Every winter, Humpback Whales migrate through the warm waters surrounding the southern islands of Japan, including the Kerama Islands and broader Okinawa region. These waters serve as important breeding and calving grounds, offering a unique opportunity to encounter these gentle giants up close. My Okinawa whale tours are devised to allow you to swim with Humpback Whales in Okinawa which is a rare and moving experience, and one that is carefully regulated in Japan to ensure minimal stress to the animals while still allowing for human interaction under strict guidelines.

I've always wanted to capture my own take on this iconic composition. This posture signals the start of a deeper dive.

In 2026, I will be organizing three separate five-day Okinawa whale tours, with dates shown at the bottom of this page. Some of you may have already seen the Winter Wildlife Visitors trips that I will also be running but these are for the sure fire Whale fans out there. These tours are open to both photographers and nature lovers seeking an ethical and respectful way to experience Humpback Whales in the wild. Each trip is limited to just six participants to reduce crowding and maximize each person's chance of a meaningful encounter. The small group size also allows for a more intimate experience both in and out of the water, with plenty of time to ask questions, review photographs, and enjoy the natural beauty of the region.

These Okinawa whale tours aim to strike a balance between environmental responsibility and personal connection with wildlife. Whether you're hoping to capture images of whales underwater or simply observe their behavior from a respectful distance, these trips are designed with both conservation and experience in mind.

P.S. While every effort is made to provide the best possible experience, it’s important to understand that the final call is always made by Mother Nature. Ocean conditions, weather, and whale behavior can vary, and are beyond human control.

Humpback Whales begin arriving in the waters around Okinawa as early as late December, with numbers typically peaking between January and March. These whales migrate south from feeding grounds in colder northern waters to the warm, sheltered seas of the southern Japanese islands to breed and give birth. The Kerama Islands and surrounding areas provide an ideal environment for these activities due to their relative calmness, safety from predators, and warmer temperatures. By early April, most of the whales begin their journey back north, completing a migration that spans thousands of kilometers. Their seasonal presence in Okinawa is vital to their life cycle, and it’s during this window that regulated whale watching and swimming tours take place.

It feels so amazing to have that eye noticeably scan you up and down as they pass you by, you can see their intelligence in that moment.

I tend to offer these tours from the third week of January through to the end of February as I believe this is the best window for interactions with the whales. For the most part the whales who like to 'play' for want of a better term, are the newly born calves. I personally believe this behavior to be not one borne of playfulness but for more physiological reasons on the whales part. Everything has to do with the abilities of the whales to dive and hold their breath. New whales are limited in that ability so while the parents may be heading deeper for their own needs their calf remains on the surface making shorter dives. Our ability to then interact with the calf are more due to it not being able to join 'Mom' on her deeper dives. At that point, like any other new born species, there will also be a level of natural curiosity with regards to the humans swimming around in the whales playpen as it were.

There are also times when the mother whales are in the presence of the young whales. As per any species with rambunctious newborns to guard they can, and do, get tired. At such times it's not uncommon to see the mother whale absolutely static at around 10m depth while the young whale makes bounce dives around her, some just for company and other times for nursing. In the latter scenario there are behavioral guidelines that we, the observers, need to abide by so as to ensure as little stress experience by the whales as possible. These guidelines will be explained in a complete briefing and overview that attendees will be privy to once they have secured their spots on the trips.

By the middle of March the younger whales have grown to such a size that their breath-holding abilities are far greater than even the preceding month. To this end even though the whales remain in the waters of Okinawa until the end of March the interactions with them start to drop off which further reinforces my belief in their 'playfulness' being more due to their inability to dive for longer times when newly born. They noticeably dive for way longer in the mid to latter days of March which results in lesser interactivity with them both in the water and at the surface.

For those folks interested in witnessing the sheer beauty of these animals in Okinawa I have three specific Okinawa whale tours planned for 2026 these are as follows.

• January: Monday 26th - Friday 30th inclusive
• February #1: Monday 9th - Friday 13th inclusive
• February #2: Monday 23rd - Friday 27th inclusive

A full logistical briefing for those attending will be sent out as each allocated spot is taken. For this experience we have our own 51ft cabin cruiser with facilities that permit us to stay out all day. Simply reach out and contact me via the form on the contact page and I will send all the details, including the pricing.

Lastly, for now, if you want to see just how awesome this experience is simply head to the top of this page. In the right hand upper corner you will see a circular icon with opposing arrows. Click on that to see the wallpaper that is behind this page, click a second time to return here. Now close your eyes and imagine that's you, and it could be so...

We could hear the squeals from the boat. There's nothing to top being in the water with these incredible beings here in Okinawa.