Iriomote Island

Yonara Channel passes between Iriomote Island and Kohama Island, which is 6km long and about 500 to 900m wide. The current is constant and at times very strong. This is always a drift dive at depths of 9 to 30 meters.

This is a small island in the east of Iriomote Island, about 16km in circumference. There is a luxury resort hotel on the island. Between this island and Iriomote Island is the Yonara Waterway. There are about 400 kinds of colorful coral such as table coral and eda coral around the island, and the tropical fishes are very beautiful. There are several points in the Yonara Waterway where you can encounter manta rays.

Kuroshima is located in the southwestern part of Ishigaki Island. It takes about 30 minutes by boat from Ishigaki Island. The water depth is about 17 meters. There's no flow and it's fun for beginners. The main part of the site is a root where there is a school of yellow-flanked coral reef fish and the density of fish shadows is overwhelming. Many carnivorous fish, including big groupers, have gathered to take advantage of this. Garden eels can also be seen in the sandy areas along the way.

This spot is located on the north side of Taketomi Island, about 15 minutes by boat from Ishigaki Island. There are several holes where bubbles gush out of the mortar-shaped sand at a depth of 20 meters. This is a unique spot where hot springs spring water gushes.

This dive site, located on the northwest side of Ishigaki Island, has one of the highest rates of encounters with manta rays in the world. It can be reached by boat in 10 to 15 minutes. The water depth is around 10-20m and the tide is relatively calm but can become stronger at times. A small hill in the middle of the sea is a cleaning station where the manta rays come to visit. Manta rays swim around at a depth of 5 to 10 meters, so you can see them by snorkeling.

There is an uninhabited island about 15km southwest from the southern end of Iriomote Island, which is called Ogan. About 1 hour by boat from Iriomote Island. The famous “Eastern Root“ is a dynamic terrain with huge hidden roots rising from the seafloor at a depth of 40 meters. This is an advanced spot due to the fast current.

Hateruma Island is south of Iriomote Island. You can go there by ferry from Ishigaki Island, but you can also get there from Iriomote Island to dive. There are no buses or signals on the island. All the dives are boat dives. The appeal of Hateruma is its high clarity, sometimes exceeding 50 meters, and you can enjoy the beautiful blue sea that flows through the pure white sand. There are many sandy points on the northwest shore and drop-off points and large migratory fishes on the east shore.

Yonehara Reef is found at the point in Kawadaira, in the northern part of Ishigaki Island. This site is a boat entry only. The average depth is 5 to 30 meters. There is a coral shelf at 5 to 6 meters deep that drops into a sandy area in 20 to 25 meters of water with three roots, densely populated with table and eddy corals.

The Underwater Ruins were discovered by a local diver in 1986 and is a popular diving spot in Yonaguni along with hammerhead sharks. It’s about 15 minutes from the port. A huge staircase-shaped wall spans about 250m east-west and 150m north-south to form the ruins.

The westernmost island in Japan. It’s closer to Taiwan than Ishigaki Island. It takes about 45 minutes from Ishigaki Island to reach by plane. The highlight of this island is the high chance of seeing hammerhead sharks. Among them, this is the point where the rocks, like buildings, stand vertically from the bottom of the sea at a depth of 35 meters.