Many swimmers who arrive in Japan to attempt crossing the Tsugaru Channel find their way to Hotel Tappi.
Hotel Tappi stands on top of the bluff overlooking the Tsugaru Channel with a clear view of Hokkaido nearly 20 km off in the distance.
The water around Tappi Misaki in Aomori Prefecture is beautifully clear and reaches over 15°C from June to September. There are no industry or manufacturing in the area and the population is only in the few thousands.
The Seikan Tunnel passes under the channel at its narrowest point between the Tsugaru Peninsula on Honshū Island and Shirakami Misaki on the Matsumae Peninsula in Hokkaidō. On any day, the fast-flowing Tsugaru Current that passes from the Sea of Japan in the west to the Pacific Ocean to the east can be seen from the hotel.
Japan’s territorial waters extend to three nautical miles (5.6 km) into the channel instead of the usual 12 miles. This allows nuclear-armed United States Navy warships and submarines to transit through the channel without violating Japan’s prohibition against nuclear weapons in its territory.
Pioneers
Hokkaido native Chieko Osako heard of Yasushi Uda who led a 6-person 12 hour 21 minute relay of Japanese swimmers across the Tsugaru Channel in 1987. She attempted to swim across the channel several times since 1987, and finally achieved her goal, finishing in 12 hours 27 minutes at the age of 43 in August 1994.
Two Americans in July 1990 – David Yudovin and Steven Munatones – had preceded her 1994 crossing. It was not until 2005 when the second woman – Miyuki Fujita – made a successful crossing. Over 85 soloists and 120 relays have attempted crossings over the decades.
Photo above shows Mark Sowerby passing alongside the Tsugaru Peninsula in an early June 2024 morning en route to a successful conclusion of his Oceans Seven challenge.
Sowerby was escorted by Captain Kawayama and was joined by his coach Tim Denyer, wife Heidi, filmmaker Jeff Tseng [who created the video above], observer Haruyuki Ishii, and Oceans Seven creator Steven Munatones.
The conditions were beautiful at the beginning. “There are fewer than 10 days a year where we see conditions like this,” said Captain Kawayama who is a veteran tuna fisherman on the Tsugaru Channel.
The channel was glassy smooth at times, but Sowerby was pushed quite strongly by the Tsugaru Current. Captain Kawayama used the strength of Mother Nature to aid Sowerby in his 10 hour 6 minute crossing to Hokkaido.
© 2024 Daily News of Open Water Swimming
“to educate, enthuse, and entertain all those who venture beyond the shoreline“
A World Open Water Swimming Federation project.