Japan Exploration Program
Join Sea Star Explorations for a transformative 11-day adventure through Japan! This program is designed for participants aged 16 and up who are eager to investigate the intersection of marine science, conservation and Japanese culture.
Dates: June 19-30, 2026 (full), Feb. 26-March 9, 2027, June 18-29, 2027
Open to: Minimum age is 15 years (12 if traveling with a parent/guardian)
Cost: $3990 plus airfare
What will we do? Departing the US from your hometown to Okinawa, we will arrive the next evening. While each program will visit Okinawa, Kyoto/Osaka and Tokyo, some activities will vary depending on the time of year. We’ll spend 4 days exploring Okinawa, the Hawaii of Japan, exploring the unique marine environment in southern islands. Visiting the beautiful blue water around the Kerama Islands by boat, we’ll search for marine mammals during the March trip and snorkel in June. All trips will spend time in Kyoto and Osaka where we will be exposed to the culture and marine history of Japan with activities such as a traditional tea ceremony, visits to Japan’s historic temples and shrines, and a world class aquarium.
We’ll ride the famous Shinkansen bullet train back to Tokyo to experience the world’s largest city. Take part in the famous Shibuya crossing, visit Tokyo’s electric town, tour the Natural Science Museum and experience the unique culinary dishes that Japan has to offer. Regardless of age, we have activities to meet everyone’s interests. From discussions on Japan’s marine challenges and successes, such as overfishing, the effects of whaling, to their work on protecting their extensive coast line, this program is designed to inspire meaningful engagement with ocean conservation while offering a full cultural experience. On our March trip, we’ll be joined by Zack Klyver, a Maine-based marine mammal scientist and educator who has led over 3,000 whale watch tours on the Gulf of Maine. Zack has traveled the world as a marine mammal lecturer in Antarctica, an observer in the Arctic and is currently an advisor to the Blue Green Future team. Read more about Zack and the rest of our staff here.
