Inside Azimut’s inaugural Rendez-vous yacht event in Asia—a celebration of Italian design and Japanese culture

The event began at Yasuda Shipyard, transformed for the occasion into an open-air stage, where Azimut’s iconic yachts gleamed under the Tokyo sun. Guests explored the brand’s latest innovations through private viewings aboard various Azimut models while savouring tsukemen, gelato from famed Italian chocolatier Venchi and, of course, pizza. They also browsed through displays that included an outdoor showcase of pieces by the Italian furniture brand Paola Lenti and took part in a weaving workshop by Milanese leather house Serapian. “It’s a way to experience the Italian lifestyle in a broader sense,” Vitelli says.

In the early evening, the celebrations moved over to the private residence of the Italian ambassador to Japan in the upscale Mita district. Against the backdrop of the home’s stunning Japanese garden, guests were treated to a spread created by the Italian chef and TV personality Carlo Cracco: scallops au gratin with aromatic herbs and bottarga, or cured fish roe sac; fish carpaccio with radicchio and green lemon; and a sweet, rich cassata, a Sicilian cake. Live musical performances by Italian singers followed; then Vitelli gave a speech that reinforced the event’s theme—harmony between man, nature and technology—to enthusiastic applause.

The event continued at the shipyard on the second day. And as the sun dipped behind the skyline, guests boarded Azimut yachts for a cruise across Tokyo Bay. From the decks, the city looked cinematic—its glass towers flickering in the twilight, reflections rippling across the water. Then came the fireworks: a cascade of colour over the harbour, each burst mirrored in the sea below. The cruise was organised to coincide with the Star Island Odaiba Fireworks Festival, an event that brings fireworks and a laser show to Tokyo. It was the kind of moment that makes you pause, take a breath and realise that yes, this is exactly what luxury is meant to feel like. Guests were then brought back to the shipyard and welcomed onto the Casino Royale yacht for an after-party, where the revelries continued into the early hours.

Throughout the Rendez-vous, the community’s strength was unmistakable. Azimut’s “one dealer per market” model fosters deep local connections, and among the attendees were dealers from Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam—a snapshot of a new generation of Asian yacht owners who are global in outlook, design-savvy and keen to embrace a lifestyle that extends far beyond the vessel itself.

Vitelli acknowledges this shift. In the past, the Asian market wanted very specific designs. The Azimut Dragon Series, produced in the mid-2010s, featured layouts that were completely different from the yacht models presented primarily to clients in the west; they encompassed space for karaoke and mahjong. Today, what Azimut’s customers in Asia—particularly those who are younger—are looking for is more in line with the rest of the world, as they become increasingly influenced by cross-cultural trends.

Azimut’s growing footprint in Asia-Pacific is evident. With 16 recent yacht deliveries—including a Grande 32M in Ha Long Bay, Vietnam—and ten more on the way, the brand’s investment in the region is clear. But beyond numbers, it is the brand’s sensibility that seems to resonate in Asia: a blend of performance and poise, tradition and risk-taking. “The Asian market loves Italian design; take Japan, for example—we share that passion for craftsmanship and artisanal work,” says Vitelli. “We, as Italians, add that passionate touch.”

As the two-day event drew to a close, with glasses raised and new friendships forged, one thing was clear: this wasn’t just a celebration of yachting, but one of vision—and of what happens when Italian passion meets Asian precision, and the sea becomes a stage for something truly unforgettable.

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