Where to dive in Japan? スキューバーダイビングスポット

Okinawa, diving in all seasons

• Miyako Island 45 minutes by plane from Naha (the capital of Okinawa). You will dive in one of the largest coral reefs in the world , in the caves called "The Palace of the King of the Devils".
• Ishigaki Island 55 minutes by plane from Naha, or by direct flight from Tokyo. You can meet the Manta ray and sea turtles .

• Kouri Island is a very small island 1h30 by car from Naha: a site for experienced divers , where you can visit the wreck of the American warship USS Emmons, sunk here at the end of the Second World War.
• The Kerama Islands, 40 kilometers from Naha: a string of twenty islands with very transparent waters , where turtles come to lay their eggs on the beaches.

To read: Scuba diving in Okinawa

Across Japan

• The islands of Ogasawara (Tokyo prefecture, which stretches far out to sea in the Pacific Ocean): from the port of Takeshiba, you will have to take a 24-hour boat ride to reach them 1,000 kilometers away , but the trip worth it to swim with humpback whales in spring, sperm whales in summer, dolphins and hammerhead sharks from May to September.

• The island of Shikine-jima (Tokyo prefecture) 3 hours by boat from the port of Takeshiba: there is a hot spring in the sea , the turtles come to warm up there.
• Osezaki (Shizuoka prefecture): Cape Ose forms Suruga Bay, with a view of Mount Fuji , for dives in a gentle sea, with direct access from the beach.
• The island of Jôgashima (Kagawa prefecture) 1h30 from Tokyo: you will be at the southern end of the Miura peninsula , a site with dynamic landscapes.
• Kashiwa-Jima (Kochi prefecture, on the island of Shikoku) 40 minutes from Sukumo: the sea is turquoise, 15 minutes from a quick access by boat, you dive with a thousand species submarines .
• Ômi-Jima (Yamaguchi prefecture), a place called the Sea Alps : on the Nihon Kai coast (Sea of Japan), beginners can learn to dive here from the beach and visit underwater caves. marines.
• Kushimoto (Wakayama prefecture): the site is the closest to Osaka and rather easy to access, even in winter the water temperature does not drop below 15°C . You can admire coral and fish migrations.

See also: Japan on the beach

• Yorontou (Kagoshima Department, Kyûshû): Yoron Island is located 563 kilometers from Kagoshima, ultimately quite close to Okinawa. This is where underwater weddings take place . As a tribute to the twin town of Mykonos in Greece, a small underwater temple was built in 2003, taking a bit of the architecture of the Parthenon.

Be aware that to go snorkeling in Japan without a guide, it is necessary to have the international PADI certificate (Professional Association of Driving Instructors).

For lovers of fish and marine animals:

• Osaka Aquarium
• Okinawa Aquarium
• Kyoto Aquarium
• Miyajima Aquarium
• Enoshima Aquarium
• Nagoya Aquarium
• Kamo Aquarium