photo by Isaac Kohane
The Japanese have been living with whales since ancient times. It can be tracked back to pre-Christian years. Whales were called “isana” back then, there were some poems about “isama” in “Man’yoshu”, the oldest existing collection of Japanese poetry. Whales have been dwelling around Japan since such ancient times. They are still spotted all around Japan throughout the year from Hokkaido to Okinawa. Watch the spectacular show of real whales breaching from the water surface, sticking out only a tail fin or blowing seawater! This column will introduce some whale watching sites around Japan.
Ogasawara Islands (Tokyo prefecture)
Located about 1,000km south from the central Tokyo, Ogasawara Islands are a group of over 30 little islands. Ferry and passenger boat are only transportations from the main island of Japan to Ogasawara Islands. Having been totally isolated from the outside world, the nature remains unspoiled here and many rare animals, that have undergone unique evolutionary processes, are still dwell on the land. Ogasawara Islands were registered as a world heritage site in 2011 and its value was reaffirmed. Here, the local community implements “eco-tourism” based on their own regulations. Many whale watching tours are held by local proprietors under the islands’ eco-tourism. Sperm Whales can be seen year-round and Humpback Whales are spotted around the coasts from winter to spring. Also, you may encounter Bryde’s whales, Short-finned pilot whales and Cuvier’s beaked whales if you are lucky. Great whales splashing in boundless blue water under the endless sky, here is the only place you can witness such a fantastic scenery.
Ogasawara Whale Watching Association
Kerama Islands (Okinawa prefecture)
Kerama Islands, a group of over 20 islands located about 40km west of Naha city, Okinawa. The beautiful sea around this area is widely known for its incredibly high transparency and named as the Kerama Blue, attracting many divers and tourists every year. What’s more, a group of hundreds of Humpback whales visit this area from winter to spring each year. You may spot cute baby whales swimming along their moms after breeding period. During the season, a few whale watching boats launch daily from Okinawa Island or Zamami Island. Kerama Islands are one of the best whale watching destinations of Japan, very likely to encounter wild whales during tours. Depending on the tour you choose, you may have a chance to get really close to whales.
Tabirai Okinawa (Japanese)
Zamami Whale Watching
Choshi (Chiba prefecture)
Can you believe this? You can hop on a whale watching boat just 2hours away from Tokyo station by train and bus. You thought a whale watching is something you have to travel to the ocean far far away, didn’t you? But you don’t have to. Choshi is an old fishery town with a long history, where the Choshi Port, the largest volume of landing port in Japan, is located. Here, Choshi Ocean Institute offers an “offshore whale watching tour” during November and December every year, the best season for Sperm whales and Short-finned pilot whales. This is the handiest whale watching destination from Tokyo, you can even make a day-trip. Watching whales swimming in the boundless water will sweep away all everyday hustle-bustle from your mind.
Choshi Ocean Institute (Japanese)
Rausu (Hokkaido, Shiretoko)
The Pacific Ocean side of Hokkaido, Shiretoko Peninsula is located north east of the island as if sticking up in the sea. It is the nature paradise surrounded by breathtaking seasonal sceneries, where wild animals are rampant here and there. Shiretoko Peninsula and the neighboring seas are registered as a world heritage site in 2005. In Rausu, which is on the east coast of the peninsula, several kinds of whales can be spotted after drift ice disappears: Baird’s beaked whales turn up in March, April and September, Common minke whales can be seen between May to July and Sperm whales from July to September. Watching a Baird’s beaked whale breaching out of the seawater surface, or a Sperm whale blowing seawater from the blowhole is just spectacular! Don’t forget to bring a warm jacket with you as the feeling temperature on the water is quite low.
Shiretoko Rausu Tourist Information Center (Japanese)
Kuroshio-cho (Kochi prefecture)
Kuroshio-cho is located at north of the outlet where the river Shimanto, one of the “Three Clear-Flowing Rivers in Japan”, flows into the ocean. The offshore of this township famous for the skipjack fishing is known as the year-round habitat area of Bryde’s whales. The entire town is enthusiastic about the biological researches on Bryde’s whales including individual recognition research. Many whale watching tours are held daily between April and the end of October as a tourists’ activity. Occasionally, whales come almost within your reach, if you are lucky enough. This is the best site to view whales freely swimming in the boundless seawater.
Ogata Whale Watching (Japanese)
Tips to enjoy whole watching
Outfit
A tour boat normally sails far off land to the area whales appear. Even though you won’t do any hard exercises on the boat, choose sports shoes such as sneakers to wear instead of something impractical like high heels, as it is quite unstable under foot. Also, you will feel a lot chiller than actual temperature as it is windy on the boat. Bring a jacket or warm top in case you feel cold on the water. some waterproof outfits are also handy on the tour boat.
Sun protection
Don’t underestimate the sun on the seawater. Sun cream, a hat and sunglasses are must-have items. The heat protection is also important in summertime. Choose a hat with strings in case of windy weather.
Seasick remedies
Bring your own seasick remedies if you are susceptible to motion sickness, as sometimes a tour boat rocks violently in water. A tour organizer don’t provide seasick remedies most of the time. Looking into the far distance on the boat is a common strategy to avoid seasickness.
Don’t lose your camera
While taking photos of whales is the best attraction of whole watching, many people accidentally drop their camera or mobile phone into the water. Attach a strap on your camera to wear it from your neck is a good idea. You will need similar protection for your phone as well.
Whale sighting NOT 100% guaranteed
All whole watching tours are scheduled during the best season that a large number of wholes visit the area. Still, whether you encounter whales during the tour cannot be foreseen as they are wild animals after all. Whale sightings cannot be 100% guaranteed.
It is not down in any map; true places never are
Whole watching is a great marine entertainment on the blue water. You might be astonished how gigantic they are when they see them for the first time. Meeting great marine giants that can only live in borderless water, never in a little pool of aquariums, would be a wonderful moment you can never forget. Do some quick research about their behaviors such as blowing and breaching beforehand to enjoy a whale watching tour twice more.
