Noguchi, the sixth Japanese to go into space, also recalled bringing a taste of Japan into space by taking a Japanese meal to the International Space Station (ISS).

"It was a great honour to participate in this expedition," he told a press conference along with four fellow astronauts from the shuttle Discovery just hours after it landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

"I think it's a great opportunity for the international astronauts to join the great American crew. I hope that other foreign nationals will have the same chance," he told reporters on the desert base.

The charismatic space traveller said his favourite moment of the 9.28-million-kilometer (5.8-million-mile) trip was a meal shared on the ISS by its crew and that of the Discovery to which he contributed a Japanese meal including curried rice.

"I feel like going back to the station tomorrow. I really enjoyed every moment of the flight from launch to landing," he said.

But there were poignant moments for the first shuttle crew to go back into orbit following the horrific destruction of the Columbia two and a half year ago, the Japanese astronaut, wearing a blue flight suit, said.

"Obviously Columbia was always in our minds. We had picture of the Columbia crew on the flight deck. They were always in our mind.

"But we tried to concentrate on what we were doing and to enjoy every moment. I was just happy to fly all the way down," Noguchi said.

Noguchi's commander Eileen Collins praised "our first-time flyer from Japan," saying the three spacewalks he made during the trip along with Stephen Robinson were "fantastic."

"He's a rookie but you would have never known it," she said, adding that he was charged with a range of duties including documenting the flight with photos and videos.

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