There are many famous attractions in Shikoku. In Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture, the most famous one is the Naruto Whirlpools. The Naruto Whirlpool is a natural wonder at sea created by the Naruto Strait between Tokushima and Awaji Island. Among them, during the spring and autumn high tides, the Naruto Strait reaches its peak, with whirlpools reaching a diameter of up to 20 meters, making it the largest whirlpool in the world. So, when you have the opportunity to visit Tokushima, besides watching the Awa Dance, remember to come and see this unique natural phenomenon.
I am visiting the whirlpool for the first time and I can’t help but imagine if the boat will be sucked into the whirlpool.
Of course, I safely returned in the end…
Now, let’s get back to the main topic. The place to buy boat tickets is here: Uzushio Kisen (Japanese: うずしお汽船)
After you come in, you can see that they are selling tickets here.
This should be the God of Wind.
Ferry tickets cost ￥1500 per person
(children under 12 years old pay half price, children under 6 years old are free).
Behind is a postcard
This is the boat to board.
It doesn’t look big.
However, once inside, it’s actually quite decent and not too small.
It’s not a problem to have more than ten people standing on the back deck.
This is the situation inside the ship.
The seating area is quite spacious.
Heading out to sea!
In less than ten minutes, you will see a whirlpool.
The first time you see the sea surface, it is calm and a bit scary in its calmness.
This is the real vortex.
This is the feeling of capturing the sea water surging up from the bottom, and there happens to be a whirlpool nearby.
It clearly is seawater, but it behaves like ordinary lake water.
This whirlpool is slightly larger, but not deeper.
Soon, it became smaller.
Above is the whirlpool seen in the Naruto Strait~
Since it was not during the peak tide period, this whirlpool is a bit small.
If you plan to visit Naruto, it is recommended to also pay attention to the sea tide conditions.
It would be even better if you watch a short video I took in addition to looking at the pictures.
Please head to YouTube to watch it.
For more information on transportation, attractions, and food in Tokushima Prefecture, please refer to the Shikoku page.
Uzushio Kisen (Official Website)
Ticket Prices: Adults ¥1500, Children ¥750 (Free for children under 6 years old)
Ferry Schedule: 08:00 to 16:30, departs every 30 minutes, with a travel time of approximately 20 minutes (for viewing the whirlpools)
Transportation Options:
1. Self-driving
2. Take the Tokushima Bus from JR Naruto Station (Take the Naruto Line towards Naruto Park, get off at Kameuraguchi and walk for about 1 minute)
Map:
Reference:
Naruto Tourism Association
Tokushima Bus: Fare table and route map
Tokushima Bus timetable: Click here to search.
『Original Source：https://nicklee.tw/1212/』
