【世界最大級のうずしおクルーズ】豪快鳴門海峡の渦潮クルーズ船！大人気の観潮船で日本一速い鳴門の渦潮を体験｜大型観潮船咸臨丸｜水中展望船淡路島観光旅

I headed to Uzushio Kisen, where reservations aren't required. The charm of this small boat is how close it gets to the water, letting you get right next to the whirlpools for an incredibly thrilling experience. The cruise takes about 30 minutes. It rocks quite a bit, but you feel extremely close to the action. If you want to feel the power of the whirlpools up close, this is the best choice. The best chance to see whirlpools is twice a day, at high tide and low tide, with the strongest tides in spring and autumn.

From Fukura Port on Awaji Island, I boarded the sailing-ship-style Kanrinmaru. This 60-minute Uzushio Cruise offers plenty of time to enjoy the whirlpools. It's a large ship, so it barely rocks, making it perfect for a relaxing ride, great for kids and seniors. The first 20 minutes are a scenic cruise along Awaji Island, and you might even enjoy a horn-blowing performance when passing its sister ship, Nihonmaru. Inside, there's a digital attraction with video and sound, and a digital aquarium to learn about local fish. You view the whirlpools from a high vantage point. After the 20-minute viewing, it's another 20 minutes back to port.

I boarded the large sightseeing boat 'Wonder Naruto,' departing from the Naruto side. It has two decks, but I chose to enjoy the whirlpools from the first floor, which I personally think offers the strongest sense of power. Because it's a large ship, it barely rocks, making it perfect for those who get seasick but still want to enjoy the thrill. The weather was great that day, and I got to see the most beautiful whirlpools.

Next, I tried 'Aqua Eddy,' which requires advance reservations. This is a high-speed boat with an underwater observation room, much smaller than the others. From the room one meter below the water surface, you can observe underwater whirlpools up close. Unfortunately, the underwater whirlpools weren't visible on my visit, and because the boat is small, the rocking was intense, so everyone went up to the rooftop deck. Still, being able to enjoy both underwater and surface views is its appeal, even if the chances of seeing underwater whirlpools are a bit low.