Just a 90-minute flight from Taiwan, Okinawa, Japan is a resort island blessed with brilliant blue waters, crystal-clear visibility, and thriving marine ecosystems. It also offers a distinctly Japanese tourism atmosphere that sets it apart from nearby destinations like the Philippines and Indonesia — and it's precisely these unique qualities that have made Okinawa a favourite getaway for Taiwanese travellers.
But did you know that Okinawa is also an internationally renowned diving paradise? The main island of Okinawa is dotted with nearly 100 or more dive sites from north to south, ranging from stalactite caves and shark encounters to unique artificial reefs and even high-current advanced sites in the southern area of Itoman. Beyond the main island, the hidden gems of Kerama Islands National Park and Aguni Island await divers from around the world.
In this episode, we invite Ken from 沖繩海潛 to give everyone a comprehensive and in-depth look at diving in Okinawa.
Ken from 沖繩海潛 joins us to share the highs and lows of running a dive shop in Okinawa.
Recommended Diving in Okinawa – Kerama Islands
If you're a certified diver, Ken's top recommendation is to visit Kerama Islands National Park, located to the west of Okinawa's main island. The park boasts extraordinary visibility and rich coral reef ecosystems rivalling those of Green Island and Orchid Island, and it sits within the path of the Kuroshio Current — giving you the chance to witness pelagic species passing through, and even hear whales singing underwater.
The stunning Kerama Blue
Another of Ken's top picks is Aguni Island (あぐにしょとう, Aguni) — a true insider's dive destination. Located at the far western edge of the Kerama Islands, it takes a 2-hour boat ride from the Okinawa main island to reach. On this tiny speck of an island, you might encounter massive baitball tornadoes, GT (giant trevally) — the trophy fish of every angler's dreams — and humphead parrotfish. Dive operators heading out this way are few and far between, so if you're keen to unlock this site, be sure to book well in advance.
Recommended Diving in Okinawa – Okinawa Main Island
The main island of Okinawa is scattered with nearly 100 or more dive sites from north to south. Starting from the northern tip, you can "experience" cave exploration by entering stalactite caverns underwater — an unforgettable experience for any diver who has never dived in a fully enclosed space before.
Moving toward the central part of the island, you can visit the USS Emmons wreck near Kouri Island — a 100m-long American destroyer that was struck by Japanese Zero fighters during World War II. Rather than risk classified military secrets falling into enemy hands, the U.S. Navy chose to scuttle the ship. At a depth of 45m, this is a deep dive that carries a solemn, wartime atmosphere.
Further south toward Manza, the standout site is Dream Hole. Inside the cavern, precise neutral buoyancy control is essential; as you move toward the exit from within, the opening is shaped uncannily like a Pikachu. Once outside, you may also encounter schools of reef sharks patrolling the area.
From Manza, heading further south brings you to Sunabe — the home base of 沖繩海潛 and a relatively safe, beginner-friendly dive site compared to others on the island. In a single dive here, you can take in soft coral, an underwater postbox, dramatic cliff formations, and much more, with very high chances of spotting barracuda and sea turtles.
At the southern tip of the main island, Itoman is a highly advanced dive destination. Not only does the dive shop assess divers before they go in, but the boat operator also conducts a skills evaluation the day before — making it a genuinely challenging and demanding dive environment.
Dive sites stretch the full length of Okinawa's main island, from north to south, waiting for you to explore.
Just How Expensive Is Diving in Okinawa?
On average, a Japanese-run dive shop charges around ¥24,000 for three boat dives in a day, excluding equipment (approximately NT$5,011 at the exchange rate on 2024.5.2). Chinese-language dive operators typically charge around ¥30,000 for three boat dives per day, inclusive of equipment (approximately NT$6,264 at the exchange rate on 2024.5.2).
For a single-tank shore dive, prices generally fall between ¥12,000 and ¥15,000, which includes equipment and insurance — equivalent to approximately NT$2,500 to NT$3,132.
Ken notes that Japan's high labour costs, elevated cost of living, and a range of hidden overheads all push the final price point considerably above what you'd pay in Southeast Asia or even Taiwan. That said, Japan delivers a safe social environment and a comfortable travel experience — a distinctly different kind of overseas diving adventure.
Rules to Know When Diving in Japan
The most important principle when diving in Japan is not to cause inconvenience to others.
Ken, 沖繩海潛
It's well known that Japanese culture places great value on not being a burden to those around you, and that same standard is applied to dive guests. If you're boarding a foreign-operated boat, you may not need to worry too much about these unspoken rules — but if you're on a Japanese-operated vessel, it is essential to respect local customs and etiquette, and avoid being a discourteous guest.
Things like where you stow your gear and how you move on and off the boat all matter. Smoking on deck or playing music too loudly can easily inconvenience others.
When diving in Japan, respect local etiquette and avoid causing inconvenience to others.
"Punctuality" is something the Japanese take very seriously. Beyond simply showing up on time to the meeting point, dive time is an area where guests frequently slip up. In Japan, agreed dive durations are strictly enforced. Even if you still have 100 bar left in your scuba tank / cylinder, when the dive time is up, you are expected to end the dive as agreed.
Unless you've chartered the entire boat, any deviation from this will cause inconvenience to other divers.
The Hidden Costs of Running a Legal Dive Shop
Taxes on Every Front
Running a business in Japan means facing a complex web of taxes: national tax, prefectural tax, municipal tax, local tax, and corporate tax — amounting to roughly 30% of total revenue. Only the remaining 70% flows into the operator's working budget, making the true cost of legal operation immediately apparent.
Qualified Work Status
To work as a dive professional in Japan, you need more than just an internationally recognised dive instructor certification — you must also obtain the Japanese 潛水仕 (Kaigyoshi) qualification, which is a national examination conducted entirely in Japanese. This means that before you can legally work, you'll also need to study hard to bring your Japanese up to examination standard.
Once you hold both certifications, you then face the question of your work visa status. As in many countries, a tourist visa does not permit you to work. You must apply for a Skilled Worker Visa (技能簽證) to legally engage in dive work in Japan — and that application requires documentation of at least three years of relevant work experience in the field from another country.
All of these hurdles silently drive up the operating and staffing costs for anyone looking to establish a legitimate, Chinese-language (or other foreign-language) dive operation in Japan.
Safety is Ken's non-negotiable top priority.
Comprehensive Insurance Coverage
Safety is the non-negotiable top priority — and in Japan, this principle is implemented with remarkable thoroughness. The moment a customer steps into a dive shop, "premises liability insurance" kicks in. When they board the dive vehicle, "commercial vehicle insurance" activates. And when they enter the water, "dive insurance" takes effect. Naturally, every layer of protection represents a real cost.
Ken's background is in promoting international rescue standards, so he is particularly attentive to safety protocols and risk management — and he has embedded that philosophy into every aspect of how 沖繩海潛 operates.
The Choice Between Legal and Illegal — It Comes Down to the Consumer
Ken also shared, with some resignation, that when two shops charge the same price, the legally operating shop with full coverage inevitably incurs unavoidable overheads that simply cannot be eliminated.
Unlicensed operators, however, pay none of these costs — yet still charge customers the same rates. Some even engage in aggressive price-cutting because they have no such expenses to cover. Consumers may feel they've scored a great deal, but in reality they are exposing themselves to risk without even realising it.
The sea of Japan is a free sea — but that freedom is built on whether or not you respect this environment.
Ken, 沖繩海潛
沖繩潛規則 Channel Launches!
Starting 10 May 2024, Ken and his team will begin releasing their brand-new original series「沖繩潛規則」. The show takes a fresh perspective and a new point of view to introduce viewers to Okinawa — following two beginner divers as they progress step by step from their Open Water Diver course, while also sharing fun, interesting, and delicious local Okinawa experiences along the way. Subscribe to the「沖繩潛規則」channel now to stay up to date!
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