By EMIKO ARIMOTO/ Staff Writer
April 12, 2024 at 17:45 JST
NARUTO, Tokushima Prefecture—The “uzushio” tidal whirlpools are now at their best in the Naruto Strait here, drawing tourists from both Japan and abroad for the thrilling nature show.
Multiple whirlpools can form simultaneously, with the largest reaching 20 meters wide during spring and fall. The powerful currents can be seen at full strength until the end of May.
Tourists can enjoy the whirlpools up close from tour boats or take in a wider, bird’s-eye view from the Onarutokyo Bridge that spans the strait.
The Naruto whirlpools are considered among the most famous tidal currents in the world, alongside those in the Seymour Narrows in Canada and the Strait of Messina in Italy.
Visitors should be aware that the time when the whirlpools appear changes daily with the tides.
“Some people come at the wrong time and miss the spectacle,” said an official from the Naruto City Uzushio Tourist Association. “Check the tide table on our website.”
In addition to the whirlpools, tourists can also enjoy Naruto’s fresh seafood and the Otsuka Museum of Art, which features life-size reproductions of Western art masterpieces.
More information is available at the tourist association’s website: https://www.naruto-kankou.jp/
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The Naruto Strait, located on the border of Tokushima and Hyogo prefectures, is famed for its dramatic "uzushio" whirlpools, which form regularly due to the strong tidal currents in the strait. (Emiko Arimoto)
