Whale watching
Japan is home to a magnificent range of whales and dolphins, and whale watching cruises provide a sustainable alternative to whaling.
Sadly Japan sometimes hits the headlines for all the wrong reasons, and the whole world knows that Japan has been stubborn in its defiance of the International Whaling Committee's ban on the whaling of certain species. Fortunately some coastal communities are bucking this trend by running whale watching tours; a chance to appreciate these magnificent creatures up close while supporting predominantly poor fishing towns and villages.
Venturing into the Pacific Ocean on a boat
cruise from Kochi, you may see a huge variety of wildlife including
porpoises, striped and bottlenose dolphins, killer, sperm and humpback
whales.
When to go: The best time to see Kochi's marine life is from May to September and InsideJapan can add a cruise to any Shikoku itinerary.
For more information email us: [email protected] or call: + 44 117 244 3380
Important notice: We are pleased to be able to offer so many amazing experiences in Japan. However, we are sorry that we can only include these as a part of a full Japan holiday package which includes your accommodation and transport alongside the experiences presented in this section of the web site.
Other Wildlife experiences
View more >Japanese Giant Salamanders Conservation
Wade into the clear rivers of remote Tottori Prefecture for a wildlife research experience with Japanese giant salamanders.
Blakiston's fish owl
Meet Blakiston's fish owl, the largest owl in the world, which feed on river fish around the Shiretoko Peninsula.
Steller's sea eagles
Take a small ice breaker cruise into the ice flows of the Nemuro Straits to photograph Steller's sea eagles fishing for Pacific cod.