Izu Ōshima · Japan · Reef · Sand slope · Wall · Muck & macro
Akinohama
Endemic Japanese pygmy seahorses off a lava-jetty shore entry
Akinohama is the most popular beach point on Izu Ōshima, on the island's northeast coast. One shore entry opens onto boulder fields, sandy bottoms, slopes, walls and deeper ground, with several routes to choose from. Photo divers from across the Kantō region come for its macro life, and thresher sharks make it a name in summer and autumn.
Also known as Aki no Hama, Aki-no-hama, Spring Beach.
Where it is and how deep
34.7860° N, 139.4087° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Divers step off a natural lava jetty and drop down to a sandy slope at 20 m. From there the site spreads wide across boulder fields, sand, slopes and walls, so routes vary from dive to dive. Endemic species live here: the Japanese pygmy seahorse and the Japanese angelshark, along with crocodilefish.
Deeper dives head out into the 30 m zone, where thresher sharks cruise by in summer and autumn. Divers climb out by a ladder, which makes the exit easy.
Marine life and season
- Pygmy seahorses
- Thresher sharks
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Season follows Izu Ōshima: Hammerhead schools run mid-June to mid-October; winter brings tropical strays and water as clear as Okinawa’s.
Dive videos
Scuba-Diving Trip in Akinohama (Izu-Oshima Island) · norinori55 on YouTube
Night lives underwater · yyasuda528 on YouTube
Questions divers ask
When are thresher sharks seen at Akinohama?+
Thresher sharks turn up from summer into autumn and cruise through the deeper water around 30 m.
Is Akinohama a shore or boat dive?+
It is a shore dive. Divers enter from a natural lava jetty and exit by a ladder, which keeps both ends of the dive simple.
Sources
- Japan: Oshima & Okinawa — X-Ray Mag
- Diving in Tokyo's Izu Islands — PADI
- Fun diving — Yellow Dive
- Aki no Hama — ScubaGo
Similar dives elsewhere
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Nanki-Shirahama & Tanabe · Japan
Harlequin shrimp and boxer crabs on the bottom near 30 m
Reef and sand beside the island named for a sleeping figure
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Akasaki
Kozushima · Japan
Rocky carpet with light coral growth and crabs peering from the nooks
A tropical longfin grouper resident here for over a decade