※This article was published at
September 2014.※
If you’re coming down to Japan, you have several things to do in mind.
The world famous Shibuya crossing, go to Akihabara for the real otaku experience, sushi, tempura, temples and shrines, swimming with wild dolphins...what??
I bet none of you knew this, not even the Japanese people know that you can swim with dolphins in Japan! And guess what, it’s in Tokyo (well, technically)!!
It is at Ogasawara Islands located 1000km south of mainland Tokyo.
Photo by pha pha
The Ogasawara Islands, also known as the Galapagos of the east was nominated as a natural World Heritage Site in 2011.
It is among the few places in Japan where you see nature as it is, unthouched by human civilization.
Dolphin swim is one of the biggest attractions at Ogasawara.
There are several tours dedicated for this natural entertainment, which costs about 6000yen.
When choosing your tour, beware that there are two types: dolphin watching where you remain on the boat and watch the dolphins, occasionally touching it if they come close, or the dolphin swimming where you get to go into the sea and swim with the dolphins after an hour of training.
Without a doubt, I recommend the latter!
After about a 10minute boat ride off the shore, you’ll see this:
And look! If you are swimming gently trying not to surprise the dolphins, they’ll come even closer to play with you!!
According to the tour guide, dolphins are not only intelligent but very playful and love interacting with humans as long as they don’t sense fear or danger.
Apparently, there were some people who were lucky enough to actually ride on dolphins as well!
Unfortunately, this did not happen to me, but it is a sure once in a lifetime experience to swim with wild dolphins and feel the great nature!
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