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Diving Destination Kagoshima Prefecture Another earth

About Kagoshima

Kagoshima is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu.
It is located at the southwest tip of Kyushu on the Satsuma Peninsula and Osumi Peninsula. This prefecture also includes a chain of islands stretching further to the southwest of Kyushu for a few hundred kilometers. The most important group is the Amami Islands.
The prefecture has a chain of active and dormant volcanoes, including the famous Sakurajima, which is located out of the Kagoshima bay opposite Kagoshima city.
9% of the area was designated as Natural Parks, Quasi-National Parks and Prefectural Natural Parks.
What you can try during your visit to Kagoshima is to visit Sakurajima Island which is still an active volcano. You can get to the tis Island by taking a ferry across from Kagoshima Harbor. You can hike up this mountain to enjoy the beautiful views from the few lookout pints on the track. Make you check the latest volcanic forecast as you won’t want to be covers in ashes during your hike.
For local food, Tobiuo (Flying Fish) is a dish you may want to try. You can try them as sashimi, salted as himono (cured fish), or fried. Not many places around the world serving fish with wings.
As for Diving, you can dive around Sakurajima Island and its surrounding Bay. You can also enjoy the Island chains stretching from mainland Kyushu to the Okinawa Islands. This means, you can enjoy sub-tropical to tropical oceans in one prefecture.

Amami Oshima Center area 

Choice of variety of diving points from North to the South

 

Amami Ōshima is one of the Satsunan Islands, and is the largest island within the Amami archipelago between Kyūshū and Okinawa.
The island is of volcanic origin, with Mount Yuwanda at 605 metres above sea level at its highest peak. The coast of the island is surrounded by a coral reef. It is surrounded by the East China Sea on the west and the Pacific Ocean on the east.
The center area has access to all of the Island, giving you more choices during your stay.

 

 

 

Amami Oshima North 

Big fish diving on the Pacific side

 

Amami Ōshima is one of the Satsunan Islands, and is the largest island within the Amami archipelago between Kyūshū and Okinawa.
The island is of volcanic origin, with Mount Yuwanda at 605 metres above sea level at its highest peak. The coast of the island is surrounded by a coral reef. It is surrounded by the East China Sea on the west and the Pacific Ocean on the east.
THe North side of the Island is closest to the airport. YOu may be able to dive on the day you arrive this Island. YOu can both enjoy the calm bay and the outsaide ocean, where you have the chance to encounter the big schooling fishes.

 

 

 

Amami Oshima South area 

Relax diving between the 3 large Islands
 

Amami Ōshima is one of the Satsunan Islands, and is the largest island within the Amami archipelago between Kyūshū and Okinawa.
The island is of volcanic origin, with Mount Yuwanda at 605 meters above sea level at its highest peak. The coast of the island is surrounded by a coral reef. It is surrounded by the East China Sea on the west and the Pacific Ocean on the east.
The south side is more protected and you can enjoy the relaxed fish watching time underwater. enjoy it's beautiful coral reefs and beautiful underwater sand dunes.

 

 

 

Yakushima 

UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve

Yakushima is one of the Ōsumi Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan. The recommended access to the island is by hydrofoil ferry,or by air to Yakushima Airport. The majority of the island is within the borders of the Kirishima-Yaku National Park.In 1980 an area of 18,958 ha was designated a UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve, and since then, many visitors from all over the world visit this Island.Due to the Black current, the visibility can be over 20m all through the year.
If you love nature both on land and underwater, this is the place to visit.

 

 

 

Yoronjima 

Crystal clear ocean with dynamic underwater terrain

Yoronjima, Okinawan and Yoron is one of the Amami Islands.Yoronjima is the southernmost of the Amami Islands and is located approximately 22 km north of Hedo Point, the northernmost point of Okinawa Island. and 563 km south of the southern tip of Kyushu.
The island is an elevated coralline island with a highest point 97 m above sea level. The coast of the island is surrounded by a coral reef. Diving on the north side, you can enjoy the coroal reef diving and wreck diving. Here you can most like encounter a friendly sea turtle.
As the Island has no river and are surrounded by 1000m deep ocean, the visibility can get up to 20-35m. The average water temperature of around 23c makes diving here a treat.

 

 

 

Bonotsu 

 

Kyusyu's top visibility diving site

Bonotsu is a town located in Kawanabe District. Facing the East China Sea and getting the full benefit from the Black current, the visibility here is always 15m over and can reach up to 30m during the Winter months.

 

 

Kuchinoshima 

Big fish diving in yet to be explored ocean

Located in the black current's path, you can see large school of bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus) at Kuchinoshima Island all year round. If your lucky, you can snorkel with the mantas here. Divers often refer this Island as Palau.The water temperature average around 22C all year.

 

 

Kutajima 

 

Located 12km off the coast of Kagoshima, Kutajima Island enjoys the excellent visibility and a drop off to the depth of 40m. The marine life is abundant. From schooling large fishes to macro life.

 

 

Minami Satsuma 

 

Abundant marine life with excellent visibility.

Located on the Satsuma peninsula Kagoshima. A diving point located in the sawtooth shaped coastline.Many underwater photographer keep going back to this wonderful diving location as it offers many rare and beautiful marine creatures all year round.

 

 

Okinoerabujima 

The famous giant ball of bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus)

 

Okinoerabujima is one of the Satsunan Islands, classed with the Amami archipelago between Kyūshū and Okinawa.The island is an elevated coralline island with a length of approximately 20 km and width of 7 km, with Mount Ōyama at 246 m above sea level at its highest peak.In the eastern part of the island is an extensive limestone cave system, one of the largest in Asia. The coast of the island is surrounded by a coral reef. The average temperature is 22C and the average water temperature is about 23C.

 

 

Sakurajima Island Kinkowan Bay 

Lava made drop off and Macro heaven!

 

The symble of Kagoshima, the Sakurajima is a 55km meter Island n the center of the Kinko bay. Sakurajima is an easy 15min(24hours operation) ferry ride access from the center of Kagoshima city.
Over 200m deep, with the dynamic drop off made by the lava, the Kagoshima diving spot will be a qunique experience. The must see item here are the large school of Red-belted anthias(Pseudanthias rubrizonatus Randall, 1983).Normally found in the deep waters 40-50m around Japan, here you can see them at depth of 10-15m.
This area was designated as a "Sakurajima-Kinkowan Geopark" with many onland tourist atttractions.

 

 

Tanegashima Island 

 

Tanegashima is famous for it's rocket launch station, it is only a 35min plane ride or a 1hour35min Speed ferry ride from Kagoshima.
Underwater, the diving sites are generally shallow but the currents are strong. Drift diving from the boat is the norm here. If you prefer a more relaxing fish watching dive, you ca also enjoy the beach diving points around the Island.

 

 

Tokunoshima Island 

 

Located in the center of the Amami Islands, Tokunoshima nature is still untouched compared to the other Islands. From this reason, it is very popular amongst the core divers in Japan. 30%of the diving sites here is a beach dive. Giving you many sites to choose from.

 

 

Yamakawaoki Kamise 

 

Open only between March to August, Kamise has a series of underwater reefs rising up to 6m depth. In Spring time, you may encounter large school of Tuna and dolphins. Also there are sightings of Thrasher Sharks and hammerheads here.

 

 

Iwojima Island 

 

Still an active volcano, the volcanic activity can be seen on the Island and in the sea around the Island. There is no diving shop on the Island itself so you need to find a diving shop excursion trip from Kagoshima.
Underwater, the marine life is bursting with many size fishes schooling around.

 

 

Average Water Temperatures​

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