Snorkeling in Japan

Snorkeling in Japan

I have been living in Japan since 2013 and normally I am a guide in Tokyo and Kamakura. Because there is no work now during the pandemic, I moved to Okinawa for a while and live out my dream to discover all the amazing snorkeling spots here. Okinawa is Japan’s southernmost prefecture and offers amazing snorkeling opportunities. Let me give you a short introduction on the ins and outs of snorkeling in Japan! Just one of the many reasons to put Japan on your post-pandemic travel bucket list.

Multifaceted Destination Japan

When people think of a vacation to Japan, they often think of temples and other cultural and historical treasures. Beautiful temples with interesting stories are indeed plentiful, but there is so much more to experience in Japan.

In cities like Tokyo you can indulge in fun activities such as VR games, large digital art projects, very special themed cafes, all kinds of subcultures, and much more. Tokiotours also organizes fun walking tours and cycling tours by locals in Tokyo and other cities in Japan. And if you come in the winter, you can also do winter sports here.

But now back to Okinawa. My base is on the Main Island, which is the largest island in the group and has about a million and a half residents. But I’ve taken snorkeling trips to other islands as well such as Iriomote, Ishigaki, Tokashiki (Kerama), and Sesoko. And before I moved here, I snorkeled regularly in the Izu Peninsula and Oshima, which are located closer to Tokyo.

How can you snorkel in Japan?

There are basically two possibilities. The easiest thing to do, especially if you are here as a short-term tourist, is to join a tour. There are several local companies here that offer snorkeling tours. We have used the services of Pink Mermaid in Onna (Okinawa Main Island) and Relax Island in Tokashiki (Kerama Islands) for diving tours, but they also arrange snorkeling tours. The big advantage is that all your equipment is arranged, you are often picked up and brought to the hotel by car, and your safety is taken care of.

The disadvantages are that the service comes at a price, and you are usually only in the water for a maximum of half an hour. Also, you are not allowed to drift too far from your guide. But again, if you are not sure where to go and how to be safe, it is strongly recommended to go on a tour if you want to have the best experience.

You can also go snorkeling on your own. For this you need to know where to go, you need to understand what is safe and what is not, you need to go with at least 2 people, and you need to arrange your own gear. On the other hand, this is free or cheap, and you can stay in the water for as long as you want. If you are planning on going multiple times and are an experienced snorkeler bringing their own gear, this may be the best option for you.

What snorkeling gear do you need?

You can bring your things from home, but it is also possible to buy them in Japan for not too much money. For about 35 USD you have a fine temporary set. You can go to a store like Donkihote, any larger DIY store, or a dive specialist store. I went to a dive specialist store in Chatan called Aqros for some higher quality gear.

Here’s what you need:

*Snorkel and goggles
*Marine shoes (must)
*Life jacket (highly recommended)
*Small amount of soapy water or something alkaline to prevent fogged up goggles
*Wetsuit and/or rashguard (optional)
*Fins (optional)
*Waterproof case for your key and phone (optional)
*Seasickness pills (optional)

Also consider waterproof and coral-proof sunscreen for your face, an elastic band for your hair if you have long hair, and a towel.

Best spots for snorkeling in Japan

It’s good to know that snorkeling and swimming on private beaches that often belong to hotels or other operators is usually very regulated. You are often required to wear a life jacket and stay within a small defined area. Sometimes snorkeling is not even allowed, and then there is almost always a lifeguard who is strict about the rules. So you’re better off going to a public beach to snorkel for a fun experience.

These are my personal favorites to go snorkeling:

The Blue Cave (Okinawa Main Island): look up the flag of the day on this website. Can get crowded on good days but is one of the best spots on the island. Good for freediving.

Maeda Flats (Okinawa Main Island): especially good at high tide and a good alternative for the Blue Cave if the flag is yellow or red.

Gorilla Chop (Okinawa Main Island): only go if it is a windless day, but then it is a wonderful place to see beautiful large pieces of coral

Diamond Beach (Okinawa Main Island): Walk/swim 200 meters into the sea for the best coral, good for freediving

Bisezaki Kaigan (Okinawa Main Island): nice traditional village nearby and good shallow water for snorkeling

Hanari (uninhabited island in front of Tokashiki, Kerama): it takes some time to get here, but this was probably the best spot I have ever snorkeled at in the world. There’s a reef with large areas of white sand in between, a very rich variety of fish, and crystal clear blue water. The dept is also nice, varying between 1 and 12 meters.

Hoshizuna Beach (Iriomote): beautiful clear water, star-shaped sand on the beach, and relatively shallow depths make this a very nice snorkeling destination on Iriomote island.

Toushiki Beach (Oshima, Tokyo): there’s a small area here that is protected from the waves by rocks where you can snorkel safely in clear water.

Hirizo Beach (Izu Peninsula): the best place to snorkel that you can reach by train from Tokyo. The water is clear, the bottom mainly consists of larger round stones which helps water clarity even more, and there are fish that are very similar to those in Okinawa.

Safety Precautions

When you go snorkeling on your own, it is very important to know what to look for in terms of safety. What points should you pay attention to?

The weather: never go snorkeling during a thunderstorm or just before/during/right after a typhoon. Also when it is windy it is a less suitable day to go snorkeling, you often see less because the sand reduces the visibility under water.

Look at the waves: high waves mean that surfers are happy but snorkelers are not. You also get seasick quickly with higher waves.

Beware of rip currents: these are strong currents that pull you away from the beach. Often you can see them from the beach, if you see two waves going ‘askew’ then there is often a rip current. This can also happen in shallow water and create unsafe situations. It often happens when the tide is going out. If this happens, let the current take you because you can’t swim against it anyway, and swim out horizontally and then back to the beach.

Always go with someone else so they can call for help if something happens

Wear a life jacket

Beware of dangerous animals such as jellyfish, sea urchins, aggressive titan trigger fish, stone fish, and lion fish. In general, it is better to leave fish to go about their business and not touch them.

Also be aware of low and high tide. In many places, snorkeling is not as relaxed when the tide is out because it is too shallow and you are scraping over the coral. The tide going out also means that it is easier to be pulled out to the deep sea. Websites like Surf Tide can help you with timing your visit.

And above all, don’t forget to enjoy all the beauty that you can see under the sea! The colorful tropical fish and chance to spot exciting sea life such as turtles, cuttlefish, octopus, and even small sharks make snorkeling such a fun and exciting activity.