Konpira Consulting was established in 2018 to help foreign cruisers make the most of their Japan cruising experience. Kirk Patterson, Konpira Consulting’s Chief Sailing Officer, spent six years cruising Japan and is the first (and still only) foreigner to do a full Japan circumnavigation. A native of Canada, he is fluent in Japanese and based in Fukuoka. He is supported by full-time employees in Fukuoka and Okinawa, part-time employees in Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, and Hiroshima, and associates throughout Japan. Kirk is the Japan Port Officer for the Ocean Cruising Club.
Among the services provided by Konpira Consulting are:
– Assisting with clearing-in procedures
– Helping clients obtain Closed-Port and “Naikosen” permits (to minimise the paperwork required while cruising Japan)
– Advising on how to set up a client’s boat for cruising Japan, especially for mooring in fishing ports
– Preparing voyage plans
– Advising on moorage options
– Making marina and Umi-no-Eki (Sea Station) reservations
– Providing weather forecasts and advising on weather-related moorage/passage decisions
– Providing information on tides, currents, and the location of aquaculture operations
– Introducing boat-repair and haul-out facilities
– Searching for and ordering boat equipment and parts
– Helping clients obtain SIM cards, cell phones, and “pocket wifi” hotspot hubs
– Accepting delivery of, and forwarding, packages and mail
– Advising on sightseeing opportunities and making land-based sightseeing arrangements (e.g., hotel, train, and car reservations)
– Helping deal with medical, mechanical, and other emergencies
Services are generally provided on a monthly retainer basis.
Discounts: For members of the Ocean Cruising Club and Bluewater Cruising Association, Konpira Consulting offers two hours of free consultation, discounts, and special services. In addition, a 16m floating dock on the island of Suo-Oshima in the Seto Inland Sea is available for their use at no cost for up to one week.
Konpira also organize yacht rallies. In 2025, they will organize the: