Diving with hammerhead sharks in Mikomoto Island, Japan
Mikomoto is a name that immediately captures the imagination of many experienced divers. This remote dive site, off the coast of Japan, is known worldwide as the place to see large schools of hammerhead sharks. Not an easy dive, but one that is high on the bucket list of adventurous divers.
In this blog we take you to Mikomoto: what makes this dive site so special, what to expect underwater and for whom these dives are suitable.
About Mikomoto Island
Mikomoto lies off the coast of Japan, about 20 minutes by boat from the Izu Peninsula. The island itself is uninhabited and quite small, but the underwater environment is spectacular. Around the island, a steep underwater mountain slopes down to great depths, which, along with the rich currents, provides perfect habitat for hammerhead sharks and other big game.
What makes Mikomoto unique is the huge concentration of scalloped hammerhead sharks that congregate here seasonally. During good conditions, you will see not one or two specimens here, but sometimes hundreds of hammerhead sharks at once, migrating in long formations along the current.
Although hammerhead sharks are present in the region year-round, large schools are most likely to occur from June through October, peaking in July and August.
The highlight is undoubtedly the moment when the first hammerhead sharks appear out of the blue. Often you see them first in the distance, as shadows that slowly take shape. With some luck, they come closer and pull complete schools past you.
In addition to hammerhead sharks, you can encounter other pelagic species at Mikomoto, including silky sharks, gray reef sharks, tunas and other hunting predatory fish, and large schools of barracuda. The reef itself is less colorful than tropical dive sites; Mikomoto is mostly about big game and adrenaline.
Diving in Mikomoto
- Visibility: 15-25 meters (depending on current and seasonal influence)
- Water temperature: 18-27°C (cooler in winter, warmer in summer)
- Best period: June through October (peak hammerhead sharks)
- For whom: advanced divers with experience in drift diving and deeper dives; adventure divers and underwater photographers
Diving conditions
Diving at Mikomoto is not for beginners. Strong currents, deep water and often limited visibility make this dive demanding. Dives are usually conducted as drift dives, where timing and teamwork are essential.
Key features:
- Depths often between 25 and 40 meters
- Regular strong current
- Fast descents and ascents
- Accurate briefing and strict procedures
- Experience in deep and drift diving is a must.
