The Naniwa Maru (浪華丸) is a replica ship of a typical Japanese trader from the Edo period (1603-1868) known as a higaki kaisen.

Materials transported included vinegar, cotton, oil, paper and medicines.

[2] The plans for the ship were drawn up on computer, based on the only remaining original drawings dating back to the Bunka epoch (1804-1817).

Pine, cedar, Japanese cypress and evergreen oak are all used in the construction of the hull and mast, whilst the sail is a cotton canvas known as a matsuemon-ho and there are old Japanese-style nails such as nuikugi and toshikugi.

[2] These were run under the supervision of Nomoto Kensaku, emeritus professor at Osaka University, and helped confirm theories on the efficacy of the single-mast, square sail design.