Explore Honshu

Diving in Honshu, Japan, offers a captivating experience, blending the island's rich history with its diverse marine life. The temperate waters, influenced by the Kuroshio Current, nurture vibrant kelp forests, creating a unique habitat that supports both warm and cold-water species. This diversity is a draw for divers seeking to explore underwater ecosystems teeming with life. The sites around Honshu range from the thrilling Ito Shark Scramble, where divers can witness banded hound sharks and stingrays, to the serene encounters with dolphins in Mikurajima and the majestic whales in Ogasawara.

Honshu's coastline, stretching over 6,266 miles (10,084 km), offers numerous diving options, from shore dives to boat and liveaboard excursions. Each dive site presents its own charm, whether it's the intricate reefs or the fascinating wrecks scattered along the sea floor. The island's macro life is particularly remarkable, with an abundance of colorful nudibranchs that captivate underwater photographers and enthusiasts alike. Seasonal changes also bring different marine visitors, adding an element of surprise and anticipation to each dive adventure in Honshu.

Places to Explore

Kii Peninsula

34 Divesites 6 Centers

The largest peninsula in Japan, Kii is the epicenter of diving in Kansai.

Chubu

55 Divesites 28 Centers

Chubu lies between two major diving areas, the Izu and Kii Peninsulas and offers several great inland dive sites to explore.

Izu Islands & Ogasawara

12 Divesites 3 Centers

the Izu and Ogasawara Islands are as beautiful topside as they are underwater and offer dives with sea turtles and hammerhead sharks.

Upcoming Events

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Diver Level Programs / Courses

MID SUMMER

Dry Suit Diving

13 Nov 2025

Drysuit diving opens up a world of opportunities, including diving remote Arctic destinations and exploring cold-water dive sites teeming with life. Dry suit diving also keeps you warm on multi-dive days when you do not want to spend your time getting in and out of a cold wetsuit. The SSI Dry Suit Diving specialty program is the best way to become a dry suit diver and teaches you all the knowledge and techniques you need to dive safely and comfortably in a dry suit. You will learn how to use specialized equipment, like dry suits and BCs, the benefits of dry suits and how to deal with dry suit emergencies – which are unique to this type of diving. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Dry Suit Diving specialty certification.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

ダイビングサービス熱海

Dry Suit Diving

15 Nov 2025

Drysuit diving opens up a world of opportunities, including diving remote Arctic destinations and exploring cold-water dive sites teeming with life. Dry suit diving also keeps you warm on multi-dive days when you do not want to spend your time getting in and out of a cold wetsuit. The SSI Dry Suit Diving specialty program is the best way to become a dry suit diver and teaches you all the knowledge and techniques you need to dive safely and comfortably in a dry suit. You will learn how to use specialized equipment, like dry suits and BCs, the benefits of dry suits and how to deal with dry suit emergencies – which are unique to this type of diving. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Dry Suit Diving specialty certification.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

ピースドルフィン

Boat Diving

16 Nov 2025

The ocean is filled with dive sites, but many of the best ones can only be accessed by boat. If you want to discover these incredible dive sites, become an SSI boat diver. It is the best way to learn how to dive from different types of boats safely and with confidence. As a boat diver, you will be able to explore offshore dive sites that attract schooling pelagics and marine megafauna not found closer to shore. You can experience the excitement of liveaboard diving anywhere in the world, fill your day with diving away from the crowds, and cruise along as the sun goes down. Using online training and open water diving sessions, the SSI Boat Diving Specialty program is the best way to learn. This program teaches you all the skills and techniques you need to dive safely and comfortably from boats, including small personal craft and liveaboards. Earn your SSI Boat Diving Specialty certification. Get started today.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

宮城ダイビングサービス ハイブリッジ

Open Water Diver

17 Nov 2025

This globally recognized certification program is the best way to begin your lifelong adventures as a certified scuba diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater. You will earn the SSI Open Water Diver certification.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

SSI サービスセンター ジャパン

React Right - Course Combination (FA, CPR, AED, O2)

18 Nov 2025

React Right is SSI’s emergency first response course and provides you with the training and knowledge you need to act as a first responder in a medical emergency. In this flexible dive program, you can choose which subjects you want to learn about, including primary assessment, first aid, CPR and primary stabilization techniques. You can also learn about oxygen administration in diving emergencies and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) basics. Using a combination of academic sessions and practical training scenarios, this program will give you the tools and confidence you need for emergency response. By the time you are certified, you will be able to act as an emergency first responder, provide first aid and CPR, administer oxygen and provide AED support in a medical emergency. Earn your SSI React Right specialty certification. Get started today!

Instructor Evaluation

SSI サービスセンター ジャパン

Instructor Evaluation - IE

19 Nov 2025

Start today - You need to be a Divemaster or equivalent to join SSI´s 3-Step Instructor Training Approach. The training process starts with joining the Assistant Instructor / Instructor Training Course combination accompanied with Digital Learning. After successful completion of the Instructor Training Course (ITC) you will enroll in an Instructor Evaluation (IE) to qualify as an SSI Open Water Instructor. This 10 day training program entitles you to teach various key SSI programs independently like Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress & Rescue and Dive Guide.

For those who want to take more time to learn and to gain valuable teaching experience between the training programs the 3 parts can also be taken as single steps - Assistant Instructor, Instructor Training Course (ITC) and Instructor Evaluation (IE) one after the other at own pace and with a flexible schedule.

Professional Level Programs / Courses

ピースドルフィン

Assistant Instructor

22 Nov 2025 + 1 more

The Assistant Instructor rating is the next step after becoming a Divemaster along the scuba instructor pathway. It allows you to collect valuable teaching experience, practice briefings, teach academics, and conduct in-water training. If you want to further your career as a dive professional, you can finish the Instructor Training Course, pass the Instructor Evaluation, and become an Open Water Diving Instructor.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

オハナ　ウィズ

Open Water Diver

22 Nov 2025 + 2 more

This globally recognized certification program is the best way to begin your lifelong adventures as a certified scuba diver. Personalized training is combined with in-water practice sessions to ensure you have the skills and experience required to become truly comfortable underwater. You will earn the SSI Open Water Diver certification.

Instructor Evaluation

SSI サービスセンター ジャパン

Instructor Evaluation - IE

26 Nov 2025

Start today - You need to be a Divemaster or equivalent to join SSI´s 3-Step Instructor Training Approach. The training process starts with joining the Assistant Instructor / Instructor Training Course combination accompanied with Digital Learning. After successful completion of the Instructor Training Course (ITC) you will enroll in an Instructor Evaluation (IE) to qualify as an SSI Open Water Instructor. This 10 day training program entitles you to teach various key SSI programs independently like Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress & Rescue and Dive Guide.

For those who want to take more time to learn and to gain valuable teaching experience between the training programs the 3 parts can also be taken as single steps - Assistant Instructor, Instructor Training Course (ITC) and Instructor Evaluation (IE) one after the other at own pace and with a flexible schedule.

Diver Level Programs / Courses

ピースドルフィン

Dry Suit Diving

30 Nov 2025

Drysuit diving opens up a world of opportunities, including diving remote Arctic destinations and exploring cold-water dive sites teeming with life. Dry suit diving also keeps you warm on multi-dive days when you do not want to spend your time getting in and out of a cold wetsuit. The SSI Dry Suit Diving specialty program is the best way to become a dry suit diver and teaches you all the knowledge and techniques you need to dive safely and comfortably in a dry suit. You will learn how to use specialized equipment, like dry suits and BCs, the benefits of dry suits and how to deal with dry suit emergencies – which are unique to this type of diving. Upon completion, you will earn the SSI Dry Suit Diving specialty certification.

Professional Level Programs / Courses

SSI サービスセンター ジャパン

Assistant Instructor

02 Dec 2025

The Assistant Instructor rating is the next step after becoming a Divemaster along the scuba instructor pathway. It allows you to collect valuable teaching experience, practice briefings, teach academics, and conduct in-water training. If you want to further your career as a dive professional, you can finish the Instructor Training Course, pass the Instructor Evaluation, and become an Open Water Diving Instructor.

Professional Level Programs / Courses

ピースドルフィン

Open Water Instructor (Instructor Training Course ITC)

13 Dec 2025 + 1 more

Start today - You need to be a Divemaster or equivalent to join SSI´s 3-Step Instructor Training Approach. The training process starts with joining the Assistant Instructor / Instructor Training Course combination accompanied with Digital Learning. After successful completion of the Instructor Training Course (ITC) you will enroll in an Instructor Evaluation (IE) to qualify as an SSI Open Water Instructor. This 10 day training program entitles you to teach various key SSI programs independently like Scuba Diver, Open Water Diver, Enriched Air Nitrox, Diver Stress & Rescue and Dive Guide. For those who want to take more time to learn and to gain valuable teaching experience between the training programs the 3 parts can also be taken as single steps - Assistant Instructor, Instructor Training Course (ITC) and Instructor Evaluation (IE) one after the other at own pace and with a flexible schedule.

Top Dive Sites Map

★★★★☆ Motosuko Lake

Lake Motosu is one of the Fuji Five Lakes and is the deepest of the five with a maximum water depth of 122 meters. The altitude is about 900 meters, and the diving is done using altitude diving procedures. It is the most popular freshwater diving spot in Kanto.

109
Logs
47
Divers
15.0 m
⌀ Depth
10.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Aki no Hama

This is the largest and closest of the seven Izu Islands to the mainland. Mihara, an active volcano, is located in the center of the island. Boat diving is also available, but due to the variety of beach points, diving from the beach is more popular. The most popular of these is Autumn Beach.

324
Logs
92
Divers
22.0 m
⌀ Depth
15.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Koganezaki

Located in Koganezaki Park, you can enjoy various flowers depending on the season, and entry/exit is very easy to do due to the ramps and handrails. When you enter, you’ll see a wide range of gorotas up to a few meters deep, and beyond that, you’ll see an entire surface of the sand.

2,120
Logs
446
Divers
14.0 m
⌀ Depth
10.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Tago

There are six boat points in the open sea and four in the bay at Tago. There is also one beach. At the point in the bay, there is a clump of Green Turtle Coral that looks like Okinawa, and much tropical small fish can be seen around it.

824
Logs
205
Divers
22.0 m
⌀ Depth
12.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Izu Oceanic Park

Izu Oceanic Park is the most popular dive site in Higashi-Izu. The facilities are good and there is a pool. In the summer, the area is crowded with beachgoers and ordinary people who use the pool.

1,199
Logs
306
Divers
22.0 m
⌀ Depth
12.0 m
⌀ Visibility

☆☆☆☆☆ Namerikawa

This site is beach entry only. Enter from the gravel beach, and as you descended, the Gorota stones spread out. Once off the coast, it becomes a sandy area, which has several man-made towers of sorts. The water near the entry is shallow but gradually deepens as you go offshore to a depth of over 40 meters.

3
Logs
2
Divers
14.0 m
⌀ Depth
7.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Atami

This is a historic dive site that represents Higashi-Izu. It can be accessed from the Tokyo area in about 2 hours, and it is also possible to take a day trip, making it a popular spot, especially among Kanto divers.

878
Logs
202
Divers
21.0 m
⌀ Depth
10.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Okubo Hama

Located in the northern part of the island, this is the main dive site of Miyakejima. This is a beach entry only. The terrain is formed by lava flowing into the water, with roots protruding offshore. There is a fairly large area to the east and west of the dive site, and you can’t go all the way around on one dive.

132
Logs
38
Divers
14.0 m
⌀ Depth
16.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Futou

Futou is the scenic point of Nishi-Izu. This site can be reach via beach entry or boat entry. There is a small area where you can go night diving all year round. There are caves, caverns, and arches as you progress through the shallow beach sand to the rocky terrain.

225
Logs
103
Divers
13.0 m
⌀ Depth
8.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Nishikawana

This spot is located at the tip of Tateyama on the Boso Peninsula. Boat diving only, with a maximum depth of 25m and an average of 15-16m, the bottom of the water is a mix of rocky reefs, gorota stones, and sandy terrain. Caution is needed as the flow can sometimes be fast.

184
Logs
43
Divers
19.0 m
⌀ Depth
13.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Osezaki Beach

Osezaki is one of the most famous dives sites in Japan. It is a cape that juts out into Suruga Bay and done as a beach dive. There are two dive options, one on the bayside of the cape and the other on the open seaside, both of which are shallow rocky areas when you descend and sandy areas when you go offshore.

2,634
Logs
368
Divers
19.0 m
⌀ Depth
9.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★★ Nagaragawa River

This is one of Japan’s three major clear streams and has a high level of clarity. The water depth is often 3-6 meters, but in some places it can be over 10 meters in depth.

3
Logs
2
Divers
6.0 m
⌀ Depth
9.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Occhogahama

This site is at the southwestern point of the island. Although it is a beach entry, there is a large cave and many nudibranchs around it, making it a popular spot. Entry and exit are done from the dedicated stairs.

18
Logs
8
Divers
19.0 m
⌀ Depth
24.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Nazumado

Nazumado is on the west side of the island where you can see Hachijo Kojima in front of you. This dive site is set up very uniquely with ropes to help you enter and exit from a walled reef that falls sharply down the slope.

104
Logs
26
Divers
21.0 m
⌀ Depth
25.0 m
⌀ Visibility

★★★★☆ Kushimoto

Kushimoto, the southernmost town on Honshu, is strongly influenced by the Kuroshio Current, and has a large variety of tropical fish from Okinawa and Izu, making it one of the top fishing areas in Japan.

424
Logs
112
Divers
17.0 m
⌀ Depth
11.0 m
⌀ Visibility

Diving in Honshu

Honshu, Japan's largest island, boasts a variety of dive sites that cater to diverse diving interests. A popular choice for wreck enthusiasts is the Izu Peninsula, where the coastal waters reveal an array of fascinating wrecks, each with its own story. These sites are accessible via shore, allowing for easy exploration of submerged history. For those interested in marine life, the Kushimoto area offers unique underwater experiences, including vibrant coral reefs and opportunities for night dives. Here, divers can witness nocturnal marine behaviors and the mesmerizing dance of bioluminescent creatures. Honshu provides a balanced mix of shore and liveaboard diving options, ensuring that whether you prefer a quick shore dive or a more extended adventure at sea, there's something for every diving enthusiast.

The best Months to dive in Honshu

Diving in Honshu, Japan, is accessible throughout the year, with each season presenting distinct underwater experiences. Water temperatures range from 16°C–27°C/61°F–81°F, making July to September the warmest months. Visibility typically spans 10 to 30 meters/33 to 98 feet, with spring boasting the clearest waters, ideal for observing marine life and underwater landscapes.

Winter diving, while challenging due to colder temperatures and reduced visibility, remains an option. Seasonal winds and currents, notably during the typhoon season from August to October, can impact diving conditions, rendering these months less predictable. Despite these variations, Honshu offers valuable opportunities for divers, with each season requiring specific considerations to ensure optimal diving conditions.

Statistics

Historical data and trends

Dive Activity & Environmental Conditions

Centers Map

MID SUMMER

神奈川県横浜市港北区大豆戸町480-1-1-105, 222-0032 Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa - JPN

ステイ　ドリーム

和歌山県田辺市目良29-26, 646-005 Tanabe-shi, Wakayama - JPN

Sunny Season

木曽川町外割田四の通り147, 4930007 Ichinomiya, Aichi - JPN

Colors Diving Proshop

松戸市新松戸4-125, 2700034 Matsudo, Chiba - JPN

SUN La IZU DIVING

静岡県伊東市川奈286-1, 4140044 Ito, Shizuoka - JPN

Diving Service Kawanabiyori

静岡県伊東市川奈673-5, 4140044 Ito, Shizuoka - JPN

獅子浜ダイビングサービス

1-17 Shishihama, Numazu City, 4100104 Numazu, Shizuoka - JPN

香里ダイビングクラブ

大阪府寝屋川市末広町22-24, 5720009 Neyagawa, Osaka - JPN

ぽんたフリーダイビングスクール

6-8-7 Higashifunabashi,funabashi-shi,chiba-ken, 2730002 Funabashi-shi, Chiba - JPN

Divers Cafe

神奈川県藤沢市善行6-11-11-101, 2510871 Fujisawa, Kanagawa - JPN

Sports Man Club MTK

三重県尾鷲市九鬼町969-16, 519-3701 尾鷲市, Mie - JPN

南越前ダイビングパーク

15-28 Kaburaki, Minamiechizen-cho,, 9151113 Nanjyogun, Fukui - JPN

DiveNetworks

内浦三津122-58, 4100223 沼津市, Shizuoka - JPN

ダイビングショップ海友

神奈川県藤沢市西俣野392-15, 2520812 Fujisawa, Kanagawa - JPN

ドルフィンアイズダイビングスクール

神奈川県小田原市高田276-1, 2500216 Odawara, Kanagawa - JPN

SSI サービスセンター ジャパン

東京都文京区関口1-44-10-3F, 1120014 Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo - JPN

ワイラニ スキューバダイビングショップ

静岡県伊東市富戸1273-59, 413-0231 Ito, Shizuoka - JPN

金谷サンセットビーチ

富津市金谷4283-6, 2991861 Futtsu, Chiba - JPN

ダイビングスクール　海風

新潟県新潟市笹口4-8 1F, 9500924 NIIGATA, Niigata - JPN

WITH 新宿

東京都新宿区新宿1-17-1, 160-0022 Shinjuku-ku Shinjuku 1-17-1-1F, Tokyo - JPN