Dive Global can help you enjoy the very best in global diving. Contact our experts at Dive Global to make sure you get the most out of your dive trips, every time. Plan a Trip Today... Newsletter  E-Mail Address  First Name  Last Name Subscribe Unsubscribe More on diving in Japan Diving in Japan varies from cold water diving in the northern islands to tropical encounters in the southern areas. Dive conditions are excellent, with all sorts of dive types catering to divers of different experience. Drift dives, walls, drop-offs, shore dives, caves and wrecks. Ogasawara December through March, humpback whales migrate past the Ogasawaras. Often you can get diving boats to take you out for in-water photo sessions. But this area is mainly known to divers for its excellent wreck diving. The hulk of the Hinko Maru lies within snorkeling distance from shore. Sharks are often seen there The Ogasawaras (also known as the Bonin Islands) consist of four island groups: the Keitas, the Chichijimas, the Hahajimas, and the Volcanoes -- best known for Iwojima, where fierce fighting occurred during WWII. Chichijima is the largest of the Ogawawaras, just over eight square miles with some 1,800 inhabitants, not counting visitors. Nevertheless, its town of Omura is definitely part of Tokyo, complete with meticulously paved streets, broad sidewalks, and traffic lights. Yayoi Maru Takinoura is a large bay and roadstead on Anijima, the island just north of Chichijima. The Yayoi Maru lies bow to the beach, sunk by American dive bombers. After 50 years, its plating is no longer visible under its covering of corals. The ship sits akimbo, its radio tower broken off and lying in the sand on the far side. Schools of amalco jacks and striped jacks streak by. Gaggles of striped fusiliers dart through the ironwork. You see keyhole angels, butterfly fish, and the lovely yuzen angel that's indigenous to the warmer Japanese waters. Spotted sweetlips hover just above the ship's plating. Marten's butterflies flit among the coral. Light from the weak sun comes through 80 feet of clear blue water to give the scene an otherworldliness Daimi Maru In early 1945, the Daimi Maru swung at anchor deep in Futami Bay near Kaname Rock. She was sunk by Allied aircraft and settled on her side in the fine coral sand 33 meters down. The Daimi Maru lies on her side in the silt-like coral sand, facing Futami Harbor. The Fuju Maru sits upright on the sand, 145 feet down. Her deck forecastle is at 90 feet and the cargo deck at about 100. Back of the second cargo hatch, nothing's left but mangled steel and some Dai Nippon Beer bottles. Ladders lead down to the cargo deck where you see the huge hatches gaping open. The entire surface is clothed in brain coral, ryumon coral and the dangerous ao coral. Yuzen butterflies and angels peck at polyps.. A truck lies upside down, undoubtedly thrown from the deck by the explosion that sank the ship. Iinto the cargo hold you'll find thousands of rounds of ammunition for rifles and machine guns litter the floor, looking as deadly today as they were half a century ago. There are tins of rations, unexploded 250 kilo bombs, and drums full of gunpowder. The old freighter smells of war. It's a grim reminder of darker days. Izu Hanto, Izu Peninsula Izu peninsula is on the Philippine plate and moving toward the Sea of Japan thrusting itself through Honshu Island. The movement created beautiful mountainous scenery (with numerous hot springs) and interesting ocean floor along the coastline. It is popular weekend destination for divers around Tokyo/Yokohama area. Many divers join dive shop tours for one day or overnight weekend diving. There are many diving spots along the coast. It is 70 miles and 3 hours plus drive from Tokyo, depending on how far you go into the peninsula and the traffic. Izu Oceanic Park on the east coast and Ose-zaki on the west coast are two most popular sites among them. Izu Futo and Kayo Koen, Izu Peninsula The Futo-Izu Kayo Koen area is a favorite with local divers, perhaps because the local diving operations are among the oldest in Japan. The diving center at Kayo Koen dates from 1964, and Futo Diving Service, run by the local fishing co-op, started up in 1988. In addition to these operations, which handle the dive boats, more than 30 dive shops cater to customers from the greater Tokyo metropolitan area. Both Futo and Kayo Koen offer interesting beach-entry dives, with two entry/exit points at Futo and one at Kayo Koen. And there are more than a dozen spots accessed by boat from Futo harbor. If you plan to take boat dives, you'd better make reservations in advance, especially on weekends. Inveterate critter-watchers have lots of fun at Futo and Kayo Koen. In addition to the myriad small fish and crustaceans, early summer brings spawning aori squid and sunfish come in the fall. The clownfish spawn in late summer. And you can often see clouds of sardines and saury at the same time. Starting in September, the mullet run, often coming quite near shore. And some of the rarer sightings people talk about include guitarfish, spotted eagle rays, huge takaashi crabs that measure as much as nine feet from clawtip to clawtip. Nudibranchs and bivalves are there for the finding.

Kamene
World-renowned drift diving site offers experienced scuba divers extreme high-speed currents ripping through Mikomoto´s awesome undersea terrain composed of deep, colorful walls and steep ridges. Full of hammerheads and 1m long yellowtail jacks (seriola quinqueradiata). Located at the south end of Mikomoto, this diving area is affected by both northeast and southwest winds. 2-3 meter waves are common and currents are always present. Depths range from 15 to 45 meters with deeper dropoffs.

Aone
Renowned for extremely demanding, high-speed drift dives through spectacular undersea terrain. Located at the southwest tip of Mikomoto, this area is easily blown out by southwest winds. The current really rips on the ebb tide and the underwater terrain is deep and magnificently complex. Depths range from 7 to 45 meters with deeper dropoffs.

Enokuchi
This is one of the most beautiful scuba diving sites in Japan featuring huge rocks and ridges that descend sharply from Mikomoto to the ocean floor. You will be scrambling for your fish identification book if you can find your way to Kadone wall which starts at 20 meters and drops down to 45 meters. Check out the tiger sharks, the beautiful, huge, slow swimming tengudai (evistias acutirostris) which can reach a length of half a meter and migimaki (goniistius zebra) our favorite red-lipped stripped morwong. Mantas ride the warm Kuroshio this far north and have also been observed at this site. Located just west of a small bay that cuts into Mikomoto and is protected from northeast winds. Closes out in southwest winds and strong currents can develop on ebb tides.

Mitsune
Offers very mellow drift diving when the tide ebbs and is suitable for less experienced divers. Good place to observe tengudai, puffer and porcupine fish and schooling kampachi (seriola purpurascens), another jack similar to buri. Scuba divers often ride the slow ebbing current to Shirane. Located at the northwest tip of Mikomoto, pinnacles drop down to a relatively flat base at the 20-25 meter level with a 40-45 meter gorge in the middle. Current is usually slow and predictable. Closes out in both northeast and southwest winds.

Yakan
Another relatively flat and shallow area suitable for less experienced divers. Many excellent features here, sizable fish populations and a wide variety of other marine organisms. Good place to find octopus. Most scuba divers pass through this site drift diving from Mitsune or Shirane.Located at the north end of Mikomoto between Mitsune and Shirane, depths range from 7 to 25 meters and the site closes out in strong winds from the southwest and northeast.

Shirane
Excellent diving site for observing many varieties of bottom fish and other marine organisms. Small caves and crevices between the rocks and patches of sand shelter sleeping nekozame (heterodontus japonicus) catsharks, the equally beautiful and mysterious oose (orectolobus japonicus) carpet sharks and many varieties of sting rays (urolophus aurantiacus). Jacks and other schooling fish can be observed while diving at this site.

Located at the northeast tip of Mikomoto with a maximum depth of 20-23 meters. Northeast winds will close this area out.

Hashigone
Somewhat similar to Shirane but in close to Mikomoto, there are many pinnacle rocks which break the surface and provide excellent opportunities for exploration. Numerous marine organisms take shelter in rocky outcroppings and the marine species abundance is absolutely astonishing. Relatively calm area when the wind is from the west and southwest. Depth ranges from 7 meters close in to Mikomoto gradually descending to 25-26 meters to the east. Rolling waves and surge can make this area somewhat difficult and less experienced scuba divers need to be careful to avoid becoming caught in currents.




H2O is the only boat diving operator situated in beautiful Shimoda, a picturesque seaside town of 30,000 people on Izu Peninsula just over a couple of hours from Tokyo, Japan. Rich in history and natural beauty, Shimoda attracts travelers from Japan and throughout the world who come to enjoy its beautiful white sand beaches, onsens, seafood restaurants, marine sports & vibrant nightlife.



H2O is located in Japan´s Shimoda Harbor and is within easy walking distance of Shimoda train station. Is it possible to go to Shimoda by train, dive Mikomoto and return to Tokyo on the same day. You can leave Tokyo by train at 8:30am and arrive well before the afternoon Eco Jet trip to Mikomoto. Day trippers usually leave Shimoda about 5:00pm and return home before 8:00pm.



Water temperature at Mikomoto ranges from 14 degrees in the winter to 28 degrees in late summer and early autumn. Thermoclines are common and most divers use 5mm wetsuits even when the water is warm. Winter divers in Japan use drysuits to stay warm while enjoying visibility of up to 50 meters.


 

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