Tokyo Bay Cleanup Daisakusen: Reflections on World Oceans Day

On June 8th, 2024, I joined the Tokyo Bay Cleanup Daisakusen (東京ベイクリーンアップ大作戦) at Odaiba Beach in Tokyo, celebrating this year’s World Oceans Day with meaningful action for our oceans. This annual event brings together volunteers, city officials, and environmental advocates to clean up the Tokyo Bay area, both on land and underwater. Representatives from the Japan Coast Guard (海上保安庁), the Ward Mayor (区長), the Port Director (お台場ポート長), and members of the Minato City Council (港区会議員) opened the day with brief introductions and greetings. They emphasized how critical this effort is for Tokyo Bay’s marine life and for the wider community, which depends on the bay’s health.

Hands-On at the Beach Cleanup

As we got to work, it was inspiring to see the dedication of people around me. One moment that stuck with me was seeing a woman picking up tiny plastic fragments from the sand with her hands, murmuring, “Gomenne” (ごめんね, meaning “I’m sorry”). This small gesture showed me her care for the environment. Volunteers included families with children, company teams, and a few foreign families, all coming together to pick up litter along the shore. The crowd was mostly families and older adults; I didn’t see many people my own age (19), which got me wondering about how environmental awareness might resonate differently with various age groups.

One area even featured an educational tent where marine life native to Tokyo Bay was displayed, creating excitement especially for the kids. Seeing children learning about local marine life up close reminded me how critical it is to educate people early on about the ocean!!

The waters of Tokyo Bay, murky and brown, are a stark reminder of the ongoing pollution in this area, and yet! I could still spot fish swimming. Within minutes, I had collected a handful of microplastics, cigarette butts, vape cotton, discarded bandages, and even a few abandoned beach toys. Another striking sight was a river cormorant tangled in a fishing line, a sad reminder of how marine pollution affects wildlife. :(

What I Learned

The Tokyo Bay Cleanup Daisakusen has been happening for nearly 30 years, which shows just how deeply entrenched this pollution problem is. Despite these efforts, Odaiba Beach is still too contaminated for safe swimming. I learned that in the past, locals would even warn visitors to avoid breathing too deeply because of the smell, describing the water as unfit for even rats!!

Before the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the Tokyo government attempted a quick fix by dumping 10,000 cubic meters of sand from Kozushima Island onto Odaiba Beach to improve water quality… But even then, during a test event, some competitors described the water as having a strong, unpleasant odor. I noticed how short-term solutions are prioritized over sustainable, long-term changes for environmental health.

However, the event also showed me the power of community. Seeing families, company teams, and diverse groups coming together highlighted the impact of collective action. The creature tent, where kids and adults alike could interact with marine life from Tokyo Bay, reminded me that this area was once much richer in biodiversity. It was a powerful call to protect what’s left and work toward restoring it.

A Global Mission

Participating in the Tokyo Bay Cleanup Daisakusen connected me with the global mission of World Oceans Day, which calls on communities worldwide to protect and conserve our oceans. Here in Tokyo, people from different backgrounds joined together to pick up trash, contributing to a much larger, international effort. It reminded me of how every culture and community has its own ways of interacting with and protecting its marine environment.

Reflecting on this day, I left with a sense of pride, knowing that I was part of a worldwide movement for our oceans! :D

But I also felt a lingering question: why were there so few people my age? Perhaps encouraging more young adults to participate could help build a bridge between generations, promoting environmental responsibility from all walks of life…