Why Dive in Japan?

The oceans of Japan are known for their unparalleled environment, brought about by the colliding of multiple currents. The Kuroshio Current brings warm, crystalline waters and aquatic organisms from the south, while the Oyashio Current brings in the cold, nutrient-rich waters and marine life of the north. The Pacific side of the country’s coastline offers a one-of-a-kind diving experience with warm and cold ocean life in the same waters.

Expansive coastlines

An island nation stretching over 3,000 kilometers (1,900 miles) along East Asia's Pacific coast, Japan’s diverse marine environments create a vibrant underwater paradise that shouldn’t be missed.

Among a total of 6,852 islands, the four main islands are Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. The Ryukyu Islands and Nanpo Islands are located south of Kyushu. Due to Japan's long coastlines, the country boasts extensive marine resources.

Where warm and cold water marine life thrive

The Oyashio ("Parental Tide") is a cold subarctic ocean current that flows southward and circulates counterclockwise along the east coast of Hokkaido and northeastern Honshu. This nutrient rich current collides with the Kuroshio ("Black Tide") Current with the warm current from the south, off the eastern shore of Japan to form the North Pacific Current.
The nutrient-rich Oyashio is named for its metaphorical role as the parent that provides for and nurtures marine organisms.

Coastal upwelling reveals deep-sea creatures

Japan is also a place where you can encounter creatures that are rarely seen in the world thanks to the unique underwater land terrain that causes the “coastal upwelling” from the deep sea.

A biodiversity hotspot

A total of 33,629 species have been reported to occur around Japan. While constituting a mere 0.9 percent of the global ocean volume, Japanese waters encompass 14.6 percent of all 230,000 marine species found worldwide.

Special thanks to Horiguchi Kazushige Photo Office

Location

K. Ishigakijima Island
Bluestriped snapper, Western clown anemonefish, Luminous cardinalfish, Blotcheye soldierfish, Alfred manta
I. Yakushima Island
Tomato hind
L. Iriomotejima Island
Giant cuttlefish
C. Hachijojima Island
Tiera batfish, Spotfin burrfish, Moontail bullseye, Green sea turtle

Special thanks to Horiguchi Kazushige Photo Office

Location

G. Minami Satsuma
Harlequin shrimp, Ornate slippery goby
I. Yakushima Island
Ribbon eel
H. Kinkowan Bay
Yellownose prawn-goby
C. Hachijojima Island
Coryphellia exoptata
B. Izu Oshima Island
Scarlet cleaner shrimp, Warty Anglerfish, Amethyst anthias, Longnose hawkfish
A. Moroiso
Moss fringehead
K. Ishigakijima Island
Coral hermit crab, Solor jawfish, Miamira sinuata
D. Osezaki
Acanthocepola indica, Ornate ghost pipefish

Special thanks to Horiguchi Kazushige Photo Office

Location

H. Kinkowan Bay
Bispira tricyclia
C. Hachijojima Island
Wrought iron butterflyfish
F. Tago
Cherry anthias
D. Osezaki
Alveopora japonica
B. Izu Oshima Island
Shiho’s seahorse, Japanese angelfish
E. Ita
Yellowstriped butterfish
A. Moroiso
Lumpfish, Whitegirdled goby
J. Amami Oshima
White-spotted pufferfish