What to do and see in Kunigami-gun, Okinawa Prefecture: The Best Reefs

The American sunken naval vessel, USS Emmons, found north of Kourijima, which is located north of Okinawa main island, makes up the diving spot of this area. The vessel was found and reported by local divers in February 2001. This location has the potential to become one of the best diving spots in the world.

The Manza Dream Hole is one of Okinawa main island’s most famous cave diving spots. As you drop vertically down 25 meters into a pitch black hole and emerge from a horizontal cave passage, you will see a large school of sweepers crowding around the exit glowing in a beautiful blue. Even in the darkness, you can still see various creatures such as the soldierfish and noble file clams.

This is a popular spot located on the western side of Sesoko island. Many complex crevasses run across the ground. In the crevasses, you can find several types of fish such as the Ryukyu sweeper and soldierfish. You can also savor the magical and dazzling scenery when sun rays stream in.

Minnajima is a small island located offshore Motobu Peninsula, stretching 1.5 kilometers northwest in the shape of a crescent moon. From the skies, it looks like a croissant, and hence it’s also referred to as Croissant Island. This area has an abundance of nature that remains untouched, with submarine cable laid out beneath the seabed made up of pure white sand.

Touaka is located between the main island of Okinawa and Sesoko island. Its name is derived from the Japanese name of saddleback clownfish, which can be spotted near the buoy. In the south is a large fish reef where several types of underwater creatures live. Due to the sandy seabed, many types of gobies can be observed. Where you have to go 30 meters deep to catch the white-ray and black-ray.

The highlight of this area is the multiple caves and tunnels that create the complex and dynamic underseascape. At Ohoba, a.k.a. Crevasse, there is a 15-meter long vertical tunnel on a rocky surface 4-meter deep that offers the world’s best bluish glow of the sea. Appearing from the other side of the tunnel, you can see elegant firefish, schools of double-lined fusilier, and pearl-spot chromis.

An emblematic diving site of Iejima. Bommies that tower at 30 meters under sea level remind one of the Grand Canyon. Emerging from among the bommies you can see fan corals growing within two arches. Apart from the amazingly dynamic underseascape, you can also encounter a wide variety of fish. However, it is necessary to be cautious as there are also blind shells of the U.S. Navy etched.