Okayama: Luxury Tourist Ship Unveiled, Named ‘Bizen Maru,’ Designed After Historical Merchant Ships

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:21 JST, February 28, 2026

BIZEN, Okayama — Luxury ship “Bizen Maru,” built by the city of Bizen in Okayama Prefecture as a new tourist attraction, has finished construction. The ship is intended to promote the city, which is set to dispatch it to events held in the Seto Inland Sea.

The nearby fishing port of Otafu Island once served as a port of call for Kitamaebune merchant ships that handled maritime transport along the Sea of Japan coast and the Seto Inland Sea during the 18th and 19th centuries.

Designed to evoke the Kitamaebune ships, the Bizen Maru weighs 19 gross tons, is 15 meters long and can accommodate 47 passengers. Approximately ¥290 million was invested by the city toward its construction.

The design was conceived by Eiji Mitooka, an industrial designer and Okayama native known for projects like Kyushu Railway Co.’s luxury sleeper train Nanatsuboshi (Seven Stars in Kyushu).

The hull features a two-tone white and red color scheme. When moored, it displays a large white sail adorned with a swallowtail butterfly emblem. It is the crest of the Ikeda family, who reigned over Okayama Prefecture as feudal lords. The interior boasts a classic ambiance with abundant woodwork, including parquetry on the walls and ceilings, exuding a sense of luxury.

A launching ceremony was held at Hinase Port in the city on Feb. 5, where attendees boarded the ship for a 20-minute cruise.