Though the bright lights of Japan’s cities may draw most travellers, the country’s natural beauty spreads far from its cosmopolitan centres, diffusing into remote islands and trailing archipelagos. And it’s in Japan’s southern reaches that water-lovers will find three of its most spectacular and secluded spots. The Ogasawara Islands stand alone in the roiling Pacific Ocean 620 miles south of central Tokyo, while Yakushima and Okinawa, part of Japan’s southwestern archipelago, straddle the Pacific and East China Sea. Though small, these islands are rich in heritage and history, with secluded rural communities and unique natural surroundings. Their landscapes, characterised by dramatic mountains and dense, dripping forests hiding endemic wildlife, often overshadow their subtropical seas, which swish and crackle with life. Head to these three distinctive destinations to dive in tunnels and caves, and encounter migrating cetaceans, nesting sea turtles and more.
The Ogasawara Islands
The Ogasawara Islands are a surprising green splash in an impenetrable flood of Pacific blue. Their isolation has produced an unsullied ecosystem of rare fauna and flora, earning UNESCO World Heritage status in 2011 thanks to the evidence it provides of the process of evolution. Volcanic and visually captivating, the islands’ spectacular forests, peaks and beaches descend into reef-rich seas.
Though there are many tropical fish such as spectacular wrought-iron butterflyfish, Ogasawara’s stars are pelagic and cetacean species, which can be spotted at many dive sites peppered across the islands. Spot sand-tiger sharks at Shikahama, rays at sandy Nishijima Oiwa, or mantas and hammerheads at Takoiwa Rock. Yome Island is home to Tuna Cave, accessible in summer, where turtles and dogtooth tuna dwell, while spinner and bottlenose dolphins whip above and below the waves at nearby Jack Point.
Between February and April, migrating humpback whales join the surf, while resident sperm whales are best spotted through August and September. With its strong currents and wartime shipwrecks, Ogasawara is a paradise for experts — and it has plenty of easier dives, too. Diving can be done year-round, but summer is the best season for the activity in terms of accessibility. Winter and spring are the best seasons for a chance to see whales, while the sea is clear and warm autumn, ripe for dolphin-spotting opportunities.
Getting to Ogasawara requires slow travel. The 24-hour Ogasawara-maru ferry journeys from Tokyo Takeshiba to Chichijima weekly, or every three to four days in summer. Of Ogasawara’s more than 30 islands, just two are inhabited — for a relaxing stay on the main island, Chichijima, opt for alluring eco-resort Heart Rock Village, or the quaint Papa’s Island Resort.
Yakushima
Sitting off the very southwestern edge of mainland Japan, Yakushima is renowned for its forests awash with ancient cedars, moss and folktales. One of the country’s first UNESCO World Heritage inscriptions in 1993, Yakushima charms visitors with its peaceful coastal villages and unparalleled trekking. However, the island is also something of a local secret when it comes to diving, with the Kuroshio current bringing warm, clear waters, which have a great variety of sea life. Its waters are home to flying fish (which is also found on many menus), as well as loggerhead and green turtles laying eggs during summer.
Though the south holds some caves, the best dive sites are on the northwest coast at Isso and Nagata, where there’s a shallow coral reef for beginners to explore and fascinating sites to pique the attention of intermediates. Divers can see the wreck of a Japanese wartime Zero fighter plane — only its propeller blade emerges from the white sand, where corals have bedded in, bringing morays and busy schools of fish. Omiyamae hosts a wealth of turtles, hammerheads, sailfish and macro nudibranchs, while Otsuse’s sea fans hide the incredible pygmy seahorse. Diving can be done year-round, though waters cool off in winter.
To get there, visitors can take a four-hour ferry or speedier jetfoil (just under two hours) from Kagoshima, or fly from Kagoshima, Fukuoka or Osaka. Once on the island, it’s best to hire a car — and be sure to book early. Yakushima offers plush resorts like Sankara, as well as traditional, locally run guesthouses such as Yakusugirou Shichifuku.
Okinawa
Roughly 900 miles from Tokyo city centre, spindly Okinawa Honto (the main island of Okinawa) combines modernity and indigenous island traditions. In 2021, its wild northern region Yanbaru was added to the UNESCO World Heritage list, alongside three southwestern island areas: Amami Oshima, Tokunoshima and Iriomote. Although Yanbaru earned its inscription for its endemic creatures like the Okinawa rail and spiny rat, the area is also known for deep forests, sacred spaces and an incredible coastline.
The warm Kuroshio current creates life-rich reefs and allows for year-round diving, with some excellent sites for intermediate and expert divers. At Cape Hedo — the island’s northern tip — deep water and hefty currents nurture diverse marine life like giant corals, barracudas, rays, turtles, pygmy seahorses and lionfish. These churning waters have also sculpted chasms, arches and the notorious Hedo Dome — a great cliff cave only accessed underwater. A challenging dive, Hedo Dome includes impressive stalactites, chambers and tunnel networks. To Yanbaru’s southwest lies the 348ft-long USS Emmons shipwreck; the ship sank in 1945 and went undiscovered until 2001. This wreck dive is advanced, with strong currents and depths of 131ft.
The rest of Okinawa and its UNESCO World Heritage colleagues also offer amazing dives. Migrating humpbacks stalk islands like Tokunoshima from January to April; a must-see for macro-enthusiasts, Amami Oshima is a sea slug paradise, which is also home to white-spotted pufferfish and rainbow wrasse; while pelagic fish such as giant trevally, barracudas and dogtooth tuna dwell in the waters around southern Iriomote.
To reach Yanbaru, fly to Okinawa’s Naha Airport and hire a car. Stay at Treeful Treehouse Sustainable Resort, which offers a selection of luxury treehouses built into the forest. Relax by the sea at Okuma Private Beach & Resort, or in the lush surroundings of Yanbaru Hotel‘s private villas, located within Kunigami village.
This paid content article was created for World Natural Heritage in Japan. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic Traveller (UK) or their editorial staffs.
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