Voyaging canoe Hokule'a and its escort, Kama Hele, pulled into a Japanese Coast Guard port on Amami Island to ride out a storm, but were to leave again about 10:30 a.m. today.

Hokule'a is taking a route through the South China Sea up the western side of the Ryukyu Islands as it sails in Japanese waters.

The boats left Okinawa Saturday en route to Kumamoto, Japan. Captain and navigator Chad Baybayan opted to pull into a safe port with gale force winds and thunderstorms predicted.

Polynesian Voyaging Society president Nainoa Thompson, who is in Honolulu, said Amami is the only safe anchorage along the canoe's route. He said that once the storm clears, forecasters predict three to four days of clear weather before the next storm, which should be plenty of time for the canoe to reach Kumamoto.

Baybayan reported that crew members were safe and were to be housed at a karate dojo for the night.

Hokule'a is on a goodwill mission to Japan, which follows a sail through Micronesia.

After Kumamoto, the voyaging canoe and escort are to visit Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Oshima, Hiroshima, Uwajima and Yokohama. Hokule'a will be shipped back to Hawai'i from Japan.

Crew members include skipper Chad Baybayan, Pa'ana'akala Baybayan, Taku Araki, Kaimana Barcarse, Tim Gilliom, Ka'iu Kimura, Attwood Makanani, Ka'iulani Murphy, Mel Paoa, Maka'ala Rawlins, Mona Shintani, Kanako Uchino, Ah Lun Yung, and a Japanese merchant marine officer identified by the Polynesian Voyaging Society only as Mr. Oku.

Reach Jan TenBruggencate at jant@honoluluadvertiser.com.