Swimming With Wild Dolphins In Tokyo
It's rare to get the chance to go swimming with wild dolphins, and it can be a more rewarding and authentic experience than swimming with captive animals. Surprisingly, you can have this experience in Tokyo, albeit quite far from the city center.
Ogasawara Islands
The Ogasawara Islands are 1,000 kilometers south of Tokyo in the Philippine Sea but are still part of Tokyo. The sea surrounding the islands is famous for dolphin swims, and there are tours available for beginners to advanced swimmers. The wild dolphins are relatively friendly and have been known to play, throwing seaweed like a ball.
Mikurajima
Mikurajima, in Tokyo's Izu Peninsula, is home to legions of dolphins. The unspoiled island is sparsely inhabited and quite traditional. To maintain its unspoiled feel, there are rules and limitations for exploring the island and swimming with dolphins. These regulations have allowed the surrounding sea to flourish with a population of about 160 wild, southern bottlenosed dolphins. Mikurajima offers the most opportunities in the region to swim with wild dolphins.
How to get there
The Ogasawara Islands are accessible via overnight ferry from Tokyo. Mikurajima is accessible via a seven-hour boat from Tokyo. You can also get to Mikurajima by taking a plane to Oshima Island then a ferry.
