Okhotsk Tokkari Center: Interact with Seals

Love seals? Okhotsk Tokkari Center in Hokkaido gives you a chance to learn more and interact with these adorable animals. It’s a unique experience that you can easily pair with the Garinko Icebreaker Cruise.

What is the Okhotsk Tokkari Center?

Located in the coastal city of Mombetsu in northern Japan, the Okhotsk Tokkari Center is a marine preservation facility dedicated to seals. The name “tokkari” means seals in the Ainu language, the Ainu being the indigenous people of Hokkaido.

The Tokkari Center was established in 1987 for the purpose of protecting and breeding seals. They pick up injured seals that wash up on the shore and rehabilitate them so that they can be returned to the sea. While the seals are trained to do basic tricks, they are not trained for show. Unlike aquariums, Tokkari Center does not conduct seal shows, only feeding sessions that let visitors see the seals up close for around 5 minutes.

The center consists of two sections: Azarashi Land & Azarashi Sea Paradise.

Azarashi Land

At the time of writing, Azarashi Land keeps about 20 ringed and spotted seals. When you enter, you will find a set of stairs that lead you to the surface where seals rise to meet trainers. There’s also an underground area where you can observe seals underwater.

There are five feeding sessions each day wherein the trainers gather the seals and feed them. During the sessions, you will be able to see the seals up close as the trainer gives a brief explanation. Each session lasts for about 5 minutes with a photo-taking session at the end.

Business Hours

10:00 to 16:00. Open all year round except in cases of extreme weather and the absence of staff. New Year holidays may apply.

Seal Sea Paradise

A relatively new addition to Tokkari Center, this area opened in 2015 to maintain the use of airport routes as well as promote tourism. There are only 3 seals here: Agu, Hiyori, and Kyoro. Visitors to this facility can experience feeding the seals in a controlled environment. The feeding experience requires registration and is limited to 5 people per session. Each session lasts approximately 30 minutes.

Business Hours

10:00 to 16:00. Open all year round except in cases of extreme weather and the absence of staff. New Year holidays may apply.

Video

Azarashi Land of Okhotsk Tokkari Center is featured in this video about winter Hokkaido, at around 2:03.

How to Get to Okhotsk Tokkari Center

1-minute walk from Kaiyo Koryu Kan bus stop, Monbetsu Airport Limousine Bus
12-minute walk from Oho Tsukutawa Iriguchi Bus Stop, Monbetsu Line

If you are staying in Sapporo and would like a day trip to this area, this bus tour is worth checking out.