The world's oldest ocean-going passenger vessel, two years younger than the ill-fated Titanic, arrived in Japan's southernmost island over the weekend as part of a global tour.

The 'Doulos,' a 93-year-old ship, which weighs over 6,800 tons, got its first public viewing on May 12 after docking at Hakata port in the city of Fukuoka for the first time ever.

The vessel contains the largest floating library in the world, with more than 500,000 books and is maintained by 350 volunteers from over than 50 countries. Attractions include an onboard book fair, an international café, conversational English lessons and internal tours. The ship will be at the port until May 21.

Now owned by a German nonprofit organization, the vessel has been sailing the seas since 1914. It will be open to the public for 10 days before sailing north to Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, and then continuing further up to Niigata.

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