About Shiretoko Ra-ushi

The nonprofit organization “Shiretoko Ra-ushi” organizes cleanup activities around the tip of Cape Shiretoko, an area usually inaccessible to the general public. If you are lucky, you may be able to see various wild animals, such as sperm whales, killer whales and Dall’s porpoise, on the way to and from the cape. The organization thus provides opportunities for people to participate in a new type of ecotour, enabling them to immerse themselves in the charm of Shiretoko.

There is no end to the problem of marine litter. Even after picking them up, new ones arrive and start piling up on the shore.

Those who took part in our cleanup activities have seen with their own eyes the reality of marine litter — which originates both in and out of Japan and ends up in Shiretoko, as if this place is their final destination — and become fully aware how much we are polluting our oceans.

We start out by first picking up the litter. Through our cleanup volunteer activities, we wish that all humans — not only in Japan, but across the entire globe — acquire the mindset of “no littering” and “no polluting our seas.” Otherwise, Shiretoko’s beautiful ocean will continue to be swamped with garbage.

Our hope is that our beautiful oceans will be protected even in the absence of organizations such as ours. We will continue to do what we can do, to make such future to come true.