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"I Could Watch This Forever!" Adorable Video of a Squished Seal in Hokkaido Gets 20k Likes: "Is This Heaven?"
A heartwarming video of seals, filmed at the Okhotsk Tokkari Center Azarashi Land, a specialized seal sanctuary in Mombetsu, Hokkaido, has become a hot topic on social media.
Takuma the seal gets caught in the rush hour commute.
帰宅ラッシュに巻き込まれたアザラシのタクマ pic.twitter.com/swfiXiqAVe
— 🦭木崎さき🦭 (@ksksk_sss) August 25, 2024
Source: Post by @ksksk_sss
As the plump and bouncy seals energetically move along, one of them, a spotted seal named Takuma-kun, finds himself getting squished by the crowd. The adorable sight has charmed many, drawing comments like, "Namara menkoi! (That's Hokkaido dialect for 'super cute!')," "I could watch this for hours," and "He's so gentle, lifting his flippers to be careful."
The Charm of the Tokkari Center: "Enjoy Seals with Your Eyes and Ears"
The video was posted by Saki Kizaki, a huge seal enthusiast. It was filmed after one of the five daily feeding times at the Tokkari Center, as the seals were returning to their pool. Takuma-kun is an elderly seal at 34 years old, and he moves more slowly than the others when getting in and out of the pool, which led to this situation.
We asked Ms. Kizaki about the appeal of the Tokkari Center.
"It's the large number of seals and the fact that you can really focus on watching just them. You can see over 20 seals just living their lives freely, and it's fascinating to observe their unique seal movements and individual quirks. You could stay all day and never get bored."
"Since it's a seal sanctuary rather than a typical aquarium or zoo, there are exhibits with information about seals, and the keepers explain their ecology during feeding times, which is another great aspect. I also want people to notice their wild, powerful movements amidst all the cuteness."
"Of course, the seals are adorable, but the cheerful and energetic calls from the keepers are also part of the fun."
"The facility doesn't play any BGM or announcements. This means you can clearly hear the seals' calls and the sound of them splashing into the pool, so you can enjoy them with your ears as well as your eyes. Seals also make a slapping 'pechi-pechi' sound by hitting their bellies with their front flippers as a warning, and it's fun to hear that too."
"Seals are animals that are just so healing to watch, with their cute looks and gestures. They do unexpected things, and you'll be amazed at how flexible their bodies are. You discover something new and charming every time you watch them, so I really hope many people will come and see the seals."
At the adjacent facility, Azarashi Sea Paradise, three seals are kept, and visitors can experience feeding them and giving them cues for tricks.
"You can see seals that are cute and unique in a different way from the ones at Azarashi Land (Tokkari Center)!" says Ms. Kizaki. When you visit Mombetsu, be sure to experience the charm of seals at both facilities.
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Okhotsk Tokkari Center Azarashi Land
■Location: 2 Kaiyokoen, Mombetsu City
■Instagram: @tokkaricenter_official
■Contact: Okhotsk Garinko Tower Co., Ltd. 0158-24-8000
See more details about "Okhotsk Tokkari Center Azarashi Land" on Domingo
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Azarashi Sea Paradise
■Location: 2 Kaiyokoen, Mombetsu City
■Instagram: @aguhiyori
X (formerly Twitter): @aguhiyori
■Contact: Okhotsk Garinko Tower Co., Ltd. 0158-24-8000
See more details about "Azarashi Sea Paradise" on Domingo
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