Sado Island · Japan · Sand slope · Reef · Night
Mushizaki Benten Beach
Sand ripples, rock formations and summer squid spawning
Mushizaki Benten Beach is a shallow shore dive on Sado with sand and large rock formations, reaching 12 m. Usually calm conditions support trial dives and skills practice, while summer brings spawning bigfin reef squid and schools of horse mackerel.
Also known as Mushizaki Beach, 虫崎 弁天ビーチ, 虫崎.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Sado Island and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
Beach entry gives access to sand dotted with large rock formations. The shallow profile is used for building skills, with macro observation and night diving also possible. In summer, bigfin reef squid spawn here and horse mackerel form schools; sand ripples can be watched during safety stops.
Marine life and season
- Squid
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Sado Island: Late August and September bring the warmest water and best visibility; winter monsoon winds chill the sea to 10°C or below by early spring.
Know before you go
- Waves can be higher during storm surges, even though the beach is usually calm.
Questions divers ask
Is night diving possible at Mushizaki Benten Beach?+
Night diving is available from the beach, with sand and rock formations offering nocturnal marine-life observation.
Sources
- Sado Island dive points — Diving Service Freeway
- 佐渡ダイビングポイント — Diving Service Freeway
More dive sites in Sado Island
Reef
Resident kobudai wrasse, one of them known as Kojiro, that swim up to divers on entry
Reef
A rocky bay used for trial diving and snorkelling
Artificial reef
A Jizo statue beside a path on the seabed
Similar dives elsewhere
Garden eels and sea turtles on a shallow harbour reef
Reef
Sunabe Seawall
Okinawa · Japan
Stair entries onto soft coral, 5 to 20 m, day and night
Cabilao's mandarinfish dive, over rubble at dusk
Coral blocks and open sand to 30 m, worked slowly