Best diving location in Japan

[Amani]

Hello,

How's everyone doing?
We're 2 beginners, just completed our PADI Open Water Diver course.
We're going to Japan and would like to take 1 or 2 dives with an instructor. We're mostly interested in underwater animals.
What would you say is the best location for diving in Japan? I heard of Ishigaki-jima and Yonaguni-jima.

Thank you!!!

 

[Alfawolfje]

Yonaguni doesn't have that much reefs and life and is famous for their monument. I like Ishigaki a lot ! Also famous for their mantas!!

 

[Sputnikboy]

I went to Yonaguni but the winds (late March 2015) kept me from diving in the famous Underwater Monument, tough break. But I could dive (water temp 21-23°, warm water provided for pouring inside the wetsuit) on the other side of the island, in the blue, to spot hammerheads: first dive we saw only one who came up from down to check on us, in the second dive we saw about 15 metres below us, when we were at around 25-30 metres, a big school of hammerheads... I was thrilled!

I went also to Ishigaki-jime and I can vouch for Umicoza, very good outfit. Little to no current, warm water, easy and enjoyable dives. The obvious highlight was going to Manta Scramble were I spotted my first (oceanic) mantas, five in total, one of which was absolutely HUGE; I was lucky because at that time of the year I was told the chances to spot mantas were rather low so you better ask. Mush II was another very enjoyable spot.

 

[divinh]

I've been to Ishigaki twice now and almost went again last month, but travel logistics prevented that. The Mantas are an attraction, but there are tons of macro... and sea snakes. I've dove with both Umicoza and Viking Scuba and would recommend either. Viking Scuba would be my current recommendation though, as I dove with them last year and Toyo can find the smallest things.

For getting there, ANA and JAL offer discounted tourist tickets, but there are budget airlines too, like Peach, so definitely look for a good deal.

 

[Kensei]

I'd second Ishigaki. Great place to dive. When I went, we saw probably 20 cuttlefish with big egg pouches just hovering together in the water column. If possible, go in the summer... it's cold there in the fall, winter and spring.

 

[Sputnikboy]

I used Peach air and can reccomend, much cheaper compared to ANA or JAL (yuk!). For Yonaguni you can only use Ryukyu air (JAL) and it doesn't come cheap.
Besides I also went to Miyako-jima and while there werent' that many fishes or corals, I enjoyed the dives in the caves (Devil's den) and the macro life was surprisingly rich, saw PLENTY of nudibranchs.

 

[funscuba]

How would you recommend those best places the whole month of sept ? Cold or not ? Worth for diving for seeing big stuff or not ?