Top Snorkeling and Scuba Diving in Japan

I just dove an interesting dive site called Koganezaki Bay Park in the Shizukoa prefecture of West Izu peninsula, Japan. There are also apparently quite a few other shore diving sites in the Honshu area and also in Okinawa (where the diving's reputed to be even better). We saw lots of dragon moray eels (4 in two dives), a lionfish, lots of scorpionfish, rockfish, anemones, and even a couple of clownfish! Bill Stohler

Some of the best diving in the world has very rarely made it into the diving magazines. I would love to see a feature on your web site about Okinawa Japan, warm water, endless shore diving, and much more. People say there are not English speaking dive facilities; I beg to differ! There are at least 3 and many American Military members are here to help, including myself. Please take a look at this place, I am here to help in any way. A web site to look at is jwchandler.com -- he is a great instructor. Take a look at the shore diving around Okinawa, and take a look at the newly found American World War II ship, the USS Emmons, that was found. Thank you very much. David and Naoko Orr, Naoko1@konnect.net

Izu Peninsula, Suruga Bay is a 5.0-star rated scuba dive and snorkel destination in Japan, Pacific which is accessible from shore based on 1 ratings.

Diving just doesn't get any easier than this, although you'll be frustrated by the rules imposed by the management. Get geared-up on the beach-wide concrete landing, and walk the 10 meters over the black pebble beach to the water. There's no current, no large rocks, & no waves, so just walk out into chest-high water to don your fins & duck under water to start diving. Depths will slowly drop to 45' (13 meters). To the left (West), there's a small wall. Straight ahead, there's a sandy flat bottom. To the right (East), there's an interesting series of large stones and deep crevasses. If you continue to the right far enough, you'll find a very small cave along the shoreline. Visibility in August is about 10m (33 ft). Empty abalone shells litter the bottom. Omnipresent foot-high water plants mar visibility. No large fish inhabit the area, but expect frequent lionfish & goatfish. In August, waters are warm enough to dive in T-shirt & shorts. Some hardy (foolish ?) souls dive there in dry suits, year-round. Management provides every facility imaginable, but is quite strict, and may demand that you pay a dive guide to accompany you. This is a thinly veiled way for the management to get a few thousand yen & insurance coverage, each time you dive. This policy can quickly drive costs quite high. A paid dive guide with 2 tanks and weight belt for you, in this area, costs roughly 8,500 yen ($80 us dollars). Without the dive guide, a single full tank rents for 3,000 yen ($28 or so) from any dive shop in the region. Ouch. Renting a spot to put a tent, however, is only 500 yen per night, far FAR cheaper than any other accommodation in the region except for sleeping in your car. Nearby supermarkets and convenience stores, in addition to all the management-provided facilities, make this site's facilities outstanding. I was tempted, however, to search the surrounding island for suitable dive sites with no rules, no management, and no facilities, and found several interesting places along the road. Try a few spots further east along the south part of Omijima, or check out the shallow, clear water in a nearby beach-park on the southwest side of the island that connects Omijima to the mainland. (Look for a Poplar convenience store, and head West to the far shore then head a few hundred yards North to the beach park.) On the whole, you'll find this dive incredibly simple and safe. Located on the north side of Yamaguchi, roughly 40 minutes' drive east from the Kyushu/Shimonoseki's bridge & 20 minutes' drive East from Hagi city. If you can read Kanji, it should be easy to find signs: Omijima's 3 kanji are the kanji for blue-ocean-island. The island has only one road, so you can't get lost ! Look for an aquiculture farm (a bay with fences across the mouth to keep fish inside) on the south-east side of the island. Across the street from this fish-farm, you'll see a pay-for-parking area with a single large 2-storey building. On the left side of the building, you'll see SCUBA tanks getting filled, and on the right side, you'll see a small restaurant. You can park here, or go back west 200 meters to a large free parking lot marked by a single soda machine. Park, unload, and walk behind the large building. You'll see a paved footpath leading past cabins, showers, an info-shelter, and a tent campground, to a small beach made of black round pebbles. That's the dive-site. You've actually walked 200 meters from the South shore to the North shore !

This site is on the southern tip of the main island in Okinawa and has awesome hard corals and tons of sea life. The entry can be tricky if the waves pick up.

Onnason beach is also known as Onna-son beach.

The most famous dive site in Izu eastern area! It is easy access from Tokyo. The facilities for divers are well prepared, so you can enjoy scuba diving for all season. Well... the water is not always clear, but we can feel seasonality in the ocean. Izu Oceanic Park is also known as IOP.

Well sheltered cove with adequate sea life Accessible by boat from the city of Naha on Okinawa Japan.

Lots of great crevices and abundant sea life. Access can be a little tricky if waves are large. Recommend wearing protective foot wear for walk-in/out as the reef can be hard on your feet. Great assortment of species such as lion fish, sea snakes, puffer fish and parrot fish. Low surge in this area with great visibility. Have heard that this is also a tremendous night dive! Park near the Junkyard and close to an opening in the seawall. Access is walk in, there are reefs right up to the seawall, be careful as you dive the depth increases gradually with so much to see you may lose track of how deep you are. Sunabe is also known as Junkyard.

Nice pool sand (with waveform) surrounded by coral. A large number of fish and many corals on the side. Ishigaki is a small island in southern Japan. Not far from Taiwan. It can be reached by plane from Tokyo (5h00) or from Taiwan by boat (8h00).

Outstanding site for spotting Manta rays the whole year round. Best season is summer, when the Mantas can be seen every day. Very easy and quick access by boat with all the diving services based in the Kabira Bay at Ishigaki.

This site is sheltered from the north wind and is a good choice when the sea is too rough to try to sea the mantas up north. There are some beautiful patches of coral.

This area is sheltered from the north wind and a good alternative to the more exposed dives. The site features a swim-through and interesting reef patches.

Sighting of sea turtles is almost guaranteed at this place.

Good spot for drift driving. The site has beautiful corals.

This dive site is popular for the last dives of the Open Water course. It has outstanding coral. There are many boat operators based in Naha and in Kerama Islands that will take you to this place.

Most of the dive is in shallow water (less than 10 metres) over sandy bottom with some scattered reefs. The remains of a cockpit lie at 28m bearing south, and the remains of a wing lie at about 15m bearing NE from the cockpit. Good place to practice deep diving. Expect to see spotted eel, lionfish, and the usual Okinawan sea life.

a granite reef with limited corals, very nice for a orientation training and some interes species

Tabular Acropora communities situated near the northernmost limit of coral distribution, world's highest-latitude reef. From Ushibuka

Tabular Acropora communities, situated near the northernmost limit of coral distribution, the world's highest-latitude reef formation.

"Chinsen" means "wreck" in Japanese. Asami #16 sank Jan 30, 1986 in a storm while overloaded carrying gravel, broken in two parts. Chinsen Point is also known as Atami Chinsen Point.

More info at www.aquatec-innerspace.com / works / stella polaris. The wreck lays in a busy shipping lane within the Kuroshi current (up to 4 knots). Stella Polaris Wreck is also known as Scandinavia.

SCENIC DIVE PARK AT THE REST AREA NEXT TO THE LITTLE BAMBOO FOREST. ENTRY IS BY A SLIGHT SLOPING GRAVEL BEACH.

Underwater rock formation off the coast of Yonaguni, the southernmost of the Ryukyu Islands, in Japan. While many archaeologists and geologists believe that it is a natural formation, some hold the view that some of its features are man-made. Source: Wikipedia 8000 years old underwater stone monument probably made by unknown civilization...

Park at the steps, Walk over them, Get in the water. Sea Wall Steps is also known as Kadena Sea wall south steps.

The area has lots of channels and crevices in the reef. A few decent walls which go down to 60-80 feet. A short swim down the shire is a open sea cave with ambient light and plenty of fish. Some hazards include stonefish, sea snakes, cone shell snails and during the later part of the year jellyfish (to include the box jellyfish). Overall it is an excellent site to dive with awesome scenery, many types of fish and of course easy entry and exit. Get on Highway 58 heading North. After passing Kadena Air Base you travel approximently 15 km till you see the overhead sign directing you to Cape Zanpa. After turning onto that road you will travel for about 15 minutes depending on traffic. When you get to the second split in the road veer to the right. (This turn is located about 1 km outside of Zanpa itself) Another ten minute trip and you will see the sign to Maeda Point overhead. Follow that road down and you arrive at the parking gate. The fee to park is 100 yen per hour (less than a dollar depending on the yen rate). Suit up in the parking lot and head to the stairs which take you down the cliff to entry point. Maeda Point is also known as Maeda Misaki, Cape Maeda.

I just dove an interesting dive site called Koganezaki Bay Park in the Shizukoa prefecture of West Izu peninsula, Japan. There are also apparently quite a few other shore diving sites in the Honshu area and also in Okinawa (where the diving's reputed to be even better). We saw lots of dragon moray eels (4 in two dives), a lionfish, lots of scorpionfish, rockfish, anemones, and even a couple of clownfish! Bill Stohler

I just dove an interesting dive site called Koganezaki Bay Park in the Shizukoa prefecture of West Izu peninsula, Japan. There are also apparently quite a few other shore diving sites in the Honshu area and also in Okinawa (where the diving's reputed to be even better). We saw lots of dragon moray eels (4 in two dives), a lionfish, lots of scorpionfish, rockfish, anemones, and even a couple of clownfish! Bill Stohler

It's a wonderful spot for snorkelling. Divers can go to the outside reef by foot. The principal interest is that it's easy and uncrowded with an oncredible lagoon. It was my funniest day at Okinawa ! At Oodo beach. it's not easy to find.

First, North of this location an Ammo ship from WWII went down full, sea mines and other things have been found in the area, so STAY SAFE!!! Now, here you can see everything from eels to shrimp to puffers, even a stray shark or ray from time to time. I have seen six different eels there myself. With the oval shape of the reef you can do a loop of it once or twice and see many amazing things. Night Diving is just as amazing. The red light blinks giving you the markers location out in the water. Everything from decorated crabs to spiny lobsters and conga eels are seen then. With the mild swim in and out many do a second dive on the much closer reef along the shore. Park Along Fence at north corner. High Tide is best. Two ways in the water. One is over the big steps and down them into the water, my preferred method. Second is up the normal steps and down them into the water, There is more then twice the reef to go over this way. Once in the water look out at the red and white boat lane marker, it is on the reef you are diving. Surface swim to the marker, do checks, enjoy the dive. Kadena North Marker is also known as Sunabe North Marker.