Ogasawara Islands

There is no scheduled passenger flight to either Chichijima or Hahajima. Board the Ogasawara Maru at Takeshiba Passenger Ship Terminal in Tokyo and allow approximately 24 hours at sea to reach Futami Port on Chichijima. Its departures follow a published dated cycle, not a daily shuttle, so plan accommodation and onward flights around the actual outbound and return voyages. Haneda Airport is a Tokyo gateway only, not an island airport. Arrive the night before if your international flight might be delayed, and check the current ship notice and check-in time with Ogasawara Kaiun before traveling.

The separate Hahajima Maru links Chichijima and Hahajima in about two hours. Its timetable is coordinated with the larger Tokyo ferry but does not give travelers unlimited same-day departures. Ordinary passenger reservations are not taken in advance; purchase the ticket locally on the travel day and verify whether the service is running in the actual sea conditions. An additional Hahajima overnight stay is often wiser than trying to fit a guided reef dive and forest hike between ferry times. Use the official Hahajima Maru timetable to align both crossings, accommodation, and your subsequent Ogasawara Maru return.

Diving is offered throughout the year on weather-permitted local routes, but different interests favor different months. Chichijima operators emphasize clearer blue water around September and October, often continuing into November. Dive Resort Hahajima describes March-June dogtooth-tuna opportunities and autumn ray activity. June-August may also bring named-operator Keta expeditions, never an assured daily route. Winter boat trips may shift into sheltered water because of wind, while August-October can see typhoon interruptions. Choose dates based on your main goal and book conditional day trips, using Chichijima operator season guidance and Hahajima dive seasons.

Yes, provided they choose a supervised introduction or an operator-approved easy site rather than a demanding drift or exposed rock route. Chichijima has operators selling discover scuba sessions and guided certified-boat dives. Dive Resort Hahajima advertises introductory shore diving but describes much of its certified fun diving as drift-based. The Hahajima operator asks some travelers with fewer than 50 recorded dives or a long break to contact it in advance. Communicate certification, recent dives, comfort in current, equipment needs and desired maximum depth. A signed-up trip does not guarantee a specific site. See Hahajima screening policies.

On Chichijima, Miyanohama is a well-known reef-shore option with marked swimming boundaries; avoid going beyond the buoys where current can strengthen. Sakaiura Beach has ship remains visible from the water, but the attraction is exterior sightseeing, not entering wreck compartments. Anijima Marine Park is a guide- and boat-dependent coral reef, not a self-directed shore entry. On Hahajima, Miyukinohama and southern coastal areas offer scenic marine life but require local advice about currents, swell, access and safe return routes. The Ministry of Environment park guide identifies these areas and their restrictions.

Chichijima has directly advertised skin-diving lessons and guided shallow breath-hold snorkeling, including operators listed in local activity directories. That does not establish a current accredited depth-freediving school, permanent training line, certified instructor schedule or technical freedive event. This research also could not substantiate a regularly sold Hahajima freediving course. Contact a specific Chichijima guide to confirm whether the session is snorkeling, coached duck-diving or accredited training, and what rescue coverage applies. Never train alone or equate a dolphin-swim boat trip with breath-hold instruction. Check local skin-diving listings and guide details.

The main humpback-watching period is approximately December through May, with February and March especially popular for observations from boats and Chichijima lookouts. Dolphin species can be seen at other times of year, and some operators offer regulated in-water dolphin encounters when animals, safety and sea conditions permit. Summer-autumn is often promoted for offshore sperm whale watching, but this is not permission to swim with whales. Neither a whale sighting nor a dolphin entry is guaranteed. Choose a reputable, locally compliant operator, maintain distance, and use the Ecotourism Council season guide and dolphin-swim code for planning.

Locally guided dolphin swimming is an established visitor product, but it is subject to an animal-welfare code and skipper discretion. The local rules restrict the number of boats approaching a dolphin group and limit water entries per boat. You must not chase, touch, obstruct or force an encounter, and operators can decline a swim completely. Whale watching follows separate vessel-distance rules; a normal whale-watching ticket does not authorize a whale swim or scuba interaction with cetaceans. Ask the exact provider which activity is sold and what wildlife restrictions it follows. Review the dolphin procedures and whale-watching association rules.

Minamijima landings require an accredited Tokyo nature guide and use of designated trails. Landing is a small-boat, weather-dependent activity with no ordinary dock, and soil or seed transfer must be prevented. Be careful with older English-language websites: Ogasawara Village changed the rules effective June 1, 2023, abolishing the former November-January blanket seasonal prohibition, fixed two-hour visit cap and daily 100-visitor cap. That does not make the island freely accessible or guarantee a landing on a rough-weather day. Follow the current village amendment and Tokyo nature-access rules rather than outdated tourism text.

The Hahajima Sekimon protected forest is not a normal unescorted hiking trail. Tokyo requires an accredited nature guide and designated routes, with a smaller group size than at Minamijima. The protected caves are not open for ordinary visitor exploration. That is separate from accessible Hahajima trails such as Mount Chibusa or the Minamizaki walking route, where trail, weather and conservation notices still apply. Reserve any restricted-area guide before traveling from Chichijima, because Hahajima has fewer tour suppliers and English briefings may be limited. Confirm current access in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government rules and Hahajima guide directory.

These locations can be planned as external viewing rather than penetration dives. Sakaiura Beach on Chichijima is best known for visible wreck remains in a snorkeling setting, while the Hahajima dive operator lists the Houraikon submerged vessel among its scuba sites. Neither listing provides a blanket right to enter the hull or any overhead section. Inside a wreck, cavern or cave, direct ascent can be obstructed, entanglement is possible, and special training and permission may be required. Ask the dive guide for a non-penetration profile, safe exit and current conditions. See park beach descriptions and Hahajima site map.

Chichijima Village Clinic and Hahajima Clinic provide local medical assessment, but both explicitly state that hyperbaric oxygen treatment is unavailable. A serious diving incident may require coordinated transport to mainland Japan, and wind, sea or aviation logistics can delay evacuation. Dial 119 for a medical emergency; Japan Coast Guard marine distress uses 118. Before diving, tell your operator about health conditions, request its emergency oxygen and evacuation plan, and buy insurance that covers the planned activity, recompression elsewhere and medical transport. Do not rely on an assumed local chamber or a guaranteed quick flight. Refer to the Chichijima clinic and Hahajima clinic.

The official November 2026 adult second-class one-way Ogasawara Maru fare is published as JPY 30,030, while the Hahajima Maru standard adult one-way example is JPY 5,250. These change by month and accommodation class. A Chichijima dive operator lists an April 2026 two-boat dive at JPY 18,000, excluding some possible rentals and extras. No universal Ogasawara recreational marine-park tag or visitor diving levy was substantiated in the checked authorities, although guide fees and protected-area access rules still apply. Verify current totals and any surcharges directly with the main ferry, Hahajima ferry and operator.

Only as a specific weather-permitted excursion currently sold and operated by a named local provider. JNTO describes Maguro Ana around Yomejima in the Keta area, while Seasonal Dive Guiding advertises dedicated June-August outings under suitable conditions. That is not an independent passenger ferry route and does not mean divers can charter a boat to any unserved island or enter every protected-water area. Ask the operator to confirm the precise itinerary, weather threshold, diver skill prerequisites, additional price, emergency plan and whether a shorter Chichijima route is the fallback. See JNTO dive guide and named current operator.

A standard Tokyo-to-Tokyo Ogasawara Maru sailing cycle can take roughly six days including the two long sea legs, leaving only a few nights on Chichijima. If Hahajima is a priority for its local diving, coral shore and hiking, add nights and match the separate interisland sailing dates instead of assuming a daily transfer. Keep time for weather-driven dive-site substitutions, Minamijima landing cancellation and mainland flight connections. A single short cycle may be excellent for Chichijima but insufficient for a meaningful two-island visit. Start with the Tokyo ferry calendar and interisland schedule before choosing accommodation.