Diving in Northeastern Honshu
Quick Facts
- • Entry types: Mostly shore entries
- • Expect: Varies by conditions visibility
- • Highlights: Discover Northeastern Honshu's dive spots
Explore the underwater wonders of Northeastern Honshu, ecoregion. This region features 6 documented dive spots, each offering unique underwater experiences. Whether you're seeking calm snorkeling bays, challenging freediving depths, or exciting scuba adventures, Northeastern Honshu has something for every underwater explorer. Browse detailed spot information, check current conditions from recent dive logs, and connect with the local diving community to make the most of your visit.
Regional Context
🏛️ Marine Hierarchy
🌍 Associated Countries
Countries in Northeastern Honshu (1)
Popular Spots in Northeastern Honshu (6)
Ago Island
Ago Island, located in Onagawa, is a dive site suitable for beginners, featuring depths of 11 to 12 meters. The area is characterized by rugged reefs and narrow waterways, providing a unique underwater landscape. It is home to a variety of marine life, including pink dungfish, beaked sculpin, and true booyahs, which are present throughout the year. Additionally, the site experiences strong tidal currents that attract seasonal migratory fish, enhancing the biodiversity of the area.
Akiu Great Falls
Akiu Great Falls is located approximately one hour from Sendai and features a unique diving experience in the basin of Akiu Ootaki, one of Japan's three largest waterfalls, with a vertical drop of 55 meters. Divers can experience the sensation of water vibrations throughout their body while exploring this freshwater environment. Marine life in this area is limited, but divers may encounter freshwater species such as char, rockfish, trout, white-tailed bream, and occasionally cherry salmon. Additionally, frogs and other terrestrial animals may be observed near the water's edge.
Benten Island
Benten Island, located near the town of Onagawa in Miyagi Prefecture, offers divers a unique experience where the Oyashio and Kuroshio currents converge. This site features a variety of marine life, including fixed nets, oysters, and sea squirt shelves. Divers can observe a wall of ascidians, which is a distinctive characteristic of this northern dive site. Throughout the year, sightings of dangler fish are common, and divers may witness their spawning behavior. Additionally, the area is home to various northern nudibranchs, dandelions, and anchidnails, making it an interesting site for marine biodiversity. The entry to the dive site is from the shore, providing easy access for divers.
Okirai Namiita Beach
Okirai Namiita Beach, located in Ofunato, Iwate, features calm and shallow waters ideal for beginner divers. The site is characterized by seasonal changes and ongoing restoration of seaweed beds, which support a diverse array of marine life. Notably, it is home to both northern and southern species, contributing to its rich biodiversity. Marine life includes lingcod, croaker, sculpin, gibbon, sea slugs, ameflagellates, crabs, and shrimp, all thriving within the seaweed forest ecosystem.
Shikotsuko Lake
Shikotsuko Lake is known for its exceptional water quality, maintaining the highest standards in Japan for five consecutive years. The lake offers impressive visibility, reaching up to 50 meters from January to June. Divers can engage in ice diving from January to March, providing a unique experience. During the warmer months from July to September, divers may encounter endemic duck species, various aquatic plants, blue-winged carp, rainbow trout, and red-bellied shrimp. Notably, from mid-October to late November, the spawning season of rainbow trout occurs, allowing for sightings of red-bellied trout displaying nuptial colors. River drift dives into the river that drains from the lake can reveal rare blue and white carp.
Usujiri Jinjamae
Usujiri Jinjamae is located in the town of Usushiri, part of Hakodate City in Hokkaido. The site offers a diverse marine ecosystem with a notable ecological balance. Water temperatures range from a low of 2 degrees Celsius to a high of 21 degrees Celsius during the summer months, allowing for year-round diving opportunities. From March to April, divers can observe the hatching of young Whitefish and the breeding season of lingcod, during which numerous egg masses can be seen. Additionally, there is a chance to encounter various criones and jellyfish riders in the area.