Amakusa is a chain of islands off the west coast of Kumamoto in Kyushu, and its southern tip at Ushibuka is the boat-diving base, with every site a short run out of the fishing port. The diving mixes rock, soft coral and patches of table coral: sea caves at Shishibue-misaki, dense soft coral at Takinoshita, plus beach sites on the west coast such as Myokenura and the macro ground at Shirato. Nudibranchs are the constant, with a variety among the best in Kyushu.
About diving in Amakusa
Boat diving leaves from Satsuki fishing port at the southern tip of Amakusa, and the boat sites lie within 20 minutes of the harbour. A local dive service holds the Ushibuka fishing cooperative's leave to dive anywhere in its waters, and the guide picks the site on the day to suit the request, the group and the wind and swell. Beach diving fills the rest of the map, from the Ushibuka shore to the open west coast around Myokenura.
Underwater this is rock, soft coral and patches of table coral. Shallow ground holds table corals and swarms of small fish; past 15 m, rocky slopes carry nudibranchs. One reef carries giant soft corals and dense anemone beds in the shallows. At 20 m schools of grunts and snappers gather, with a chance of amberjack and yellowtail passing. Seahorses sit in two to three metres of water all year at one beach site, and lumpsuckers reach their southernmost Japanese home here.
Macro photographers and divers who like caves get the most from Amakusa. The current at Shishibue-misaki and Oko-se is strong enough that those sites are dived at slack water or kept for advanced divers. Some shore sites are hard work: the Ushibuka Marine Park beach entry means carrying gear up and down a climb of about seventy metres from the car park, and one awkward entry is busy with long-spined urchins and often has some current.
Best time to dive Amakusa
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Good | Fair |
Diving runs all year. Winter is drysuit season from November through March, and the strong north winds of winter and spring push dives to sheltered sites; the water bottoms out near 15 °C, and it is also when lumpsuckers appear. May opens the summer season, with bigfin reef squid laying eggs and moon jellyfish massing. July is a spawning month for corals and many reef fish. Summer and typhoon swell close the exposed spots on rough days. October is cave season, with more shrimp and crabs and autumn drifters in the water.
Dive types & marine life
Nudibranchs and seahorses are present all year. Lumpsuckers show from December until early May, most often on night dives.
- Reef
- Coral garden
- Cave & cavern
- Muck & macro
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
- Reef fish swarms
- Trevally & jacks
- Squid
Best dive sites in Amakusa
- 1
Shishibue-misaki
Sea cave and rock cave with schools of sweepers; strong current, for advanced divers.
- 2
Ushibuka Marine Park
Channel between Shimosu and Tsukinoshima islands, one of Japan's first designated marine parks.
- 3
South End
The top wide-angle boat site, with nudibranchs on its deeper ground.
- 4
Takinoshita
Dense soft coral with several giant cup-shaped Turbinaria colonies.
- 5
Shirato
Kumamoto's leading super-macro site and a mainstay shore dive.
- 6
Coral Garden
Beach site off Ushibuka with many coral species and the most coral of any Amakusa shore dive.
- 7
Gakeshita
A mainstay boat site and the closest to Satsuki fishing port.
Site guides
Muck & macro
Seahorses in 2 to 3 m of water, all year
How to get to Amakusa
Amakusa Airfield has daily Amakusa Airlines flights from Fukuoka. By rail, the Shinkansen reaches Kumamoto 50 minutes from Hakata, and the Misumi Line takes another 50 minutes to Misumi station, where divers are collected.
Questions divers ask
What experience do Amakusa boat dives need?+
Boat dives need at least ten logged dives, and night dives need an Advanced or night-diving card. Shishibue-misaki is kept for advanced divers because of its current.
Where do divers find lumpsuckers in Amakusa?+
At Shirato, a shallow beach site, from December until early May and mostly on night dives.
Is a drysuit needed in Amakusa?+
From November through March the shops dive in drysuits, with the water near 15 °C at its coldest.
Are there caves to dive in Amakusa?+
Yes. Shishibue-misaki has a sea cave and a rock cave, and at Myokenura a sea cave through Zou-san rock can be swum underwater. October is the cave season.
Sources
- 天草ボートダイブ情報 - 天草よかよかダイビング — Kumamoto Diving Service Yokayoka
- 天草ビーチダイブ情報 - 天草よかよかダイビング — Kumamoto Diving Service Yokayoka
- 天草よかよかダイビング — Kumamoto Diving Service Yokayoka
- ファンダイビング | ブルーアース21 熊本 — Blue Earth 21 Kumamoto
- Ushibuka Average Sea Temperatures | Japan — seatemperature.org
- Amakusa - Wikivoyage — Wikivoyage
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