Ogasawara Islands - Wildlife of Japan

2022.01.20 update

Sand Tiger Shark (Ogasawara Island: Chichijima)

When talking about “Scuba diving in Ogasawara Island,” it is almost synonymous as saying “Sand Tiger Sharks.” (shirowani in Japanese). They are bottom dwellers, normally found in small caves but encountering them in a shipwreck dive is quite dramatic.

In Chichijima -Futami Bay, there are many ships that were attacked during World War II. Just diving around these wrecksites can be impressive enough by itself, but add in a sand tiger shark or two and it becomes exceptional.

Sand Tiger Shark at Shipwreck, Bonin island Japan｜西遊旅行

There are many different ways that the ships may have ended up on the bottom; some have fallen apart as they sank after having been hit directly, some that sank in their original upright position, and yet others that are completely on their side when they sank to the seafloor.

Sand Tiger Sharks have their favorite places where they like to hang out, and sometimes we got to see more than one at a time!

The sharks swam over me slowly and it really gave me the chills! I want to keep watching this scene, but I must get ready to surface. We are in the deep water, so we cannot linger here too long and must start making our slow ascent back up to the surface.

Our last moments with the Sand tiger shark!

This was the last one we saw, who was swimming among the Striped jack. Right after we saw this Shark, we returned to the surface.

Image & text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Oct 2020, Chichijima, Futami Bay, Ogasawara Islands

Tags: Wildlife tour of Japan, Diving tour of Japan, Sand Tiger Shark, Diving in Ogasawara Islands, Sand Tiger Shark of Ogasawara Islands, Wildlife in Japan, Wildlife of Japan, Scuba diving in japan, Scuba diving tour in Japan, Bonin Islands, Scuba diving in Ogasawara, Ogasawara Islands, Dive in Japan

2021.12.21 update

（Video） A Baby Sperm Whale Came to Play With Us! (Ogasawara)

In October, we encountered a baby sperm whale off the coast of Chichijima in Ogasawara. It seemed like the calf was a bit upset, but also a bit curious about the ship. Everyone on the ship was very excited to see it!

Ogasawara A Baby Sperm Whale Came to Play With Us!

Image & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Oct 2020, Chichijima, Ogasawara Islands
Special Thanks: FISH EYE

Tags: Bonin Islands, Ogasawara Islands, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in Ogasawara, Wildlife tour of Japan, Sperm Whale, Baby Sperm Whale, Wildlife in Japan, Wildlife of Japan

2021.10.11 update

A Sperm Whale Calf Approached The Ship! (Ogasawara Islands)

The water of Chichi-jima (Father Island) in the Ogasawara Islands, at depth of 1,500-2,000meters, are known as a place where female sperm whales with their calves observed throughout the year.

Having said that, it is best to visit this area when the seas are calmer, usually from July to October.

In October, on a day when the conditions were favorable, we headed to the whale watching area off Chichi-jima. We were lucky to encounter a group shortly after we started our search. Each of the groups was made up of 3 to 6 individuals.
Then, we found a lone calf by itself, patiently waiting for its mom, who had gone for a dive into the deep sea.

The baby looks as if it is flying, with such clear water. The calf’s body was a lighter color, but it had the typical wrinkles primarily seen on Sperm Whales, along with some scars of bitemarks from the cookie-cutter sharks.

This young sperm whale, swimming upside down towards our boat, was so close, that we could actually hear the “talking” clicking sounds on our ship!

We could so clearly see the lower jaw of the whale!!!

We parted for a little, but then it returned, approaching the boat again. This time with its mouth open.

This is the calf with its mouth wide open. We could clearly hear the clicking sounds again.

Amazingly, it flattened its fins and rotated while swimming into the edge of the ship, making the suckerfish scuttle around. Perhaps this was an offensive ?

A sperm whale swimming towards the direction of Chichi-jima.

This young sperm whale also came up alongside our ship, raised its face and seemed to look up over at the top of our boat.
The youngster seemed to enjoy spending time with us and then, eventually left and swam back to its mother and the family.

In Ogasawara, you can see these groups of females with their calves, but I wonder if we could ever see a male that comes to have mate someday? It would be such a dream to be able to see a male sperm whale in such clear water like this!

Photo & text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Oct 2020, Chichijima, Ogasawara Islands
Special Thanks: FISH EYE

Tags: Wildlife of Japan, Wildlife tour in Japan, Sperm Whale in Japan, Bonin Islands, Sperm Whale swim in japan, Ogasawara Islands, Wildlife in Japan, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in Ogasawara, Whale Watching in Japan, Wildlife tour of Japan, Whale swim in Japan, Whale swim in Amami, Sperm Whale

2021.04.10 update

Scuba diving in Bonin Islands (OGASAWARA)

This video introduces one of the best diving sites in Japan, the Ogasawara Islands, a World Heritage Site. Due to the pandemic that cancelled overseas tours, I could have a great time diving here experiencing “the wild sea” while I was there!

DIVING IN BONIN ISLANDS

This second link is of a school of twin stripe fusilier (also known as Pterocaesio marri) being chased by a longfin yellowtail (also known as Seriola rivoliana or Almaco jack), with the last part of the video having a humpback whale song in the background. This video was taken in February 2021. Annually, Humpback whales migrate to Ogasawara from the end of December to the middle of April for breeding. The island is surrounded by mother and calf whales, as well as male humpback whales, who follow the females who are ready to mate in a ‘Heat Run’ which can last for hours.

DIVING IN BONIN ISLANDS 2

Video & text : Mariko SAWADA

Tags: Wildlife in Japan, Scuba diving in japan, Wildlife of Japan, Scuba diving tour in Japan, Scuba diving in Ogasawara, Bonin Islands, Ogasawara Islands, Dive in Japan, Dive in Ogasawara Islands, Dive in Bonin islands, Wildlife tour of Japan, Diving tour of Japan

2021.03.13 update

At the Ogasawara Islands, During Humpback Whale Season

One of the highlights of visiting Ogasawara (also known as Bonin Islands) in the winter months is seeing the humpback whales. During the summer, the whales have spent their days feeding on the fish near the Kamchatka Peninsula to as far as the Aleutian Islands. Then they return to Ogasawara Islands for breeding.

You can see the mother and calf whales, leisurely floating along in the water, while the males are swimming frantically in their “Heat Run,” and maybe even a baby whale breaching!

There are shallow, sandy areas on the north side of the South Island, where it is easy to see the whales because there are also some diving sites. You might even have a chance to encounter the whales while diving if you are lucky.

Humpback whale of Bonin Islands

Video & Text: Mariko SAWADA
Observation: Jan-Feb 2021, Chichijima, Ogasawara Archipelago, Bonin Islands

Tags: Ogasawara Islands, Whale Watching, Whale Watching in Ogasawara, Whale Watching in Japan, Wildlife tour of Japan, Wildlife of Japan, Wildlife in Japan, Wildlife tour in Japan, Humpback Whale in Japan, Bonin Islands