KYODO NEWS - Jul 30, 2017 - 10:02 | Lifestyle, All

Kayaking in a transparent canoe off the coast of the western Japan prefecture of Tottori has become a popular tourist attraction, with many foreign visitors taking part in the activity described as "similar to flying in the sky."

Visitors to the Sea of Japan coastal area known for its jagged coastline and caves hollowed out by waves can watch schools of Japanese horse mackerels, squids and sea anemones from the bottom of the kayak off Uradome beach in the town of Iwami, where the water is as transparent as the famously clear seas off Okinawa.

The 4-meter-long polycarbonate boat takes visitors to a sea area which comprises a global geopark designated by the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization for its geomorphological and geological features.

The service offered by a local group has attracted many overseas visitors, particularly from Asia, and gained favorable reviews by participants, with some saying they felt like they were "swimming with fish and lying on a carpet of seaweed."

The water transparency off Uradome beach is around 25 meters, matching the level off the Okinawa main island in Japan's southernmost prefecture, according to Koji Hasegawa, 55, who heads the group promoting the use of local nature for leisure and education.

Visitors may kayak into rocky areas or caves in the two-seat boat accompanied by a guide. The fee is set at 8,000 yen ($72) and the operator currently holds five boats.

"I want visitors to enjoy the beautiful ocean and magnificent geological features," said Hasegawa.

The beach is part of the San'in Kaigan Geopark admitted to the UNESCO-assisted Global Geoparks Network in 2010. The geopark covers coastal areas in Kyoto, Hyogo and Tottori prefectures and features igneous rocks, dunes and geological strata related to the formation of the Sea of Japan around 25 million years ago.