The Tachibana-Maru pictured at night in Tokyo. © Evan's Studio, 2016
What is the Tachibana-Maru?
The Tachibana-Maru, pictured above, is a passenger and cargo ship built in 2014. It is sometimes confused with a WWII era ship with the same name. The Tachibana Maru war ship was 'the only Japanese ship captured under sail by the U.S. Navy during World War II."
What does Tachibana mean?
According to ancestry.com, the Tachibana name means "wild orange" in Japanese. And yes, there is a Tachibana Orange.
The ancestry.com website states that Tachibana "was first taken as a surname by the distinguished statesman Katsuragi Moroe (684–757), a son of imperial prince Minu and Tachibana no Michiyo (d. 733), a court lady of great renown."
The Tachibana name dates back to the Nara and Heian periods. There are many landmarks and popular culture figures derived from the Tachibana name. For example, Naoto Tachibana is one of the characters in the popular TV show Tokyo Revengers.
What is the Tachibana-Maru route?
According to the Tokai Kisen Co., Ltd. website, the regular route is from Tokyo to Miyakejima-Mikurajima-Hachijojima.
