If the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, you would sail generally north west to Japan.
East
west
You would travel East on a plane. You would go East going from Japan to the US.
To travel to Greenland to Alaska, in what direction would you travel.
Arab traders sailing the Indian ocean in their sailing ships preferred to travel during the months of June and July because they were the prevailing months of monsoon winds; that is why they are called trade winds.
southeast
The direction to get from Florida to Washington is northwest.
you would have to travel northwest.
Sou-southeast
Southerly mostly
you would have to travel north
To travel from Melbourne to Brisbane, you would travel in a north-northeasterly direction.