Twice a day the tide forces the Seto Inland Sea through the 1.3 km Naruto Strait, and the water spins into whirlpools among the largest anywhere. You can watch from a boat, or from the glass floor of the Uzu-no-Michi walkway slung under the Ōnaruto Bridge.
- Whirlpools reach roughly 20 m across at the strongest spring tidesSource: Naruto City tourism (naruto-tourism.jp)
- Uzu-no-Michi walkway: 450 m long inside the bridge girder, glass floor about 45 m above the waterSource: Uzu-no-Michi official (uzunomichi.jp)
- Best around spring and autumn spring tides, within about an hour of the published peak; check the tide table before buying ticketsSource: Naruto City tide calendar
Photos: Naruto whirlpools at spring tide — m_someya via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · The Ōnaruto Bridge over the strait — Nakai_Chan via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0 · Sightseeing boat in the whirlpools — panpanzupan via FIND/47, CC BY 4.0
Getting there
Local bus from JR Naruto Station to Naruto Kōen (about 20 min); the bridge and Uzu-no-Michi are a short walk from the park.
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Data: GBIF occurrence records for Tokushima (GADM JPN.40_1), year 2024, as compiled on NihongoHub Wildlife.
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