Built as a passenger vessel under yard No 993 by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Kobe for the Nihon Sangyo Junko Mihonichi, (Japanese Floating Fair Association) Kyokai, Tokyo.
22 June 1962 launched as the SAKURA MARU.
Tonnage 12.628 grt, 7.150 net, 10.625 dwt., dim. 157.0 x 21.1m., length bpp. 145.0m.
Powered by one 7-cyl. U.E.C diesel engine, 9.800 bhp., single screw. Speed 17 knots.
Accommodation for 152 first class, 800 tourist class passengers.
15 October 1962 delivered.
First used as an exhibition ship for worldwide voyages to display Japanese products.
The tree lowere decks are completely given over to this, and escalators did run between the upper deck and the exhibition holds.
05 November 1962 sailed for her maiden voyage from Kobe to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
1964 Used in the liner service from Japan to South America under management of the Mitsui-OSK Lines Ltd., Tokyo.
1968 She made a Youth Good Will Tour, commemorated on the stamp.
1971 Sold to Mitsubishi Shintaku Ginko K.K., Tokyo, renamed in SAKURA.
The same year already sold to Guangzhou Mar. Transport Co. Ltd., China renamed ZHI LUO LAN.
1999 Same owner.
2009 Not more in http://www.equasis.org most probably scrapped.
2003 Deleted (given by Miramar)
Japan 1968 15y sg1112, scott
Source: register of Merchant Ships Completed 1962. Great Passenger Ships of the World by Arnold Kludas. Merchant Ships World Built 1962. Historical Sketches of Watercraft on Stamps.