- HOME
- DIVE IN FUTO
Diving about 2 hours from Tokyo！
A beginner-friendly diving area
FUTO Diving Basic Information
Home to Izu's most famous beach dive site, "Yokobama," Futo is easily accessible and has a wide range of facilities. It's popular because everyone from beginners to veterans can enjoy a pleasant dive. Enjoy boat diving, explore diverse underwater terrain, encounter large marine life, and experience a sea brimming with wonders!
Overview of Futo?
You can enter slowly while holding onto the slope.
After diving, you can warm up your body in the hot springs.
Jogasaki Coast is known for its dynamic, undulating topography. Located north of the coast and easily accessible by car or train, Futo is a popular diving area on the east Izu Peninsula.
One of Futo's attractions is its extensive facilities, with easy-to-walk concrete slopes at the entry and exit points and metal handrails, making it a friendly place for beginners and photographers alike. Futo is also famous for its "Onsenmaru," a bathtub filled with natural hot spring water in a converted boat, which is popular for warming up after a dive.
Access
By car
From Tokyo, take the Tomei Expressway to the Atsugi IC for about 20 minutes, then from the Atsugi IC, take the Odawara Atsugi Road, Manazuru Road, and head south on National Route 135 via Atami. After passing Ito, follow the signs for "Kawana/Futo" and you'll arrive in about 1 hour and 40 minutes.
By train
From either Tokyo or Nagoya, first head to Atami Station on the Tokaido Shinkansen or Tokaido Line. The Shinkansen ride from Tokyo to Atami takes about 50 minutes. From Atami, take the JR Ito Line to Ito Station for a 23 minutes ride. From Ito, take the Izu Kyuko Line to Futo Station, Jogasaki Kaigan Station, or Izukogen Station for a 15 to 21 minutes ride. Most diving services will provide transportation to and from Futo, but the nearest station will vary depending on the service you use, so be sure to check in advance.
A Day of Diving in Futo
It feels good to swim leisurely on the sand.
You might even meet a cat shark!
The waters of Futo are a bay facing the northeast, so except on windy days or when the tide is going out, the area is calm and easy to dive in. The main dive sites are "Yokobama" and "Wakinohama," which are beach entry sites. Each site has different sand textures and the creatures that can be seen are slightly different, so it's interesting to compare the dives. The terrain makes it easy to take photos, so it's also popular with underwater photography enthusiasts. On the other hand, boat spots are attractive because they are full of fish and you have a high chance of encountering big fish.
There is a wide variety of living creatures that can be seen at Futo, including various seasonal migratory fish that arrive every year on the Kuroshio Current from the south, as well as schools of horse mackerel and yellowtail, and large migratory fish such as amberjack that appear to feed on them. At Futo, there is a high probability of encountering creatures that are good for macro lens photography, such as frogfish, blenny eels, and sea slugs, as well as large sandy creatures such as cat sharks and dogfish. In early summer, a fish reef made of bundles of wood is sunk on the beach, and bigfin reef squid arrive there to spawn.
Dive Sites
Yokobama: The ultimate beach spot with beautiful sand and caves
In Yokobama, bigfin reef squid spawning season usually occurs from the end of April through July!
Photo by Yosuke Kashiwazaki (Scuba Pro Shop Futo)
●Maximum depth: 30m ●Current: Almost none
This is one of Futo's two major beach spots. The EN/EX slopes are separate, making it conveniently one-way. The calm, sandy seabed continues offshore, and if you ask a guide, you can spot many popular fish, such as symbiotic gobies and frogfish. Large fish like the Japanese dogfish and guitarfish can also be spotted.
Futo Hall, where sunlight shines into the cave, is beautiful.
Photo by Yosuke Kashiwazaki (Scuba Pro Shop Futo)
In summer, the sea becomes vibrant with the increase in southern creatures (seasonal migratory fish) carried by the Kuroshio Current. The coast is lined with rocks created by lava flows, and in the shallow water there are fields of sea anemones, where clownfish also reside. If you head to the right after entering the water, you will come to a geological spot called "Futo Hole," which can only be reached when the tide is high, but on clear days the shower of light shining down from above is beautiful.
"Wakinohama" is recommended for relaxing
Frogfish are often seen in the dive site, Wakinohama.
Photo by Yosuke Kashiwazaki (Scuba Pro Shop Futo)
●Maximum depth: 30m ●Current: Almost none
This is a vast beach dive site that can be accessed from the west side of Futo Port. The sand here is coarser than Yokobama and a slightly duller color, and it's interesting to see the different creatures that can be found in the same sandy area. In addition to sandy creatures such as cat sharks, dogfish, guitarfish, and flounder, there is a large variety and population of frogfish and sea slugs, making it perfect for those who want to enjoy some leisurely fish watching. It is also recommended for underwater photography enthusiasts and beginner divers who want to take it easy.
Seasonal boat diving site "Off Yokoiso (Pyramid)"
Seasonal dive site with a large number of fish and wonderful soft corals
Photo by Yosuke Kashiwazaki (Scuba Pro Shop Futo)
●Maximum depth: 30m ●Current: sometimes flows
This boat dive site is only available from mid-September to mid-May. You'll dive around the towering fish reef, which resembles a pyramid or a giant jungle gym. The reef is densely covered with gorgonians and soft corals, making it very colorful. Schools of anthias goldie swim around the area, and in the middle layers you can also see schools of migratory fish and hawksbills.
The soft corals are magnificent at "Maekado"
●Maximum depth: 30m ●Current: sometimes flows
Although it is only about five minutes from the port, it is a dynamic spot where you can see schools of Japanese amberjack and grunt fish spreading out like a curtain over the drop-off. When the tide is strong, large migratory fish may also appear. The colorful colonies of soft coral are also spectacular.
Diving Shop
*Please note that not all diving shops on the list have English speaking staff.
*Please choose the diving shops at your own risk. We’re not responsible for any accidents / troubles.
