One-of-a-Kind Shark Diving and Japan Macro Diving Experience Excursion from Tokyo

Drift diving with Hammerhead sharks at Mikomoto

Our next destination is Mikomoto island which is also in the Shizuoka Prefecture. Mikomoto island is at the southernmost edge of the Izu Peninsula islands and is about a 20-minute boat ride from the port near Shimoda, Tokyo. This famous dive site is known as the place to go diving with Hammerhead sharks, but due to the strong currents, it's only for experienced divers who have had more than 50 dives and dived recently. You can also choose between a full-day trip or a two-day trip for this excursion.

All the details for your shark diving trip at Mikomoto island

Door to door：Private transfer and guide tour

・Highlights: Diving
・Diving activity: Full day (2 tank dives) / 2 days (4 tank dives)
・Length: Full-day or 2 days
・Travel style: Optional tour with a private guide
・Dive Operators: Kaiyusha or Mikomoto Hammers
・Type of experience: Outdoor activities
・English speaking assistance: Available
・Age requirements: 12+
・Experience required: Open Water Licence and with 30+ log diving experience
・Accommodations: Not included for full-day tour / Shizuoka: Shimoda Tokyu Hotel or same standard level hotel for the two-day trip
・Meal plans: Lunch only for the full-day tour / Breakfast and dinner included for the two-day trip
・Transportation: Private transfer from Haneda Airport lobby, Narita Airport lobby, or a hotel in downtown Tokyo included
・Recommended season: All-year-round
・Insurance: Included

Dive like the locals：Basic diving plan

・Highlights: Diving
・Diving activity: Full day (2 tank dive)
・Length: Full-day
・Travel style: Optional plan
・Type of experience: Outdoor activities
・English speaking assistance: Available
・Age requirements: 12+
・Experience required: Open Water Licence and with 30+ log diving experience
・Accommodations: Not included
・Meal plans: Not included
・Transportation: Not included
・Recommended season: All-year-round
・Insurance: Included

The top Hammerhead shark diving location in Japan

Mikomoto island is located off the southern coast of the Izu Peninsula, but divers come from all over the world to experience this dive spot. This is because it's the top destination in the world for diving with Hammerhead sharks. Here you get to go drift diving in the open sea, and at any one point, you may see hundreds of Hammerhead sharks swimming around you. Mikomoto island is a truly unique diving location near Tokyo where you have the chance to see a large school of Hammerhead sharks up close - all on just a day trip out of the city.

Since Mikiomoto island is a small rocky and uninhabited place, divers who opt for the two-day trip will stay nearby in Shizuoka. Despite the inhospitable dive location, this spot is much loved by divers who want to swim with Hammerhead sharks. These sharks love the warmer waters from the black currents that occur here during the summer months, which causes them to flock to this region of the ocean. However, since this is one of the biggest and strongest currents in the world, be prepared for a difficult dive.

There are fast and strong currents surrounding Mikomoto island, which are known as Kuroshio or the black currents. These currents are common in the waters around this region, and they cause quite demanding diving conditions, which is why only advanced divers can go on this tour. The local rule is that you need at least have had 50+ tank diving experiences to be able to dive here. The large schools of Hammerhead sharks also make dives here quite an adrenaline rush, so divers should feel comfortable with both deep-sea dives and know how to remain calm in extreme situations. It's well worth it for any experienced divers who are looking for a thrilling encounter with sharks.

Sharks and other encounters you'll have diving at Mikomoto island

During the summer months (June to October):
・Scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini)
・Many large schools of fishes
During the winter months (November to May):
・Angel sharks (Squatina squatina)
・Dark brown angel sharks
・Japanese wobbegong (Orectolobus japonicus)

Japanese Hound shark diving at Chiba Ito

The final destination on our list of shark diving in Japan experiences is Chiba Ito which is in Chiba Prefecture. Chiba Ito dive spot is about an hour and a half's drive from Tokyo via the Tokyo Bay Aqua Tunnel, which runs below Tokyo Bay. Tokyo's Narita Airport is also located in Chiba Prefecture, which gives travelers easy access to this popular diving destination. Chiba Ito has become famous recently as a Japanese Hound shark heaven where you can experience the "shark scramble." Although it is available to all levels of divers, it's best suited to divers who feel comfortable underwater and around large marine creatures. As with the other expeditions, you can select between a quick full-day tour or a longer two-day trip.

All the details you need to dive with the sharks at Chiba Ito

Door to door：Private transfer and guide tour

・Highlights: Diving
・Diving activity: Full day (2 tank dive) / 2 days (4 tank dives)
・Length: Full-day or 2 days
・Travel style: Optional tour with a private guide
・Type of experience: Outdoor activities
・English speaking assistance: Available
・Age requirements: 12+
・Experience required: Open Water Licence and with 30+ log diving experience
・Accommodations: Not included for full-day tour / Tateyama Resort Hotel or same standard level hotel for the two-day trip
・Meal plans: Lunch only for the full-day tour / Breakfast and dinner included for the two-day trip
・Transportation: Private transfer from Haneda Airport lobby, Narita Airport lobby, or a hotel in downtown Tokyo included
・Recommended season: All-year-round
・Insurance: Included

Dive like the locals：Basic diving plan

・Highlights: Diving
・Diving activity: Full day (2 tank dive)
・Length: Full-day
・Travel style: Optional plan
・Type of experience: Outdoor activities
・English speaking assistance: Available
・Age requirements: 12+
・Experience required: Open Water Licence and with 30+ log diving experience
・Accommodations: Not included
・Meal plans: Not included
・Transportation: Not included
・Recommended season: All-year-round
・Insurance: Included

Experience the famous "shark scramble"

Why should you go diving at Chiba Ito? To experience the world-famous "shark scramble," of course. The Ito Tateyama Chiba "shark scramble" has been one of the hottest topics for the Japan region diving scene for some time now. And for good reason. It is the experience of a lifetime for many divers. Just as with the other spots on our list, divers come from far and near to have this unique shark diving experience. You're just as likely to encounter local divers here as you are foreigners. That's just how popular this dive destination is.

Chiba has a coastline that is over 500 kilometers long with wide sandy beaches and calm, clear waters, making it an attractive destination for anyone who loves the ocean. This is the area where the warm black currents from the south collide with the cold current from the north. As a result, there is a unique mix of both tropical and cold-water marine life found in the region. Therefore, it is quite a special place to go diving while still being easily accessible from the city.

During your dive, you'll encounter the banded hound shark's shark tower. This is when hundreds of these hound sharks band together to create a tower-like tornado effect. Here you can expect to dive with 200 or more Japanese hound sharks at any time of the year—a remarkable experience. The hound shark is endemic to the oceans around Japan, and since its main diet is smaller fish, it doesn't pose any risk to divers. However, diving with this many sharks can be quite the adrenaline rush. Besides the masses of hound sharks, you can also expect to see other marine life such as red stingrays, huge cods, and giant sheepshead wrasses.

An array of underwater marine life to uncovered in Chiba Ito

All year round:
・Japanese banded hound shark (Triakis scyllium)
・Variety of nudibranch
・Shrimps and crabs
・Macro marine life
・Japanese red stingray (Hemitrygon akajei)
・Asian sheepshead wrasse (Semicossyphus reticulatus)
・Longtooth grouper (Epinephelus bruneus)

If you are lucky:
・Japanese bullhead shark (Heterodontus japonicus)
・Japanese butterfly ray (Gymnura japonica)

Macro diving and Mt. Fuji at Osezaki

Our first available destination is Osezaki which is in the Shizuoka Prefecture. The Osezaki diving spot is from the Osezaki Memorial Lighthouse, which is about a two-hour drive from the center of Tokyo. Since Osezaki is so close, you can choose between a full-day Osezaki diving trip and a two-day Osezaki diving trip.

All the details for your Osezaki diving experience

・Highlights: Diving
・Diving activity: Full day (2 tank dives) / 2 days (4 tank dives)
・Length: Full-day or 2 days
・Travel style: Optional tour with a private guide
・Type of experience: Outdoor activities
・English speaking assistance: Available
・Age requirements: 12+
・Accommodations: Not included for full-day tour / Osekan Hotel or same standard level hotel for the two-day trip
・Meal plans: Lunch only for the full-day tour / Breakfast and dinner included for the two-day trip
・Transportation: Private transfer from Haneda Airport or a hotel in downtown Tokyo included
・Recommended season: All-year-round
・Insurance: Included

A sacred dive spot with a view of Mt. Fuji

There are many reasons to go diving with sharks and other macro marine life near Tokyo, but one of the best reasons to dive in Osezaki is its proximity to Mt. Fuji. Since you can see Mt. Fuji clearly from Osezaki, it is considered one of the most scenic spots for diving in Japan. Being near Mt. Fuji is also why Osezaki is considered a sacred place for diving within the Kanto area.

Osezaki is a beach diving spot which means that you have a variety of underwater terrains. This allows you to see both shallow water and deep-sea water marine life in one convenient location. The calm waters, a wide variety of underwater environments, and an abundance of sea creatures all add to the charm of Osezaki diving. Plus, this unique Izu Peninsula destination is perfect for diving during all four seasons of the year. The biggest attraction for this diving point is that you can see large deep seawater creatures and other macro marine life while still being close to shore.

The beach diving area of Osezaki has many dive shops along the 800-meter stretch, so you'll have plenty of company during your dives. It's a popular destination with both travelers and locals simply because the spot offers up such a diverse diving experience. Here you can enjoy the serenity in the calm inland bay or go all-in by diving in the fast current outside the bay in the open ocean. You can make your experience as peaceful or extreme as you want, making it the ideal excursion for all diving levels.

You'll be diving near the edge of 2500 meter deep Suruga Bay, which is why it's very likely that you'll be lucky enough to see many different types of deep-sea creatures depending on the wind and current situation. The inland bay is basically a sandy, muddy seafloor, making it an ideal environment for the nudibranch to flourish. The tip of the cape is open only on weekends and public holidays but only if you are certified to dive deep. Here you can see many different deepwater creatures, some endemic to Japan. Even the open sea Mola mola sometimes appears during the winter months to its cleaning station.

Discoveries you can make while diving around Osezaki

All year round:
・Variety of nudibranch
・Shrimps and Crabs
・Squid
・Sea Horse
・Macro marine life
・Many types of frogfish
・Yellow pygmy goby (Lubricogobius exiguus )
・Yellow-nose prawn goby (Stonogobiops xanthorhinica)
From April to June:
・Bigfin reef squid (Sepioteuthis lessoniana)
・Sunfish (Mola mola)
During the summer months:
・Variety of sea horse
・School of yellowstriped butterfish (Labracoglossa argentiventtis)
・School of chicken grunt (Parapristipoma trilineatum)
During the autumn season:
・Harlequin ghost pipefish‎ (Solenostomus paradoxes)
・Japanese amberjack (Seriola quinqueradiata)
If you are lucky, you can see a variety of deepwater creatures during the winter months:
・Long-snouted lancetfish (Alepisaurus ferox)
・Angler fish (Lophiomus setigerus)
・Chiroteuthis (Chirothauma)

Book your thrilling underwater adventure with JAL today

There is no better destination to dive with the sharks than Japan. Skip the city lights and head out to the coastline to experience the real raw side of this fascinating country. There's no need to plan everything yourself—book one of our exciting all-inclusive shark diving in Japan experience tours, and we'll take care of it all for you. Discover the varied underwater terrains and marine life encounters unique to Japan. We offer experiences that let new and experienced divers step out of their comfort zone. Whether you want to improve your skills by exploring the sacred waters of Osezaki with a view of Mt. Fuji or want to experience the unrivaled thrill of swimming with sharks, you can do it during a visit to Tokyo. If the thought of shopping in the bustling city of Tokyo doesn't appeal, then an outdoor adventure like these trips may just be what you're looking for.

JAL Vacations offers plenty of diving activity packages, but these shark diving trips are definitely for the wild and adventurous at heart. Book your one-of-a-kind shark diving experience today - there are lots of fun excursions, exciting destinations, and thrilling encounters to be had off the southern coast of Japan.