Wild Shiretoko | Shiretoko Travel Shiretoko Tours

Shiretoko Nature Office, Mitsuteru Matsuda

He has been interested in nature since he was a child and frequented the Shiretoko Museum in Shari Town. After working at Shiretoko Nature Center and other places, he established the Shiretoko Nature Office. He is said to be "the man who knows Shiretoko best."

Shiretoko is home to a diverse range of natural environments in one area, including the sea, mountains, and forests. It is a rare tourist destination in Japan where you can encounter a variety of wild animals in a natural environment that is rare even on a global scale. "At this time of year, you can see brown bears, sperm whales, killer whales, Dall's porpoises, and more," says Matsuda of Shiretoko Nature Office. If you're lucky, you might even encounter a brown bear swimming in the sea or a killer whale jumping alongside a Cruise ship.
Since you are dealing with wild animals, wildlife watching brings new discoveries and excitement every time. This is highly recommended for those who have experienced many trips and are looking for a more unique and rewarding trip.

This is the perfect time to encounter baby wild animals. This is also the time when you can encounter mother and baby brown bears roaming the coastline!

Whale watching is an exciting experience just to see a whale. If you're even more lucky, you might even be able to feel the whale's breathing up close! It may have a fishy smell and not a pleasant smell at all. But for nature freaks, the smell of a whale's breathing, which you'll never get to smell again, is a valuable experience! I want to concentrate fully and feel the whale's breathing.

Although they are not as friendly as bottlenose dolphins, Dall's porpoises, which swim comfortably and splash about, are another marine animal you should encounter during this season. The way they glide across the surface of the water is soothing.

The Cruise boats departing from Utoro Port are also recommended for the spectacular view of the Shiretoko peninsula seen from the sea. Rausu (1,661m), Io-zan (1,563m), and other mountains in the Shiretoko mountain range that rise over 1,000m above sea level. The view of these mountains over the cliffs that rise above the coastline is one of the rarest in the world.

"Kamuiwakka Falls" is also one of the highlights of the Cruise ship departing from Utoro Port. It is a rare sight, with the Kamuiwakka River falling directly into Sea of Okhotsk, with a drop of about 30 meters.

The recommendation for this season in Shiretoko is "sea urchin." Please try the additive-free sea urchin that is not treated with alum. Also, young salmon called "tokishirazu" are fatty and delicious. Salmon are normally a fish that migrate in the fall, but since they migrate earlier in the season, they are called "tokishirazu."