he surely has given to many people.

He's 83, and has lived a full life. I suspect he'd rather die at sea than waste away in a hospital ward or senior citizen's home.

4 ( +12 / -8 )

I doubt he was the first elderly man to make such a voyage.

But a round of applause certainly yes good job ol chap

-11 ( +3 / -14 )

Incredible feat even taking into account modern technology, he would deserve another bout of fame and recognition.

Important is that he keeps a good degree of safety, else his example could end tragically and undone some of the inspiration he surely has given to many people.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

What a great inspiration, to others especially young people, to pursue their dreams and passions.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

60 years back, he was arrested when coming back to Japan. He left secretly the country. It was a time when I think, Japanese were not allowed to travel overseas individually ( or something like that )

2 ( +8 / -6 )

Photo?

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites