fbpx
    • Spring
      • video

        Finding the Flow from Kansai to Kochi

        Shikoku’s many mountains, valleys and proximity to the ocean has made it a hidden gem for rafting, kayaking and canyoning enthusiasts willing to take a step or two further from the Golden Route of Kyoto and Osaka.

        Solace and Giant Salamanders in Akiota

        Just beyond Hiroshima City is a tranquil outdoor destination home to some of Japan's last remaining oosanshouo, the elusive giant salamander.
        Kyoto Oni Trail Outdoor Japanvideo

        The Oni Trail: Hiking Coastal Kyoto

        The mystical oni is prevalent in Japanese children’s stories, usually as a way to scare kids straight. Adventure Travel Kyoto is shedding a new light on this folklore and developing a new hiking route in the countryside of Kyoto.
    • Summer
      • the nomad pasche family

        The World is Our Playground

        The Pasche family has been cycling and living out of a tent in remote corners of the planet for the past 13 years on four continents spanning 50 countries.
        adventure travel world summit in hokkaido

        Adventure Travel World Summit in Hokkaido

        The ATTA will host their first Adventure Travel World Summit in Asia in Hokkaido, Japan. We caught up with ATTA Director Shannon Stowell to find out more about the adventure travel industry and how it continues to grow and evolve.
        mead brewing in japan

        The Sweet Secrets of Brewing Mead

        Wander into the world of mead brewing and find yourself immersed in a fascinating journey spanning centuries and continents.
        the knights in white lycra

        The Knights in White Lycra

        Each year a group of cyclists head to the deep north towards Tohoku’s vast rice fields and coastal trails to help transform the lives of neglected children.
        sea to table yamagata

        Sea to Table in Yamagata

        An unforgettable way to intimately explore the Shonai Region in Yamagata is a culinary experience bringing bounty of the sea straight to your table.
    • Autumn
    • Winter
    • Near Tokyo
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Near Kyoto
    • All Regions
    • Article Map
    • Ocean and Beach
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • River and Lake
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Mountain and Land
    • Sky
      • getting dirty in japan

        Getting Dirty in Japan

        “Getting Dirty in Japan” is about getting out of your comfort zone and into some exciting outdoor adventures and destinations in Japan.
    • Snow and Ice
      • climbing mt. fuji off season

        Mt. Fuji: The Path Less Traveled

        Fuji-san is the most climbed mountain in the world. If you are in good shape, there is a way to avoid the traffic for a more peaceful Mt. Fuji experience during the off-season.
    • Travel
      • the nomad pasche family

        The World is Our Playground

        The Pasche family has been cycling and living out of a tent in remote corners of the planet for the past 13 years on four continents spanning 50 countries.
    • Food and Drinks
      • the nomad pasche family

        The World is Our Playground

        The Pasche family has been cycling and living out of a tent in remote corners of the planet for the past 13 years on four continents spanning 50 countries.
    • Races and Events
      • dd4d brewing

        DD4D Brewing

        In nearly e...
        fuji rock japan

        2023 Summer Music Festivals

        Get into the groove this green season while enjoying the great outdoors with family and friends.
        Summer Events Fireworks Festivals in Japan

        2023 Fireworks Festivals in Japan

        Enjoy these fireworks festivals held throughout Japan this summer and autumn.

Kuroshio

There is a 100-kilometer-wide road. Did you know about this road? It would be impossible on land, so, we’re talking about a road in the ocean.

It’s known as the Kuroshio, or Black Current, and it flows from the South China Sea, through Kagoshima’s Tokara Islands and into the Pacific, along the coast of Japan to the northeast, past the Boso Peninsula in Chiba, then to the north and east. The Kuroshio is the largest ocean current in the world. 

This 100-kilometer-wide road carries many things with it. Some are what you would expect coming from the southern hemisphere, such as coconuts, but there is also a lot of garbage drifting along with it. At the large end of the spectrum, even ships can be carried away on the Kuroshio. On these ships, there can be people whose culture is also riding the current. 

Along the Pacific Coast, the water is always flowing, so it is easy to think of it like an escalator or a moving walkway.

The top speed of the current is about four knots, or 7.4 kph. That’s about the same as a person moving at a fast walking pace or a half-trot. But what is it really like? I am checking it out right now.

I am on a sailboat traveling from island to island, from Kagoshima to Amami Oshima, photographing umegame, the common murre or guillemot, and at this writing, I am right on top of the Kuroshio. 

The current is always changing and becoming more complex as it passes between islands; the speed changing as the flow just keeps going along. The Kuroshio will also stay in one place for three or four hours, due to the pull of the tide. It’s kind of like knowing the wind; it’s important to understand the flowing of the water below you.

There is that old Japanese saying to which I often refer—“Age shio ja, age shio ja”—literally, “The tide is rising,” which also means things are moving in the right direction. For me, it is a rising tide right now. For an island nation such as Japan, since ancient times this rising tide has been linked to people’s lives. 

The attraction of the moon, the subsea topography, the rotation of the earth—all factors involved in the pull of the tide. There are many factors in nature that are involved in creating a good balance, and the Kuroshio is formed in the same way. 

As I’m swaying along in the Kuroshio, I am acutely aware the ocean is liquid, but the whole idea still moves me. I think to a time when I was surrounded by fluid inside my mother. Was it similar to this? I kind of think so. 

All I know is, I sleep really well when I’m on the sailboat. I have to be careful not to sleep in too late tomorrow…

[novo-map id=2 individual=”yes”]

Outdoor Japan logo tree

Related

Latest posts

Categories