Whale Watching Worldwide

Honshu
Year Number of
whale
watchers
AAGR Number of
operators
Direct
expenditure
Indirect
expenditure
Total
expenditure
1998 7,042 N/A N/A $367,000 N/A N/A
2008 10,250 5.5% 5 $476,419 $1,060,875 $1,537,294
Whale Watch Locations:
01: Choshi
02: Izu Peninsula
03: Notojima
04: Higashi Murogun
Honshu has four areas for whale and dolphin watching: Choshi in
Chiba Prefecture, Futo on the Izu Peninsula, Higashi Murogun on
the south coast of Wakayama Prefecture and a relatively new site in
Notojima, Ishikawa prefecture. All sites offer boat‐based trips.
Well‐established operators in Choshi and Wakayama have seen
solid growth in tourist numbers since 1998. They offer regular,
boat‐based trips to see sperm whales, Pacific white‐sided dolphins, false killer whales and Risso's dolphins
mainly between April and December. The half‐day trips cost between $30 and $60.
On the Izu Peninsula, one fisherman formerly involved in dolphin hunting has turned instead to dolphin and
whale watching. Despite years of whaling and dolphin hunting in the area, some of which continues today,
tourists are now able to see sperm whales and various species of dolphin year round. The trips are most
popular in the summer when several other fishermen use their boats to assist the main operator. Trips cost
around $40 for adults with discounts for children and students.
A new dolphin watching operation has been established on the Sea of Japan / East Sea coast at Notojima.
The operator believes the local pod of dolphins have migrated to the area from seas around Kyushu in the
last few years. The operator combines dolphin watching with various education and conservation activities
and courses. The main dolphin watching trips are boat‐based and cost around $30.
Main species: Large cetaceans:
sperm whale
Small cetaceans:
bottlenose dolphin, finless porpoise, Pacific
white‐sided dolphin, Risso’s dolphin
Tourists: International 5%
Domestic 95%
Types of tours: Boat‐based, short trips to nearby pods of
dolphins and whale habitat.
Average adult ticket price: $30
Estimated employment 24
Main whale watch season: April to October
Acknowledgements:
Thanks to Shigeru Sugawara at Professional Association for Cetacean and Marine Life Interpreters (PACI), Hiromi
Yamaguchi at International Cetacean Education Research Centre (ICERC) and four operators.
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