{"id":2443,"date":"2021-04-24T13:07:16","date_gmt":"2021-04-24T06:07:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bluejapan.org\/fr\/?page_id=2443"},"modified":"2021-05-31T13:43:35","modified_gmt":"2021-05-31T06:43:35","slug":"kanto","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bluejapan.org\/fr\/kanto\/","title":{"rendered":"Kant\u014d Region"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"2443\" class=\"elementor elementor-2443\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5131a13e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5131a13e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-1053ca7a\" data-id=\"1053ca7a\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3d99e122 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"3d99e122\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">KANT\u014c <\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-1ebd514 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1ebd514\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-0594687\" data-id=\"0594687\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f947cc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2f947cc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Kant\u014d region, on the main island of Honsh\u016b, is Japan\u2019s most populated area, due to the <strong>sprawling T\u014dky\u014d Metropolis<\/strong>, and yet this section of Pacific coastline offers amazing diving, with the chance to see both <strong>world-class macro<\/strong>, but also <strong>schooling hammerheads, dolphins <\/strong>and more.<\/p><p>Just make sure to <strong>avoid Japanese holidays and weekends as much as possible<\/strong> to stay away from crowds and queues, especially on dive sites easily accessible from T\u014dky\u014d, which can get very busy.<\/p><p>The Kant\u014d region can be divided into <strong>two main diving areas:<\/strong><\/p><ul><li>the <strong>Pacific coast area<\/strong> of <strong>main island of Honsh\u016b<\/strong> and the neighbouring islands<\/li><li>The more<strong> remote islands of the Nanp\u014d<\/strong> <strong>archipelago, <\/strong>spreading south of the Izu Peninsula.<\/li><\/ul><p>Kant\u014d\u2019s<strong> T\u014dky\u014d Metropolis administers all the Nanp\u014d islands<\/strong> (primarily the Izu and Ogasawara\/Bonin island chains), which <strong>stretch over<\/strong> <strong>1000 km to the south<\/strong> of the Honsh\u016b&#8217;s mainland into the Philippine Sea, offering increasingly subtropical conditions as you go further south.<br \/>The Nanp\u014d islands offer a <strong>unique environment,<\/strong> unlike what you would find elsewhere in Japan due to the island chain\u2019s geographical position, with stunning <strong>volcanic topography<\/strong> and many <strong>endemic species<\/strong> that developed there, in relative isolation.<\/p><p>The Nanp\u014d archipelago starts, off the coast of the Izu Peninsula, with the<strong> 7 main Izu Islands<\/strong>, that offer great diving (and famous sites such as Nazumado, Akinohama, and Keikai) and are reachable by ferry or plane (Izu \u014cshima and Hachij\u014d-jima have airports), and continues down south, with generally warm water and increasingly subtropical conditions, all the way to the <strong>Ogasawara\/Bonin Islands,<\/strong> reachable only by a <strong>26 hour+ ferry ride<\/strong> <strong>from T\u014dky\u014d<\/strong> (no airport&#8230;)<\/p><p>The <strong>Ogasawara islands<\/strong> are sometimes nicknamed the \u201c<strong><em>Galapagos of Japan\/the Orient<\/em><\/strong>\u201d, which might be pushing it a little, yet the logic behind this nickname is that these islands, like the Galapagos, were never actually connected to any continental landmass, meaning that their animal, plant and marine life all evolved independently, resulting in a large number of endemic species. <br \/>As a side note, Iriomote Island (Yaeyama Islands, Okinawa Pref.), is also sometimes nicknamed the <em>Japanese Galapagos<\/em>, because it is still a rather wild area, so do take such alluring nicknames with a pinch of salt\u2026<\/p><p>In our opinion, the<strong> Izu islands<\/strong> do however share many common features with the equally volcanic and isolated <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Macaronesia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Macaronesian<\/a> archipelago (made up of the Azores, Madeira, Canary and Cape Verde Islands and mainly administered by Portugal and Spain), which are also great diving destinations found off the coast of West Africa, in the Atlantic Ocean \u2013<br \/>the \u201c<strong><em>Azores of Japan\u201d<\/em><\/strong><em>\u00ae<\/em>, anyone? \ud83d\ude09 You read it here first!<\/p><p>The islands of the Nanp\u014d chain offer great diving and topography, endemic species (like Hachij\u014d-jima and Ogasawara\u2019s emblematic <em>Y\u016bzen\/<\/em>wrought-iron butterflyfish (<em>Chaetodon daedalma<\/em>) and complex conditions linked to the area&#8217;s exposure to warm and cold water currents.<br \/>The whole Kant\u014d area, including the Izu islands, is <strong>strongly affected by the Kuroshio<\/strong> warm current, and features <strong>strong seasonal changes<\/strong> in water temperatures and species.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-804de8e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"804de8e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-864af5b\" data-id=\"864af5b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-971eece elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"971eece\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">MAIN DIVING AREAS MENTIONED\n<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-f62ece0 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"f62ece0\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-e1e4804\" data-id=\"e1e4804\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e88980c elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"e88980c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8f21c56 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"8f21c56\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Pacific Coast of Honsh\u016b <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-03399d5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"03399d5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li><strong>T\u014dky\u014d Bay<\/strong> (T\u014dky\u014d Metropolis)<br \/><br \/><\/li><li><strong>Kanagawa Prefecture<br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Chiba Prefecture<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-28a988f\" data-id=\"28a988f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-c946a5c\" data-id=\"c946a5c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-194a4d8 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"194a4d8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9bedc65 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9bedc65\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Nanp\u014d Archipelago <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a95fa0e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a95fa0e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul><li><strong>Izu Islands <\/strong>(T\u014dky\u014d Metropolis)<strong><br \/>&#8211; <\/strong>Izu \u014cshima<br \/>&#8211; Shikine-jima<br \/>&#8211; K\u014dzu-shima<br \/>&#8211; Miyake and Mikura-jima<strong><br \/>&#8211; <\/strong>Hachij\u014d-jima<\/li><li><strong>Ogasawara\/Bonin Islands <\/strong>(T\u014dky\u014d Metropolis)<strong><br \/>&#8211; <\/strong>Chichi-jima<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d6424a2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"d6424a2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d10ec0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-google_maps\" data-id=\"2d10ec0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"google_maps.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-custom-embed\">\n\t\t\t<iframe loading=\"lazy\"\n\t\t\t\t\tsrc=\"https:\/\/maps.google.com\/maps?q=kanto&#038;t=m&#038;z=8&#038;output=embed&#038;iwloc=near\"\n\t\t\t\t\ttitle=\"kanto\"\n\t\t\t\t\taria-label=\"kanto\"\n\t\t\t><\/iframe>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7551fba elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"7551fba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e0fff6a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"e0fff6a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\nDIVING HIGHLIGHTS AND ICONIC MARINE LIFE\n\n<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-31ad8af elementor-widget__width-initial premium-type-column elementor-widget elementor-widget-premium-icon-list\" data-id=\"31ad8af\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;premium_icon_list_animation&quot;:&quot;none&quot;,&quot;rbadges_repeater&quot;:[]}\" data-widget_type=\"premium-icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"premium-bullet-list-box\" data-list-animation=\"none animated-\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"premium-bullet-list-content elementor-repeater-item-a74c3ab premium-bullet-list-content-grow-effect\" data-delay=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-drawable-icon\"><i class=\"premium-svg-nodraw fas fa-arrow-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"premium-bullet-text\" data-text=\"Coral reefs, blue waters and visibility\"> Coral reefs, blue waters and visibility <\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"premium-bullet-list-link\" aria-label=\"Coral reefs, blue waters and visibility\" href=\"#coralreefbluewater\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Coral reefs, blue waters and visibility<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"premium-bullet-list-content elementor-repeater-item-16696cf premium-bullet-list-content-grow-effect\" data-delay=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-drawable-icon\"><i class=\"premium-svg-nodraw fas fa-arrow-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"premium-bullet-text\" data-text=\"Wrecks\"> Wrecks <\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"premium-bullet-list-link\" aria-label=\"Wrecks\" href=\"#wreckdiving\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Wrecks<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"premium-bullet-list-content elementor-repeater-item-a600f3b premium-bullet-list-content-grow-effect\" data-delay=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-drawable-icon\"><i class=\"premium-svg-nodraw fas fa-arrow-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"premium-bullet-text\" data-text=\"Iconic species\"> Iconic species <\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"premium-bullet-list-link\" aria-label=\"Iconic species\" href=\"#iconickanto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Iconic species<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"premium-bullet-list-content elementor-repeater-item-528e63c premium-bullet-list-content-grow-effect\" data-delay=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-drawable-icon\"><i class=\"premium-svg-nodraw fas fa-arrow-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"premium-bullet-text\" data-text=\"Macro diving, odd and rare critters\"> Macro diving, odd and rare critters <\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"premium-bullet-list-link\" aria-label=\"Macro diving, odd and rare critters\" href=\"#cmacrooddrare\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Macro diving, odd and rare critters<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"premium-bullet-list-content elementor-repeater-item-791f143 premium-bullet-list-content-grow-effect\" data-delay=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-drawable-icon\"><i class=\"premium-svg-nodraw fas fa-arrow-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"premium-bullet-text\" data-text=\"Schooling hammerhead sharks\"> Schooling hammerhead sharks <\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"premium-bullet-list-link\" aria-label=\"Schooling hammerhead sharks\" href=\"#shs\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Schooling hammerhead sharks<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"premium-bullet-list-content elementor-repeater-item-f906f52 premium-bullet-list-content-grow-effect\" data-delay=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-drawable-icon\"><i class=\"premium-svg-nodraw fas fa-arrow-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"premium-bullet-text\" data-text=\"Dolphins\"> Dolphins <\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"premium-bullet-list-link\" aria-label=\"Dolphins\" href=\"#dolph\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Dolphins<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"premium-bullet-list-content elementor-repeater-item-cfa07e1 premium-bullet-list-content-grow-effect\" data-delay=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-drawable-icon\"><i class=\"premium-svg-nodraw fas fa-arrow-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"premium-bullet-text\" data-text=\"Turtles\"> Turtles <\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"premium-bullet-list-link\" aria-label=\"Turtles\" href=\"#turtleskanto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Turtles<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"premium-bullet-list-content elementor-repeater-item-80980e3 premium-bullet-list-content-grow-effect\" data-delay=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-drawable-icon\"><i class=\"premium-svg-nodraw fas fa-arrow-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"premium-bullet-text\" data-text=\"Whales\"> Whales <\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"premium-bullet-list-link\" aria-label=\"Whales\" href=\"#whaleskanto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Whales<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"premium-bullet-list-content elementor-repeater-item-afaca13 premium-bullet-list-content-grow-effect\" data-delay=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-drawable-icon\"><i class=\"premium-svg-nodraw fas fa-arrow-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"premium-bullet-text\" data-text=\"Mola-mola\"> Mola-mola <\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"premium-bullet-list-link\" aria-label=\"Mola-mola\" href=\"#molamolakanto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Mola-mola<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"premium-bullet-list-content elementor-repeater-item-b2f0f03 premium-bullet-list-content-grow-effect\" data-delay=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-drawable-icon\"><i class=\"premium-svg-nodraw fas fa-arrow-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"premium-bullet-text\" data-text=\"Spawning events and aggregations\"> Spawning events and aggregations <\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"premium-bullet-list-link\" aria-label=\"Spawning events and aggregations\" href=\"#spawningkanto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Spawning events and aggregations<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"premium-bullet-list-content elementor-repeater-item-d590c00 premium-bullet-list-content-grow-effect\" data-delay=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-drawable-icon\"><i class=\"premium-svg-nodraw fas fa-arrow-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"premium-bullet-text\" data-text=\"Banded hound-shark and red stingrays feeding dive\"> Banded hound-shark and red stingrays feeding dive <\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"premium-bullet-list-link\" aria-label=\"Banded hound-shark and red stingrays feeding dive\" href=\"#bhskanto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Banded hound-shark and red stingrays feeding dive<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"premium-bullet-list-content elementor-repeater-item-7fad5e1 premium-bullet-list-content-grow-effect\" data-delay=\"0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-drawable-icon\"><i class=\"premium-svg-nodraw fas fa-arrow-right\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"premium-bullet-list-text-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"premium-bullet-text\" data-text=\"Other\"> Other <\/span>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"premium-bullet-list-link\" aria-label=\"Other\" href=\"#otherkanto\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Other<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-91c1a7e elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"91c1a7e\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-65d8115\" data-id=\"65d8115\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9cef0b7 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"9cef0b7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cd43d22 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cd43d22\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"coralreefbluewater\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">CORAL REEFS, BLUE WATER AND VISIBILITY<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f1e2423 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f1e2423\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The islands of the Nanp\u014d archipelago offer the chance to dive on <strong>healthy hard and soft coral reefs.<\/strong><\/p><p>The waters of the Izu and Ogasawara islands are particularly famous for their blue colours <strong>(\u201cHachij\u014d Blue\u201d, \u201cBonin Blue\u201d<\/strong>) and great seasonal visibility.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-e99ab92\" data-id=\"e99ab92\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-db6c5f7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"db6c5f7\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-b671b5f\" data-id=\"b671b5f\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a795e68 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"a795e68\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fcca618 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"fcca618\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"wreckdiving\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">WRECK DIVING <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1f8c10b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1f8c10b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Chichi-jima area in the <strong>Ogasawara\/Bonin Islands<\/strong> has <strong>numerous<\/strong> <strong>WWII wrecks<\/strong>, including the <strong>Daibi-Maru<\/strong> (sometimes recorded as <em>Daimi-Maru<\/em>), lying at 33 m depth in Chichi-jima harbour. <br \/>These wrecks are not all easily accessible, and some require special equipment and adequate training, and authorisations, so do your research.<br \/>Some beautiful pictures of the wreacks of the Ogasawara islands area can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pacificwarwrecks.com\/Location\/OgasawaraIslands\">here.<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-60368eb\" data-id=\"60368eb\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-863c811\" data-id=\"863c811\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f3861ba elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"f3861ba\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4407490 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"4407490\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"iconickanto\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">ICONIC SPECIES<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-83ee9ae elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"83ee9ae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>There are many local endemic\/iconic species, including schools of<strong> wrought-iron butterflyfish <\/strong>(<em>Chaetodon daedalma<\/em>) and<strong> red tail triggerfish <\/strong>(<em>Xanthichthys mento<\/em>) found in the Nanp\u014d archipelago\u2019s Izu and Ogasawara islands.<br \/><strong><br \/>Sand tiger sharks \/ ragged-tooth sand sharks <\/strong>\u201c<em>raggies<\/em>\u201d (<em>Carcharias taurus)<\/em> are found all year round in the <strong>Ogasawara Islands.<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-221cea1 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"221cea1\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-e531ec6\" data-id=\"e531ec6\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1d486da elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"1d486da\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a851555 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a851555\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"cmacrooddrare\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">MACRO DIVING, ODD AND RARE CRITTERS<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e543acf elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e543acf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Kant\u014d region offers <strong>great macro diving<\/strong>, where you dive to spot\/photograph\/film small rare critters.<br \/>Sites like<strong> Jogashima<\/strong> or <strong>Hayama<\/strong> in Kanagawa Prefecture, <strong>T\u014dky\u014d Bay <\/strong>and in the <strong>Nanp\u014d islands<\/strong> offer a world class seletion of<strong> nudibranchs<\/strong> (sea-slugs).<br \/>There are many rare nudis to be found, and also less rare but still highly popular\/photogenic specimens such as the \u201c<em>Pikachu<\/em>\u201dor the \u201c<em>Shaun The Sheep\u201d<\/em> nudibranchs.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2a7be79 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2a7be79\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>T\u014dky\u014d bay<\/strong> (T\u014dky\u014d Metropolis) is said to have really amazing <strong>nudibranchs<\/strong> (sea slugs), possibly because of the heavy maritime traffic in the port area, and the <strong>ballast waters<\/strong> the ships carry for vessel stabilisation. <br \/>Ballast waters are said, for instance, to be largely responsible for the lionfish crisis in Caribbean waters, where this imported species found no local predators and proliferated. <br \/>The same could be true, with less dire consequences, for the T\u014dky\u014d Bay area\u2019s outstanding nudibranchs population. <br \/>Another solid theory is that great macro diving sites like <strong>Jogashima (Kanagawa Pref.)<\/strong> are located at a topographic intersection of bays (T\u014dky\u014d, Sagami) and the Kuroshio current, leading to complex interactions and species mobility.<\/p><p>The Nanp\u014d Archipelago\u2019s <strong>Izu Islands<\/strong>, especially <strong>Izu \u014cshima, Hachij\u014d-jima<\/strong> and <strong>K\u014dzu-shima,<\/strong> are famous in Japan for their rich macro-life, <strong>rare nudibranchs<\/strong> and all the usual suspects but also the famous <strong>Japanese pigmy seahorse<\/strong> (<em>Hippocampus japapigu<\/em>), along with more <strong>classic pigmy seahorses<\/strong> (<em>Hippocampus bargibanti<\/em>,<em>. h. colemani <\/em>and<em> h. pontohi<\/em>), often spotted on the Izu and also in the <strong>Ogasawara Islands<\/strong> (T\u014dky\u014d Pref.).<\/p><p>Larger species of seahorses are also common, including the <strong>crowned seahorse<\/strong> (<em>Hippocampus coronatus<\/em>), endemic to the Japan\u2019s Pacific coastal waters and mostly found in <em>Zostera<\/em> seagrass.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf8d0a2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bf8d0a2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4><strong>Other macro highlights<\/strong> include:<\/h4>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-c25fdcd\" data-id=\"c25fdcd\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-5223da2 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"5223da2\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-a306239\" data-id=\"a306239\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f420db7 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"f420db7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9bb1fd2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9bb1fd2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Various <strong>pipefish<\/strong>, including <strong>ornate <\/strong>and<strong> robust ghost pipefish<\/strong> (<em>Solenostomus paradoxus<\/em> and <em>S. cyanopterus<\/em>)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-315355b elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"315355b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e959f92 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e959f92\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Crabs<\/strong>, including spider crabs, decorator crabs<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-51931ab elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"51931ab\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4406b60 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4406b60\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Lumpfish<\/strong> like the odd-looking <em>Lethotremus awae<\/em>, seen in winter at Iwa or Enoshima in Kanagawa Pref., a real favourite of Japanese divers.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-a5cb914\" data-id=\"a5cb914\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ba8c537 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"ba8c537\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f4581a3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f4581a3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Rare and odd-looking <strong>frogfish\/anglerfish<\/strong> (<em>Antennariidae<\/em>), especially in Ishibashi or Hayama (Kanagawa Pref.)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7b12b1b elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"7b12b1b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9f5526b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"9f5526b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Shrimps<\/strong>, including the highly photogenic <strong>harlequin shrimp <\/strong>(<em>Hymenocera picta<\/em>) and <strong>imperial shrimp <\/strong>(Periclemenes imperator) or skeleton shrimps<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-65a01ec elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"65a01ec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-528871f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"528871f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Rare, singular <strong>jellyfish <\/strong>and<strong> anemones<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-abded7d\" data-id=\"abded7d\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8dcd145 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"8dcd145\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-effff44 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"effff44\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Rhinopias, <\/strong>leaf scorpion fish (<em>Taenianotus triacanthus<\/em>), seamoths (<em>Pegasidae<\/em>), devilfish (<em>Inimicus<\/em>) and other weird, photogenic critters<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2c66dc4 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"2c66dc4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bf31971 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"bf31971\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Rare <strong>blennies and gobies<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-892e685 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"892e685\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4ba245e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4ba245e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>T\u014dky\u014d Bay <\/strong>(<strong>Miura peninsula<\/strong>, Kanagawa Pref.) offers proper <strong>muck diving<\/strong> as well, with both silty and sandy areas.<\/p><p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-27138f7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"27138f7\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-cae0470\" data-id=\"cae0470\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-88b281d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"88b281d\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-9a63e4c\" data-id=\"9a63e4c\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-971d86c elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"971d86c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-544b1c4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"544b1c4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"shs\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">SCHOOLING HAMMERHEAD SHARKS<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-667cdc3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"667cdc3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The Kant\u014d region offers the possibility of diving with<strong> scalloped hammerhead sharks <\/strong>(<em>Sphyrna lewini<\/em>) in the <strong>Izu islands<\/strong>. <br \/>While this is definitely less famous, and more adventurous Japan\u2019s famous hammerhead viewing sites of Izu\u2019s Mikomoto islets or Okinawa\u2019s Yonaguni island,<strong> Izu \u014cshima<\/strong> <strong>Island<\/strong> is only a 2-hour fast-ferry ride or a 40 min flight away from T\u014dky\u014d. <br \/>In the summer months, lucky divers can observe schools of scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini) on a very <strong>early morning beach entry dive (!!!)<\/strong> at Keikai, which is quite a unique experience.<br \/>You do have to get up at <strong>4 am<\/strong>, and it is an advanced dive, quite shallow but with strong current, where you hold on to rock and watch the action go by. <br \/>On a good day, you might get to see what people call the \u201c<strong><em>hammer river<\/em><\/strong>\u201d, a long stream of hammerheads flowing by in the current&#8230;<br \/>Best period to view the hammerheads is said to be between mid-June and October.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b3de49 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"1b3de49\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a8f49c6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a8f49c6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"dolph\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">DOLPHINS<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f2d9a34 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f2d9a34\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Swimming and freediving\/snorkeling with pods of wild <strong>bottlenose dolphins <\/strong>(<em>Tursiop aduncus)<\/em> is one of the highlights of the Nanp\u014d islands, both in the <strong>Izu and Ogasawara island groups.<\/strong><\/p><p>In the Izu island, the hub is <strong>Miyake-jima<\/strong>, from which a one-hour boat trip takes you <strong>Mikura-jima<\/strong>, where it is possible to join the 3 or 4 boat trips per day organised to snorkel\/freedive with the island\u2019s <strong>resident pods of 200+ wild (non-captive) bottlenose dolphins<\/strong>, who often come up to swimmers and snorkelers and play around them. <br \/>The Miyake branch of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dolphincommunicationproject.org\/index.php\/about-dolphins\/researchsites\/mikura\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Dolphin Communication Project<\/strong><\/a> tracks the pods of dolphins that live around the island.<br \/>Dolphins are sometimes also seen on dive sites of other Izu islands.<\/p><p>The <strong>Ogasawara\/Bonin Islands<\/strong> also offer many great opportunities freedive \/snorkel with wild dolphins and other cetaceans, and they are very frequently spotted by <strong>scuba divers<\/strong> on local dive sites.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-ec26f2d elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"ec26f2d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c022ed0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"c022ed0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"turtleskanto\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">TURTLES<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-309eb22 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"309eb22\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Shikine-jima, Hachij\u014d-jima<\/strong> and the other Izu islands are all famous for their \u201csea\u201d turtle populations, including <strong>green and hawksbill turtles<\/strong> (<em>Chelonia mydas<\/em> and <em>Eretmochelys imbricata<\/em>)<br \/>Shikine-jima also has a spot where <strong>turtles like to relax in warmth of the hot springs<\/strong> that flow into the sea, a kind of reptilian alternative to Nagano\u2019s bathing \u201csnow monkey\u201d, if you wish&#8230;<\/p><p>From February to August the <strong>Ogasawara\/Bonin Islands<\/strong> are said to become one of the <strong>biggest nesting ground of green turtles in Japan.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9235a22 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"9235a22\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d88cbb0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d88cbb0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"whaleskanto\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\nWHALES\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7526aec elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7526aec\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Humpback whales<\/strong> (<em>Megaptera novaeangliae<\/em>) are spotted, mostly from the boat or shore but quite regularly underwater in the winter to spring months, in the <strong>Ogasawara\/Bonin Islands<\/strong> (usually between February and April), and also around the<strong> Izu Islands <\/strong>in the winter months (December to March). <br \/>Keep in mind that unless you encounter a whale while already in the water, <strong>interaction with the whales is not allowed in the Ogasawara islands<\/strong>, as boats are required to respect a <strong>100 m exclusion zone<\/strong> around humpback whales.<\/p><p><strong>Sperm whales<\/strong> (<em>Physeter macrocephalus<\/em>) are also common in the Ogasawara islands during the summer to autumn months, and the islands are one of Japan\u2019s best whale watching \/ spotting destinations along with the north of the Okinawa island chain. <br \/>A <strong>50 m exclusion zone<\/strong> is to be respected around sperm whales, again, unless you are already in the water and the whale comes up to you.<\/p><p>Seasonal <strong>whale watching in the Izu islands<\/strong> (such as Hachij\u014d, where whales can sometimes be seen <strong>from some of the island\u2019s outdoor hot springs<\/strong> \/ <em>rotenburo)<\/em> is still developing as an activity, so expect to hear more on that in the future.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-0b3f444 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"0b3f444\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f1517fa elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f1517fa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"molamolakanto\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Mola Mola<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a663762 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a663762\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Common mola \/ sunfish <\/strong>(<em>Mola mola<\/em>) can be observed seasonally on special dives organised seasonally in <strong>Ito-Tateyama<\/strong> (Chiba Pref.)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-344fef4 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"344fef4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1cbf7ad elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1cbf7ad\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"schoolingfishkanto\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">SCHOOLING FISH, PELAGICS AND PREDATORS<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-11382d2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"11382d2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Large schools migratory fish and pelagics, including <strong>dogtooth tuna<\/strong> (<em>Gymnosarda unicolor<\/em>), <strong>bluefin trevally<\/strong> (<em>Caranx melampygus<\/em>), big-eye trevallies <strong>great amberjacks<\/strong> (<em>Seriola dumerili)<\/em> <strong>Japanese amberjack<\/strong> (<em>Seriola quinqueradiata<\/em>) and <strong>rainbow runners<\/strong> (<em>Elagatis bipinnulata<\/em>) and various types of <strong>larger pelagic sharks<\/strong> can be seen seasonally in the Kant\u014d area.<br \/>This is especially true in the more <strong>remote islands of the Nanp\u014d archipelago<\/strong>, from Hachij\u014d-jima in the Izu Islands to the Ogasawara Islands.<br \/>The Ogasawara islands are famous for their massive schools of <strong>dogtooth tuna<\/strong> (<em>Gymnosarda unicolor<\/em>), <strong>Japanese Spanish mackerel<\/strong> (<em>Scomberomorus niphonius<\/em>) <strong>greater amberjacks<\/strong> (<em>Seriola dumerili)<\/em>, <strong>trevallies<\/strong> or <strong>barracudas<\/strong>.<\/p><p>Pelagic<strong> thresher sharks<\/strong> (<em>Alopias pelagicus<\/em>), <strong>whale sharks (<\/strong><em>Rhincodon typus<\/em>) and scalloped <strong>hammerhead<\/strong> <strong>sharks<\/strong> are sometimes spotted at different sites in the <strong>Nanp\u014d islands<\/strong>, due to the combined effects of currents, relative isolation and deep water.<\/p><p><strong>Smaller sharks <\/strong>such as sleeping<strong> white-tip reef sharks <\/strong>(<em>Triaenodon obesus)<\/em> in winter months at Kamogawa (Chiba Pref.), various rays including <strong>guitar-sharks<\/strong>\/shovelnose rays (<em>Glaucostegus typus<\/em>) or <strong>Japanese bullhead sharks<\/strong> (<em>Heterodontus japonicus<\/em>) are spotted in most of the area, including the Izu Islands.<\/p><p>Schools of <strong>Japanese eagle rays<\/strong> (<em>Myliobatis tobijei<\/em>) can sometimes be seen in the summer months at Nishikawana (Chiba Pref)<\/p><p>Though rare, <strong>manta rays<\/strong>, mostly <strong>giant \u201coceanic\u201d manta<\/strong> rays (<em>Mobula birostris<\/em>) are regularly spotted in the <strong>Ogasawara<\/strong> <strong>islands<\/strong> area (see <a href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/BF02678515\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a> for more info on the subject)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b3cd827 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"b3cd827\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bc03e7b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"bc03e7b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"spawningkanto\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">SPAWNING EVENTS AND AGGREGATIONS <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-24d5ff9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"24d5ff9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>Japanese flying squid <\/strong>(<em>Todarodes pacificus<\/em>)<strong> spawning events<\/strong> can be observed in May in <strong>Miyake-jima<\/strong> in the Izu Islands,, as squid brought by the Kuroshio current congregate and spawn in the area.<br \/>The squids deposit long white tubes full of eggs in clusters on tree branches placed there by dive operators, at about 14-16m depth, on shore dive from Okubohama beach.<strong><br \/><br \/><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2af2f0a elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"2af2f0a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9dfcf3e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9dfcf3e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"bhskanto\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">BANDED HOUND-SHARK AND RED STINGRAYS FEEDING DIVE<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2ee4b4d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2ee4b4d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Dives involving feeding and or baiting\/chumming are quite controversial, especially in contexts located outside North-American influence. <br \/>The overall impact of such practices is debated &#8211; even though the commercial value of shark-encounter operations where sharks are baited\/fed for divers\u2019 enjoyment such as those found in the Bahamas, Fiji, Mexico\u2019s Guadalupe or in the Azores is obvious.<br \/>Proponents argue that this actually helps conservation efforts and does not affect the local ecology and marine life behaviour.<\/p><p>Japan offers one such dive, in <strong>Tateyama-Ito (Chiba Pref<\/strong>.), called the \u201c<strong>Shark Scramble<\/strong>\u201d (or \u201cShark City\u201d) where it possible to dive with hundreds <strong>banded hound-sharks <\/strong>(<em>Triakis scyllium<\/em>) and <strong>red stingrays <\/strong>(<em>Hemitrygon akajei<\/em>) during a frantic <strong>feeding\/chumming session<\/strong>.<\/p><p>The story behind this dive it is that its creator, Mr Kan Shiota, successfully turned animals that local fishermen were treating as pests (since they were getting caught in nets) into a lucrative tourist attraction by gradually luring them to one dedicated area, where <strong>divers feed them twice a day.<\/strong><br \/>This was done in collaboration with local fisheries and legally, since<strong> local accreditation<\/strong> to do so was granted, and is presented as a part of a conservation effort, to keep the sharks out of the nets of the fishermen.<\/p><p>The feeding session also attracts other large stingrays, moray eels, longtooth groupers (<em>Epinephelus bruneus<\/em>) wrasses like the Asian sheephead wrasse (<em>Semicossyphus reticulatus<\/em>) or the Japanese bullhead sharks (<em>Heterodontus japonicus<\/em>).<\/p><p>We encourage you to look at some of the videos readily available online and <strong>decide for yourself if this type of diving experience is for you.<\/strong><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d95b68 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"2d95b68\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2b7df92 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2b7df92\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" id=\"otherkanto\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">OTHER \n\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f57841f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f57841f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong><br \/><\/strong>It&#8217;s possible to dive at an <strong>underwater hot-spring at Shikine<\/strong> <strong>island<\/strong> (Izu Islands, 3-hour boat ride from T\u014dky\u014d), which is also sometimes visited by turtles.<\/p><p>There is an <strong>underwater shrine<\/strong>, said to be the only one in the world, at the <strong>Hasama Underwater Garden<\/strong> (Tateyama, Chiba Pref.)<\/p><p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/bluejapan.org\/fr\/practical\/links\/#kanto\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>here<\/strong><\/a> for more precise, detailed and practical information on diving in the Kant\u014d region<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-fa0f3c1\" data-id=\"fa0f3c1\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":null,"ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":null,"ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"enabled","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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