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CONTENTS 01
EASTERNOCEANHOKKAIDO
Wonderland Activities in the “Sea”
Eastern Hokkaido is located in between the Sea of Okhotsk to the north and Pacific Ocean to the south. In addition to being the home of excellent seafood, it is a paradise for a variety of wild species such as marine animals and seabirds which form the unique ecosystems of eastern Hokkaido. One of the most popular activities is the cruising tour to explore miracles of the nature including the wild life, sheer cliffs, and the incredibly beautiful sunset. When drift ice arrives at the coast, there’ll be more exciting tours provided.
CONTENTS 02
EASTERNCRUISEHOKKAIDO
写真提供：ゴジラ岩観光
Cruising
Each cruising tour in eastern Hokkaido has its own unique feature to meet any tourist’s preference. Kushiro Sunset Cruising shows you one of the three greatest sunsets in the world. Shiretoko Peninsula Cruising takes you to the Sea of Okhotsk to view the sheer cliffs and rocks of the UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. For those who would like to see wild animals, Whale Watching Cruise in Rausu is recommended; many kinds of whales, dolphins, and seabirds such as shearwater can be found from the sea in between Shiretoko Peninsula and Kunashiri Island, which is one of the Northern Territories.
| Area | Genre | Company / organization name | Main services | Service area | Foreign language support | WEB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kushiro | Sea | BAY LOUNGE SEA GRACE | Cruise | Kushiro city | English | WEB |
| Nemuro・Nakashibetsu Shiretoko |
Sea | Gojiraiwa Kanko | Cruise Ice walk |
Shiretoko | English | WEB |
CONTENTS 03
EASTERNSEA KAYAKEHOKKAIDO
Sea Kayaking
Kayak is a type of canoe which uses a double-bladed paddle. Sea kayaking is literally to go into the sea by kayak. What’s so interesting about sea kayaking is that it makes you feel as if you were a part of the vast expanse of ocean by being at sea level. The best spot to take a full advantage of this is Shiretoko, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. You can paddle along the coastline with over 100-meter (328-feet) cliffs in height and look up at the amazing landscapes such as Furepe Waterfall also called "The Maiden's Tears."
| Area | Genre | Company / organization name | Main services | Service area | Foreign language support | WEB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shiretoko | Mountains･Forests･ Sea |
Northern Lights | Nature Guide Sea kayak |
Shiretoko | WEB |
CONTENTS 04
EASTERNNATURE GUIDEHOKKAIDO
Nature Guide
“Nature Guide” is a tour to explore the nature with a well-experienced expert. There're a variety of "Nature Guide" tours all over eastern Hokkaido, and one of the most popular tours is the one in Notsuke Peninsula located in the furthest east of Hokkaido. Notsuke Peninsula is a 28 km-long (17.3 mile-long) sandspit protruding in to the sea, and the scale is the largest in Japan. What makes it so special is "Todowara" at the tip of the peninsula. "Todowara" is a remain of decayed forest of Abies sachalinensis trees due to seawater erosion, and the sight looks like the end of the world if that exists. You can choose a tour from either walking or cruising ones.
| Area | Genre | Company / organization name | Main services | Service area | Foreign language support | WEB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shiretoko | Mountains･Forests･ Sea |
Shiretoko Nature Guide Tour Inc. | Nature Guide Ice walk |
Shiretoko | English | WEB |
| Shiretoko | Mountains･Forests･ Sea |
Northern Lights | Nature Guide Sea kayak |
Shiretoko | WEB | |
| Nemuro・Nakashibetsu | Mountains･Forests･ Sea |
Notsuke Peninsula Nature Center | Nature Guide | Notsuke Peninsula | WEB |
CONTENTS 05
EASTERNDRIFT ICE WALKHOKKAIDO
Drift Ice Walk
In Utoro in Shiretoko facing the Sea of Okhotsk, drift ice reaches in February and stays until March. "Drift Ice Walk" tour offers you an extraordinary experience to walk on the drift ice. The special dry suit provided can be worn over your clothes and keep you warmer than you expect. Besides, the buoyancy of the suit keeps you safe in case you fall into the sea, so even beginners can join. You can lie down on drift ice while looking up at natural monuments flying such as Steller's sea eagles and white-taled eagles. You may be able to witness cliones, the "Angel of Drift Ice", if you carefully look down into the sea.
| Area | Genre | Company / organization name | Main services | Service area | Foreign language support | WEB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shiretoko | Mountains･Forests･ Sea |
Shiretoko Nature Guide Tour Inc. | Nature Guide Ice walk |
Shiretoko | English | WEB |
| Shiretoko | Sea | MEPS | Ice walk | Shiretoko | WEB | |
| Nemuro・Nakashibetsu Shiretoko |
Sea | Gojiraiwa Kanko | Cruise Ice walk |
Shiretoko | English | WEB |
CONTENTS 06
EASTERNDRIFT ICE DIVINGHOKKAIDO
Drift Ice Diving
It's scuba diving going under drift ice in Utoro, Shiretoko. From February to March while drift ice stays around Shiretoko Peninsula, you can dive into the sea to view drift ice from the bottom. Sunlight coming down from between pieces of drift ice dyes the color of the sea into blue and green. It's just so beautiful that no word is good enough to describe the scene. What makes it more fascinating is clione, Angel of Drift Ice, which flutters like a butterfly in the sea. The chance to find this angel is quite high beneath drift ice. The tour requires you to have a certification of an Advanced Open Water PADI or equivalent qualification and your own diving equipment.
| Area | Genre | Company / organization name | Main services | Service area | Foreign language support | WEB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shiretoko | Sea | Robinson Corporation | Drift ice diving | Shiretoko | WEB |
