Japan’s Real-Life Waterworld Mariner #Waterworld #SailingLife #OceanStories
Meet Mitsuharu Kume — the closest real-world equivalent I’ve ever found to Kevin Costner’s “Mariner” from Waterworld.
He may not have gills (that I know of), but he has everything else:
a life shaped by tides, storms, shipwrecks, deep dives, and a lifelong devotion to the ocean.
Mitsu is a fisherman, diver, sailor, photographer, conservationist, educator, and a father.
He began life as a marine civil engineer designing harbours in Tokyo…
but quickly realised he didn’t want to design the ocean — he wanted to live in it.
So he left the office, joined an offshore fishing boat, and never looked back.
During his years on Tanegashima he became deeply involved in sea turtle conservation and launched
Sea Turtle Crew, an NPO dedicated to protecting loggerhead turtles and teaching island children about the marine world they inherit.
👉 www.turtle-crew.com
Today, Mitsu is preparing a 33-foot Coura (a 1969 Ranger 33) to follow the turtles’ ancient route to Mexico.
🌊 Buren Bay — Our Harbour, Our Community
Buren Bay is more than the mooring point for my sailboat, Wahine.
It is my longevity laboratory, my home for reflection and writing…
and the home of Mitsu — the unofficial Commodore of our tiny, informal yacht harbour.
Living beside him has taught me more than any textbook, lecture, or seminar ever could.
He has helped me navigate treacherous weather, introduces me to the community,
and on stormy days when reaching my boat is “adventurous,” he offers me his guest room.
🌿 Lessons From Mitsu
Our conversations on the steps of his vintage seaside home drift from philosophy to nonsense,
from purpose to parenting, from seamanship to gratitude.
He reminds me to be brave.
To be kind.
To work hard.
To respect the sea.
And to stay rooted: in family, in community, in responsibility.
His 92-year-old mother — sharp, independent, living life on her own terms —
embodies the resilience I’ve spent two years studying on my journey across Japan.
We all need a Mitsu in our life —
someone who keeps us honest, grounded, and moving forward under full sail.
thanks to Mitsu for providing some of the footage
🌏 Learn more about Mitsu’s sea turtle conservation work:
➡️ www.turtle-crew.com
00:00 – Meet Mitsu: Japan’s Real-Life “Waterworld” Mariner
00:36 – A Life Lived in and on the Ocean
01:12 – From Tokyo Engineer to Offshore Fisherman
01:49 – Survival Stories: Sinking Boats and Deep Waters
02:27 – Tanegashima & The Birth of Sea Turtle Crew
03:05 – Protecting Japan’s Loggerhead Turtles
03:42 – A Sailor’s Dream: Preparing to Cross to Mexico
04:13 – Patagonia, Vegetable Oil Vans & Island Education
04:48 – Life in Buren Bay: Wahine, Community & Friendship
05:28 – Mitsu’s Wisdom: Family, Purpose & Living Fully
06:07 – Lessons Learned Beside a Mountain Stream
06:42 – The 92-Year-Old Mother Who Still Inspires
07:15 – Why We All Need a Mitsu in Our Life
If your video ends earlier or later, I can adjust timestamps—just
#Japan #Okinawa #Amami #BurenBay #SailingLife #OceanConservation
#SeaTurtles #LoggerheadTurtles #Waterworld #MitsuharuKume #LongevityProject
#PacificSolo #NeverTooLateAcademy #JapanStories #SailboatLife #IslandLifeJapan
Meet Mitsuharu Kume — the closest real-world equivalent I’ve ever found to Kevin Costner’s “Mariner” from Waterworld.
He may not have gills (that I know of), but he has everything else:
a life shaped by tides, storms, shipwrecks, deep dives, and a lifelong devotion to the ocean.
Mitsu is a fisherman, diver, sailor, photographer, conservationist, educator, and a father.
He began life as a marine civil engineer designing harbours in Tokyo…
but quickly realised he didn’t want to design the ocean — he wanted to live in it.
So he left the office, joined an offshore fishing boat, and never looked back.
During his years on Tanegashima he became deeply involved in sea turtle conservation and launched
Sea Turtle Crew, an NPO dedicated to protecting loggerhead turtles and teaching island children about the marine world they inherit.
👉 www.turtle-crew.com
Today, Mitsu is preparing a 33-foot Coura (a 1969 Ranger 33) to follow the turtles’ ancient route to Mexico.
🌊 Buren Bay — Our Harbour, Our Community
Buren Bay is more than the mooring point for my sailboat, Wahine.
It is my longevity laboratory, my home for reflection and writing…
and the home of Mitsu — the unofficial Commodore of our tiny, informal yacht harbour.
Living beside him has taught me more than any textbook, lecture, or seminar ever could.
He has helped me navigate treacherous weather, introduces me to the community,
and on stormy days when reaching my boat is “adventurous,” he offers me his guest room.
🌿 Lessons From Mitsu
Our conversations on the steps of his vintage seaside home drift from philosophy to nonsense,
from purpose to parenting, from seamanship to gratitude.
He reminds me to be brave.
To be kind.
To work hard.
To respect the sea.
And to stay rooted: in family, in community, in responsibility.
His 92-year-old mother — sharp, independent, living life on her own terms —
embodies the resilience I’ve spent two years studying on my journey across Japan.
We all need a Mitsu in our life —
someone who keeps us honest, grounded, and moving forward under full sail.
thanks to Mitsu for providing some of the footage
🌏 Learn more about Mitsu’s sea turtle conservation work:
➡️ www.turtle-crew.com
00:00 – Meet Mitsu: Japan’s Real-Life “Waterworld” Mariner
00:36 – A Life Lived in and on the Ocean
01:12 – From Tokyo Engineer to Offshore Fisherman
01:49 – Survival Stories: Sinking Boats and Deep Waters
02:27 – Tanegashima & The Birth of Sea Turtle Crew
03:05 – Protecting Japan’s Loggerhead Turtles
03:42 – A Sailor’s Dream: Preparing to Cross to Mexico
04:13 – Patagonia, Vegetable Oil Vans & Island Education
04:48 – Life in Buren Bay: Wahine, Community & Friendship
05:28 – Mitsu’s Wisdom: Family, Purpose & Living Fully
06:07 – Lessons Learned Beside a Mountain Stream
06:42 – The 92-Year-Old Mother Who Still Inspires
07:15 – Why We All Need a Mitsu in Our Life
If your video ends earlier or later, I can adjust timestamps—just
#Japan #Okinawa #Amami #BurenBay #SailingLife #OceanConservation
#SeaTurtles #LoggerheadTurtles #Waterworld #MitsuharuKume #LongevityProject
#PacificSolo #NeverTooLateAcademy #JapanStories #SailboatLife #IslandLifeJapan
Pacific Solo
Hi, I`m Lowell, a 67-year-old rookie sailor, and a never-too-later! I preparing myself for the biggest challenge of my life: a solo journey across the North Pacific. I am a Canadian living in Japan, and in 2019, I purchased Wahine, a 1988 Gib Sea 402. I moved on board while she was moored in Tokyo. In March 2021, I terminated my contract with the Marina and have been cruising Japan full time since gaining valuable experience all the while working remotely from the boat. Wahine is my home, my studio, and my lab. Join me on my learning voyage around Japan, trying to prepare myself for Pacific Solo. If you want to see where I am please go to my website and click on the Where`s Wahine Button at https://www.pacificsolo.com Also, if you are a fellow never-too-later check out www.nevertoolateacademy.com PSThe History Channel asked if they follow me into various remote ports for a new series called Dare to Dream. The pilot airs in Japan July 24th at 8pm.
Channel Information:
Social Media Links:
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Pacific Solo Lastest Videos
Japan’s Real-Life Waterworld Mariner #Waterworld #SailingLife #OceanStories
Meet Mitsuharu Kume — the closest real-world equivalent I’ve ever found to Kevin Costner’s “Mariner” from Waterworld. He may not have gills (that I know of), but he has everything else: a life shaped by tides, storms, shipwrecks, deep dives, and ...
Ocean to Academia: I’ll be back! #japan #boatlife #writerslife
Leaving Wahine for a few days and swapping ocean waves for academic ones. I’m heading to Tokyo for another IAFOR conference — this one focused on education, with nearly 800 delegates from 65 countries. IAFOR (The International Academic Forum — https...
Japanese Longevity Secrets With a Twist! #boatlife #writerslife #japan
While grabbing a bite to eat near my “Longevity Laboratory” here in Amami, my mate Matt Pride of Amami Adventures spotted a sign with the funniest—and surprisingly insightful—comparison between 18-year-olds and 81-year-olds. Matt’s Japanese is b...
Japan’s Morning Longevity Hack #gateball #pickleball #japan
After visiting 14 prefectures, spending time in Japan’s longevity hotspots, and interviewing some remarkable people, I’m finally back in Amami — and heading back to my boat tomorrow. I’ve just completed the fourth draft of my new book on longevity...
Japanese Walking Secrets You Need To Know! #japan #fitness #longevity
Japanese Walking isn’t just a TikTok trend — it actually has two distinct forms: 1) Traditional Japanese Walking A slow, steady, mindful style practiced by samurai and long-distance walkers. Arms and legs on the same side move together (right arm + ri...
The Moai Thread: From Easter Island to Japan #travel #japan #longevity
Still away from my boat, I’m in Shibuya, Tokyo, standing beside the iconic Moyai statue, a gift from Niijima Island. Years ago, I sailed there by chance and found these statues all across the island—modern interpretations of the Moai of Easter Island ...
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I have been away from my boat for two weeks and am wrapping up this leg of research in Japan’s longevity hotspots. After speaking with locals, experts, and elders, one truth keeps rising to the surface: longevity begins in the mind. Yes—diet, movement...
Only in Japan: Dotonbori Jazz Boat Moment #Dotonbori #Jazz #TravelJapan #authorlife
I’ve spent the last two days tucked into Osaka, racing to finish the 4th draft of my new book — and somehow, miraculously, I wrapped it early ahead of a November 15th deadline. To celebrate, I wandered to a quiet corner of Dotonbori and found an out...
Inside Japan’s City of Super Seniors!
I traveled to Kyotango in Kyoto Prefecture — a community with three times Japan’s national average of centenarians — to meet the people behind the statistics. From proactive health checks to a humorous breakfast song… and finally, a 97-year-old hu...
I am visiting Japan`s Longevity Capital! #explorejapan #writerslife #Aging
I’m back in Hyōgo, walking through Toyooka — a place I once cycled with my family and our dog. Today I’m heading to Kyotango, known as Japan’s Capital City of Longevity and host of the recent Global Longevity Summit. I’ll be visiting a remarkab...
One Simple Habit for Longevity: Morning Taiso #japan #longevity #MorningTaiso
This morning I joined a national ritual in the grounds of a Japanese castle — Morning Taiso. It’s a gentle stretch-and-strength routine familiar to every generation in Japan, but especially beloved by elders. One small detail I love: In modern life, m...
Lafcadio Hearn & Finding Community as a Foreigner #japan #shimane #travel
Good morning from the moat of Matsue Castle, where turtles bask, cherry trees sway, and history lingers in the quiet corners. I’ve just visited the former home of Lafcadio Hearn, the beloved storyteller who helped introduce Japan to the Western world in ...
Izumo: The Beach Where Gods Land #japan #spiritualhotspot #writerslife
Hello from Shimane Prefecture, near Izumo Taisha — one of Japan’s oldest and most sacred shrines. This is said to be the beach where the gods land. Twenty-five years ago, I cycled the length of Japan in what my publisher called “a spiritual journey t...
Secrets From a 92 Year Old’s Life in Japan #longevity #healthylifespan #japan
I left my boat three days ago to come to Shimane Prefecture, a Japanese longevity hotspot, more people live past 100 than anywhere else in the country. I came here to work on my book Longevity and the Art of Community: Lessons from Japan, but also to refle...
Left the Boat Again Seeking Japan’s Longevity Secrets #japan #shimane #longevity #writerslife
On my third research journey up the length of Japan, I’ve returned to Matsue Castle in Shimane Prefecture — the region that’s ranked number one in Japan for twelve consecutive years for the number of centenarians per 100,000 people. Just 48 hours ag...
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The Art of Community: Japan’s Secret to Longevity
In Japan, the art of community isn’t just practiced — it’s spoken. Words ending in -kai mean a gathering with purpose — turning intention into habit. From the 90-year-old “Granny of the Fields” in Aichi, to the 84-year-old café owner on Ama I...
What Sailors Should Know About Japan’s Typhoon Season
Hi, I’m Lowell Sheppard, back on board Wahine here in Buren Bay, Japan — well, almost! I’m checking in after some time away and happy to report she’s stayed dry and mold-free. But let’s talk about typhoon season in Japan — it’s not over yet....
Shinshu Salmon with Beverly Hills Ninja #JapanJourney #FreshwaterSalmon #BlueZoneBook
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At 4:30 AM I boarded a ferry south through the Ryukyu Islands, retracing the route Wahine and I had sailed just months ago. Destination: Okinawa—once called the Land of Immortals by the Chinese. But today, Okinawa is no longer a Blue Zone. In fact, it’...
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Day 3 of my 30-day journey through Japan’s longevity hotspots took a surprising turn. While bailing out my tender in heavy rain, lightning struck close enough to shake the boat and leave me wondering if Wahine herself had been hit. Thankfully, everything...
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