The voyaging canoe Hokule'a and escort Kama Hele pulled to dock at Uto Harbor, near the ancient Japanese city of Kumamoto yesterday.

It was the canoe's third landfall during its friendship voyage through the Japanese Islands. The crew spent several days in Okinawa, and stopped for two nights to wait out a storm at the small island of Amami.

"We were given a beautiful place to moor the canoe next to a seashore park. There were clean restrooms and they took us to a dojo (karate school) to sleep. The people were really fantastic," said Chad Baybayan, who is serving as captain and navigator on this part of the canoe's voyage.

The sailing has been less successful. Baybayan said the canoe has spent considerable time under tow as it tries to keep to a schedule in very light wind.

"A lot of fog and misty rain has limited visibility to a mile or two. But we've been able to see a lot of small islands," Baybayan said.

The canoe has been sailing north through the East China Sea, on the western side of the islands that run down to Okinawa from Kyushu, Japan's third-largest island.

Kumamoto is on Kyushu. It is an old warrior city dominated by the scenic Kumamoto Castle.

Hokule'a crew member Taku Araki, who was born in the city, said the canoe would be tied up in the fishing harbor of Uto, which is adjacent to Kumamoto.

Crew members will visit Kumamoto Castle and also will be taken to some of the region's famed hot springs. That will be welcome, Araki said.

"It's kind of cold over here already," he said.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com.