1. Introduction to Izu Oshima
2. Transportation
3. Accommodation and Dining
4. Dive Service
5. Dive Site
6. Custom arrangement

Izu Oshima is a volcanic island situated 120km south from Tokyo, having a surface area of 91 sq. km, a coast line of 52km long, and approximately 10,000 people living. There is Mt. Mihara in the center of the island, and its highest peak is 764 meter from sea level. However, it is more approriate to say the whole island is a volcanic Mt. Mihara by itself with approximately 1000 meters high from seabed. It has exploded in 1984, but it is stable today.

SCUBA diving in Izu Oshima is somewhat unique from other dive sites. Since the island is about 40km remote from mainland, and partially affected by warm Black Current from Philippine Sea, water is clear and extremely wide variety of marine lives are seen. Despite its lengthy coast around the island, just limited number of beaches are allowed to dive. However, different creatures and different habits are observed at any time of dive even though you dive the same point repetitively. Guided dives by extremely knowledgeable staffs are another great advantage in this island. Since those staffs dive the same place almost everyday, sometimes more than once a day, they know almost every pieces of creatures living in every holes and cracks of rocks. They not only just give you names of those creatures but also brief you how they lives, such as holding and protecting eggs, and how they grows.

Although the island is such a great destination for divers, it is not known enough by foreigners. One of the reasons is only limited information of this island available in English, I believe. Honestly speaking, the island is so domestic that people in the island is not well prepared to accept foreign visitors by language difficulties, limited choice of meals and accommodations. I really hope this page of guide could be a small help for all foreign divers to enjoy SCUBA dive in Izu Oshima.

1.1 Geography

Oshima is an island located about 100km south from Tokyo, and it is the northern end and the largest island among seven of Izu Islands. Toshima, Niijima, Shikine Is., Kozu Is., Miyake Is., Hachijyo Is. are other major islands of Izu Islands.

1.2 Marine environment

The island is surrounded mostly by rocky coast, but sandy beaches are limited. There are no coral reefs along the coast, but some hard corals can be seen in limited places. Warm water current, so called Black Current, from Philippine Sea is flowing off southern end of the island, and partially reaches west coast of the island. This current brings many kinds of  sea lives from tropic ocean, and those are often seen during September to December. However, as water is cooled down by strong cold wind from North in winter season, those tropical creatures die and disappears.

Another current with cold and nutrition rich water is flowing from deep see bottom to surface around the island. Therefore many fishes from small to big are gathering to these area. Huge school of sardines, snappers are often seen, especially during the autumn season. Jack fishes, tunas, sharks and even whales are also found chasing those schools quite often.

1.3 Tips for travelers

Currency and credit cards - Currency exchange is available at Mizuho bank in Motomachi town from 9 am to 3 pm on weekdays. Cash advance is available at ATMs of post offices from 9 am to 5 pm everyday. Credit card payment is accepted at not every place, even not at some major hotels. You are strongly recommended to prepare Japanese Yen cash before arriving the island.

Telephone - Dialing from outside Japan is to specify its country code 81. District code of Oshima is 4992. Three mobile operators, NTT DoCoMo, Vodafone, and au by KDDI, are providing services, but their 3G services are available in limited areas, as of 2005.

Oshima tourism association

phone: +81-4992-2-2177,  fax: +81-4992-2-1933

Home page is in Japanese only.

2.1 Airlines from mainland

ANA, All Nippon Airways is operating daily flights between Haneda Tokyo and Oshima. New Central Air Service is operating commuter flights between Chofu Tokyo and Oshima. Flight time is approximately 30 minutes from both Haneda and Chofu.

Haneda airport is close to central Tokyo, but it takes approximately 90 minutes from Narita airport, where most of international flights arrive. Limousine bus and railways are available by 1,600 - 3,600 YEN.

2.2 Ships from mainland

Tokai Kisen is operating surface service between Tokyo and Oshima. A 3,000 tons passenger vessel leaves Tokyo from Takeshiba Pier at 10pm everyday, and arrives Oshima at 6am in the next morning. Return service departs Oshima at 2:50pm and arrives Tokyo at 7:10pm. It stops at Yokohama on both way in weekends. One-way fee from 4,000 to 12,000 Yen depending on a choice from 4 cabin grades. Reservation is required for all grades in advance. Departure and arrival time and frequency varies by seasons and holidays.

Three 280 tons jet-foils are operating between Tokyo and Oshima within 2 hours during daytime. It also stops at Kurihama port in weekends. The same boat also operates between Atami and Oshima within 45 minutes during daytime. One-way fee is 6,500 Yen from Tokyo, 4,300 Yen from Kurihama, 4,200 Yen from Atami. Reservation is required in advance. Bulky luggages, like roller bags for SCUBA set, are subjects to 1,000 Yen additional charge on board the jet foils, but they may be refused to carry-on during busy seasons. *Time, operating day of week, and fees may vary depending on seasons.

Takeshiba Pier is located in the center of Tokyo Metro, 10 minutes walk from Hamamatsucho station. Another option is 5 minutes ride on Yurikamome mono-rail departing from Shimbashi station.

Atami Port is 10 minutes far from Atami Station by bus or taxi. It takes about 2 hours by local train, or 40 minutes by Shinkansen super-express between Atami and Tokyo. It's an ideal choice if you plan to travel west of Japan, such as Kyoto, Nara, Osaka, Kobe as well.

2.3 Moving around in the island

Bus, taxi, and rental cars are available. However, divers are usually welcomed by a staff of dive services upon arrival at sea port or airport, and following transportations to accommodations are also provided as well.

A range of accommodations are available in the island from B&B to 4 stars amenity.

3.1 Minshuku

The most popular accommodations especially for divers are so called Minshuku style facilities, which is like B&B. Breakfast and dinner are usually included in the fixed price, but choice of menus is not available. Meals are mostly of Japanese cuisine. Bath rooms and toilets are usually shared with other rooms. Some facilities have twin bedrooms, but most of rooms are Japanese futon style on tatami floor for 2 to 4 people. 6,500 - 8,000 Yen per person, including breakfast and dinner. Single occupancy are also accepted, usually in the same price. Credit cards are NOT accepted.

3.2 Hotels

Oshima Onsen Hotel is located on a shoulder of Mt. Mihara, 500 meters elevated from sea level. Hot spring and panoramic observation is available. 12,000 to 15,000 Yen per person in twin occupancy, including breakfast and dinner. CAUTION: Climbing up to this hotel right after diving causes certain risk of decompression sickness.

Other hotels are located in the town of Motomachi and nearby. Hot spring is available at those hotels. Some of them may have twin bedrooms, but many are providing Japanese futon style bedroom for 2 to 4 people. 12,000 to 20,000 Yen per person in twin occupancy, including breakfast and dinner. Major credit cards are accepted, but confirmation is recommended.

3.3 Dining

Breakfast and dinner are usually served at accommodation facility for visitors. There are some Japanese cuisine bars, so called "Izakaya" available in Motomachi town. Many restaurants can be found in lunch time throughout the island. Lunch box can be arranged at dive services for delivery as well.

4.1 Dive services

Several dive services are operating in the island. They provide tanks, weights, and other equipments for rent, air refill, introductory dive, and courses for certificates, including transportation between service and dive site by vans. Divers are welcomed at the arrival port or picked up from lodges or hotels in the morning, check-in at the services reception, and change to wetsuits or drysuits. Certification cards and recent dive logs are usually requested to show when check-in. Changing rooms and hot showers are facilitated at each services. Most of dive sites are within a distance of 10 to 20 minutes drive from each services.

• 2 beach dive package - approximately 9,000 YEN, including tanks and weights
• 2 boat dive package - approximately 15,000 YEN, including tanks and weights
• introductory dive - approximately 12,000 YEN, all inclusive.

4.2 Rental equipments

All equipments except swim wears are offered for rent. If your body is XL, XXL or more, you may be difficult to find well fitting suits and boots, so I would recommend you to consult your dive service in advance for availability. Gauges show in Meters and bars only. Regulators are with ISO attachment, but DIN adaptors are not prepared in usual.

Nitrox is not provided in the island, so far as I know.

If you think to bring your own gears and come to the island by a jet-foil, courier service from Narita airport when your arrival to Japan is recommended, because luggage allowed to board with you is limited by size and weight, but it may take 2-3 days.

• Full equipment rental - approximately 5,000 YEN

4.3 Guided dive

Not only in this island but dives with Japanese dive services are usually guided at any time, that means you are always expected to be within a communication distance from your guide.

5. Dive Site

There are now 6 beaches and some places allowed to dive around the island.

5.1 Akinohama beach

Akinohama must be the most popular dive site in the island. It is located at the northwest coast of the island. There is a series of rocks stretched from the shore just like a pier, and divers can easily enter into and exit from water there. Car parking is available very close to that rock, so that divers do not need to walk long distance.

In addition to such beach side situation, wide variety of sea floors can be dived from shallow to deep, from rocks and walls to sandy seabed. Since this beach directly faces to several hundreds meters depth off shore, marine lives from depth, which are rarely seen by divers, are often seen as well.

5.2 Nodahama beach

Nodahama is probably the most frequently dived beach in the west coast of the island. SCUBA courses for certification are also practiced in this beach as well. When the black current hits the west coast, usually during the summer season, water becomes crystal clear and warm, and visibility sometimes goes up to 30 meters.

5.3 Keikai beach

Keikai is also located in the west coast of the island. Fresh water is dwelling from the bottom in this area, so that water is cooler in summer and warmer in winter than other area to dive.

5.4 Ounohama beach

Ounohama is located in the south of west coast. Sea turtles are often seen in this area.

5.5 Boat dive sites

Recently some dive services started offering boat dives. They explore some places difficult to dive from beach. Those places are located in the south and east coast of the island. Unfortunately, I don't have much information about these areas until now.

Although I'm not a professional travel agent nor a dive service, I'm quite happy to help you arranging your SCUBA travel to Japan, since I have been so many times helped by other divers when I visited many sites world wide. If holiday schedule allows, I will also glad to go diving together upon your request. Do not hesitate to contact me when you are interested in SCUBA dive in Japan, or have a particular plan to travel Japan.

My e-mail contact is pacificb@sea.plala.or.jp

My personal home page is at http://pacificblue.plala.jp/sites/scuba/default.aspx , but it is mostly in Japanese. Underwater pictures and dive logs can be viewed there.