Dive Sites
Map
The are over 50 dive sites around Hachijō Island and the neighbouring Hachijō-Kojima, including shore-diving and boat-diving sites.
As a rule of thumb, sites on the west-side of the island will be protected when conditions are rough on the east-side, and vice-versa, but conditions can vary greatly.
Shore entry dive sites are more affected than boat-diving sites, and a famous shore-diving site like Nazumado is accessible less than 100 days per season.
Here are some of Hachijō’s main dive sites:
Some Major Dive Sites
SOKODO BAY
Sokodo is a shallow and protected artificial bay, located next to the main harbour, on the Hachijō Island’s east side
It is also one of the island’s main swimming / snorkelling areas due to its small black sand beach, and will be quite lively with families during summer holidays.
As a protected area, Sokodo is a easy dive site (though currents can still be strong in areas leading out of the bay, and there can be swell and surge on certain days) with a beautiful shallow hard coral reef, at a depth of 3-metres on average.
Other areas, on the right-side of the bay, are slightly deeper going to a maximum depth of 18 metres, and offer a good mix of sandy areas, volcanic topography and coral-sporting concrete tetrapods and concrete blocks.
There are 2 main entry options, the beach, which will involve a long swim to get out to the main coral reef, or a set of stairs located at the end of the jetty, roughly 100m away from the car-park, which can be quite a treck for kitted-up divers walking with their equipment in the summer heat!
The dive site’s main highlights are the coral reef of primarily hard table coral and some soft coral, which started colonising the shallow bay after it was artificially created a few years back.
It is one of the rare examples where human intervention actually helped, albeit unintentionally create a habitat favorable to coral (though there are concerns linked to the ongoing construction work in the neighbouring harbour, and the impact of the copious amount of non-reef safe sunscreen worm by bathers and snorkellers in high-season, which all add to the stress of rising water temperatures).
Sokodo is also famous for its healthy population of green turtles which hang-out and feed on the reef.
https://youtu.be/Vc4f0ltiHfc
Another Sokodo highlight is the site’s triple arch, a large structure of volcanic rock with canyons and overhangs reaching up to the surface, which is home to many reef fish.
There is good macro to be found, especially in the more mucky section near the jetty and stairs or in the concrete structures near the arch, with interesting nudibranchs and bubble-snails, shrimps and the odd frogfish.
The site is protected, but not fully closed off, meaning there can be current on certain (rare) days, along with certain interesting visitors such as schools of island trevallies or amberjacks…
YAENE / KYU-YAENE
The Yaene dive site, or by its full-name Kyu Yaene (former/old-Yaene), is actually one of Ōkago’s former fishing port, the use of which was granted to scuba-divers after a bigger port facility was built nearby.
Located on the west coast of the island, the site’s layout means it is quite sheltered, with generally less surge and waves than other sites, but even there, sea conditions can vary greatly. Maximum depth is around 20m in the deeper sections.
Starting in the former fishing port itself, the shore entry is primarily through a boat ramp, moving backwards while holding on to a rope, or, if the tide is high enough, by a giant stride entry from the left-side pier.
The shallow part of the dive site is enclosed by the concrete piers and wave-breaking concrete structures of the former fishing port, with an algae covered sandy bottom from roughly 5 to 10 metres, along with volcanic boulders, some with nice hard coral formations on them, and lots of mucky critters.
Heading out left into the site’s more open area, concrete gives way to large volcanic rock structures, with numerous boulders and also a beautiful arch at roughly 18 m, featuring nice fan corals, and schools of butterflyfish, damselfish and soldierfish.
Beyond the arch, to the left, is a slightly deeper, crater-like rock structure with numerous overhangs, nooks and crannies, at roughly 20m. There is a underwater spring in the area, which lowers water temperature and increases visibility.
Near the boulders, you’ll also find large anemones home to clowfish, angelfish and damselfish, and many juveniles.
You cannot go too far out towards the open sea beyond this section, as it connects the new fishing port’s busy boat lane.
https://youtu.be/YitkcqIjWcIhttps://youtu.be/LCga9ao0pQI
The boulders and arch area is famous for its nudibranchs and critters, which include some rare specimens.
In the shallows, you’ll find octopuses, nudibranchs and critters like fireworms and shrimps, along a small resident school of obtuse barracuda near the tetrapods, along with the odd amberjack coming to hunt smaller fish.
Green turtles are also very common, both in the shallows and in the boulder area.
IDESARI (GA HANA)
Idesari is one of Hachijō’s famous boat diving sites.
Located less than 10 minutes away from the Kaminato port on the east side of the island, it is one of a series of dive sites on located close to the coast, offering a remarkably dynamic volcanic topography.
Idesari’s main highlight is its spectacular volcanic rock arches, which are all full of life, from reef-fish to small critters, including plenty of rare nudibranchs.
Maximum depth is 25m-30m on average, with plenty to see around 20m and above, with fields of anemones and seagrass, along with hard coral formation in some shallower section of the arches.
The site can be quite exposed, which means current and swell on certain days, but also the chance of seeing bigger fish such a the odd tuna or skipjack.
A large school of batfish is also often spotted in the area in season.
https://youtu.be/KQI9b8Y4ozM
NAZUMADO
Nazumado is one of Hachijō’s most popular dive sites. It can be dived by boat, but is primarily a shore diving site, located on the west side of the island.
It faces the smaller island of Hachijō Kojima, and the strait formed by the two islands is swept by powerful currents, and can be rocked by powerful swells.
After driving down a steep slope leading down to the car park, divers find themselves in a slightly sheltered bay with great views on Hachijō Kojima island, where tide pools of black volcanic rock surround an old boat ramp.
As a shore diving site, entries can be quite challenging when conditions are choppy, as reaching the water means moving backwards down the slippery boat ramp while holding on to a rope.
Because of its location and exposure, Nazumado can be dived safely less than a hundred days per year, though some operators push the envelope and take the risk of diving in rough conditions.
Hopping off the slope, the dive site starts with a rather shallow and protected area, leading to a large rocky ledge called Umanone, with an arch in the middle.
Swimming under the arch at a depth of 15 or so meters takes you to the deeper, and more exposed part of the dive site, a series of ridges pointing towards the open sea.
Current will determine whether divers are able reach the end of the last ridge, turning around it at 25 meters to start heading back towards the shallows.
On some days, the current is just too strong, and it is best to turn back early, especially since you need to make it back to the ramp. Conditions can also change dramatically during a dive.
The topography is fantastic, and so is the marine life.
Large schools of reef fish swim by, especially on currenty days, and since the site is quite exposed, there is a good chance of seeing bigger fish such as amberjacks, tunas or trevallies.
Scalloped hammerhead sharks and thresher sharks are also sometimes seen on early morning dives, especially between the months of May and July.
The rocky ridges of volcanic rock are full of cracks and crevices, with patches of hard and soft coral, and there are plenty of critters to be found, including nudibranchs, of course, but also endemic moray eels, octopuses, shrimps and more.
One of the stars of the dive site is the elusive Japanese Pigmy Seahorse (Hippocampus japapigu), which lives on certain rocks at around 10-metre depth.
Green turtles are also very common, especially in the shallows.
Because of its specific entry procedure, and exposure, which can lead to rapid changes of current strength and directions during the dive, Nazumado is generally considered an advanced dive site, and is often listed as one of the top 5 dive sites in Japan.
NAKA NO MAMA
Located on Hachijō’s north-western coast, near Nazumado, Naka No Mama is one of the island’s well-known boat-diving sites.
It features a sloping profile, with a series of volcanic rock formations pointing out to the open sea, that are often swept with current and offer a great variety of schooling fish.
https://youtu.be/HKb-Nj3OHyE
Another highlight of the area is its vast field of Pacific Spaghetti Eels (Gorgasia japonica), a type of garden eel, offering an eerie spectacle, with the eels long and thin bodies undulating in unison at 25m+ depth…
This dive site is exposed to currents, which increases the chance of seeing bigger fish, such as roaming schools of island trevallies for instance.
Note on Hachijō’s Shore Entry/Exit Procedures
Some of Hachijō island’s shore diving entries and exits are a somewhat special, and can even be quite challenging under certain conditions – most are done from former boating ramps, and require walking backwards with equipment and fins on, while holding on to a rope, often with a little surge, and it can get quite slippery…
Furthermore, somes sites such as Sokodo involve a 100m /330ft walk from the parking lot to the entry point, while wearing one’s equipment. Fins are put on before descending a small flight of stairs.
We’re currently working on a video presenting the island’s specific entry/exit techniques and what to expect for sites like Nazumado, Yaene and Sokodo…
Hachijō Island and the Kuroshio
Due to its geographical position, all Hachijō Island dive sites are directly affected by the Kuroshio Warm Water current. Click here to know more
Image source: NASA https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/10841