Cruising Tour of Shiretoko, Newly Registered Natural World Heritage

In 1971, a song "Shiretoko Ryojo" (Shiretoko Traveling Sentiment) sung by well-known Japanese actor MORISHIGE Hisaya, and singer KATO Tokiko became a big hit and motivated many Japanese to travel to Shiretoko, Hokkaido, a part of Japan that is now in the spotlight again as a beautiful sightseeing spot. In July 2005, Shiretoko was registered as a Natural World Heritage site. Here, brown bears and Ezo deer roam, and visitors will see magnificent natural beauty. Sea eagles, salmon, lion seals and whales come and go across the sky and in the sea from many far away regions.

Since the land is preserved, the main sightseeing locations are the Shiretoko-goko (five lakes), Shiretoko pass and Kamuiwakka falls. However, this scenery can be, frankly speaking, seen anywhere in Hokkaido. As a natural world heritage site, the ecology of the area is extremely rich, however it is not always easy for tourists to find its beauty. Because of this situation, sea cruising tours are gaining popularity.

The scenery of the Shiretoko Peninsular viewed from the sea is stunning. Visitors will be deeply impressed by the overwhelmingly beautiful scenery that has no comparison anywhere in Japan. About 2,000 wild brown bears live on the Shiretoko Peninsular and visitors are able to see them from the sea during spring and fall. Of course, not only brown bears, but also other rare animals and birds can be observed.

Mr. WATANABE Mitsuo of "Shiretoko Cruises" says there has been a substantial increase in tourists since the area was registered as a Natural World Heritage site, and recalls the time before cruising tours were known. "In the beginning, we arranged tours by fishing boat, and later, to cope with increasing time demands, we began using cruisers, but it was very hard until a route was established. Also the guests' general image of a cruiser as being 'expensive, scary, and causing sea sickness' made it difficult for us to attract tourists."

Mr. Watanabe smiled wryly and said, "Soon after cruising tours became known, we were affected by large ship cruises." He continued, "The highlight for us was when our cruise tour became popular and when we saw tourists being totally moved by the scenery in Shiretoko. I feel very happy running this business, especially when tourists return after a few years, remember my face and say 'I came back.'" The majority of tourists come from mainland Honshu. Occasionally foreign tourists join the tours, often hosted by their English-speaking staff.

Now that Shiretoko is registered as a Natural World Heritage site, it will soon be known to tourists worldwide as an off-the-beaten-track sightseeing spot, and Shiretoko Cruises in which you can enjoy the amazing Shiretoko scenery is sure to attract attention as a travel highlight.

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