Miyake Island, Japan
A green volcanic island surrounded by wonderful sea and where you can see dolphins
In May, I traveled to Miyake-jima, a small volcanic island in Japan, to swim with dolphins — Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins.
Miyake Island
Miyake-jima is located in the Philippine Sea approximately 180 kilometers southeast of Tokyo, Japan.
On July 14, 2000, Mount Oyama began another series of eruptions, and by September, the island was completely evacuated. After a four-year period of volcanic emissions, residents were allowed to return permanently on February 1, 2005 — wikipeida
To meet dolphins, you’ll need to take a 7.5-hour boat ride from Takeshiba in Tokyo to Miyakejima. From Miyakejima, take a 50-minute one-way boat ride to Mikurajima, where you can find a bunch of curious dolphins.
Miyake Island is small and quiet. You can hear only the sound of waves crashing and bird’s song. This green volcanic island has preserved its own wildlife — about 260 species of birds, plentiful marine life, and laurel forests.
If you visit the island, you will live a simple life. During the day, explore the sea by swimming or diving and watch the sunset in beautiful red colors. At night, watch the Milky Way in the sky and go to bed early.
There are various dive sites for fun diving. You can see arch terrain, turtles, colorful corals, and more.
Mikura Island
Mikura Island is protected by prohibiting hiking without an island guide and camping as well to preserve the island’s habitat. The island is home to more than 160 dolphins. Each dolphin has a name like 耳 — ear for the dolphin with the scarred ear. The captain told me that if He call out their name, sometimes they will come.
Tours are not available from January to March due to the birth season, and from April to November you can swim with the dolphins. You must have a freediving certificate.
Under the water, hold your breath and stop moving, just stay there, and then curious dolphins will come and play with you. They have facial expressions — some friends smile at you, glance away, or make eye contact. When you are far away from the group, they come up to you and giggle and make fun of you by throwing their shit. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey buddy, What are you doing here?”. The clicking sound and whistles that the dolphins make are a beautiful harmony.
Dive Log
- Weight: 2kg
- Suit: 3mm freediving suit
- Water temperature: 23°
- Depth: 7~10m
Thoughts
Most people living on the island are elderly. The car driver who dropped me off at my hostel was 80 years old. Even the people doing road construction on the streets were old men who looked like they were 70 years old. Japan goes through a serious aging problem, and it seems to be even worse on these small islands.
Spending time in nature brings me closer to Mother Nature. This time gave me a space for a digital detox. The people on the Island were open and warm-hearted. Sometimes the simple life makes us happier.
The mama of the hostel I stayed at told me to always stay positive and take it easy. Keep a smile on your face. I liked what she said.
