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Our diving expert and tour leader of the new, ‘Diving Japan’ group tour, is pretty good at getting beneath the surface. Chris Knox lived in Osaka for four years, teaching English and has since worked all over the world as a Dive Master. When he moved to Japan, he travelled extensively throughout, taking every chance to see and experience the complexity of this unique country and didn’t take long to make contact with some local divers diving in Japan. Regular diving days at local sites quickly became an intrinsic part of Chris’s life, but it was only after his first trip to Okinawa that he realised the true extent of the diving available. Chris is currently working with Dive Quest, but is also keen to get back to Japan for the tour in February.
Here are his top five reasons to dive in Japan –
Yonaguni
At the end of the Okinawan islands and officially the Westernmost point of Japan, Yonaguni is certainly far from the beaten track. The mysterious underwater ruins however make this a very special place for divers. Although the debate over the origins of these unique structures continues, the experience of drifting over the central plaza and along the squared off terraces will impress even the most sceptical members of the group. Other dive sites in the area offer a network of limestone tunnels as well as the chance to see hammerheads and a myriad of other marine life.
Manta
There is nothing quite like watching a Manta ray cruising effortlessly through the water above you, except maybe watching a group of them. Although mantas are spotted in many places the rich feeding grounds and the cleaning station at Manta scramble on Ishigaki draw them in on an almost daily basis.
Variety of marine life
From colour-changing cuttlefish to tiny benthic crabs, macro lovers will have plenty to keep them entertained. Many of these creatures are small and well-camouflaged but with an observant guide you will have the chance to see an impressive range of weird and wonderful critters.
Variety of dive sites
Dramatic volcanic topography, a colourful maritime history and a mixture of temperate and tropical sea conditions give Japan an amazing variety of diving options. In some areas, it is possible to find temperate and tropical species on the same dive site. Japan is known for it’s amazing natural beauty and the sights beneath the waves are no exception.
Small scale diving
Diving operations in Japan are relatively small scale so you can expect to have many of the sites to yourself. This is especially true around Okinawa where the remoteness of the archipelago and the small number of dive boats means that even the most famous sites rarely have many divers.
Take a look at our ‘Dive Japan’ for February 2016 or we would be happy to sort you out a tailored trip for you and your dive buddies.