Scuba Diving Video Introduction to "Hatsushima" in Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture, where you can meet dolphins.

This video, titled "Scuba Diving Diving with Dolphins on Hatsushima" (スキューバダイビング 初島でイルカとダイビング), was uploaded by "Sazanami Marine Diving School."

Hatsushima is known as a marine resort that can be visited on a day trip. It takes about 40 minutes from Tokyo to Atami by Shinkansen, and about 30 minutes by boat from Atami Port to Hatsushima.

Dolphins on Hatsushima

Photo：Dolphins on Hatsushima

Scuba diving on Hatsushima can be enjoyed throughout the year, regardless of the season.
Starting in around 2018, two southern bottlenose dolphins took up residence on Hatsushima, becoming very popular among scuba divers. Various stores now offer one-day tours of Hatsushima where you can dive with the dolphins.

However, the two dolphins disappeared from the island in the summer of 2020 and were no longer seen. Some divers who had been looking forward to seeing the dolphins were disappointed. Luckily, in 2022, the two dolphins returned to Hatsushima, leading to many people expressing their joy online.

Being able to meet friendly wild dolphins in the ocean is an incredible experience! In the video, you can see how the dolphins swim from up close.

Scuba Diving on Hatsushima! Things to Keep In Mind When Swimming With Dolphins

Photo：Dolphins on Hatsushima

Once it became known that two friendly dolphins were living around Hatsushima, recreational scuba diving, experience diving, etc., became incredibly popular.

One spot where you can dive with the dolphins is Nishimato (ニシマト). When swimming with dolphins, you may be tempted to try and pet them, but there are rules to keep in mind when scuba diving.
-Do not chase the dolphins
-No lights or strobes
-Do not bring objects that beep or ring
-Do not touch the dolphins

Please keep these rules in mind when scuba diving in order to protect the dolphins

The Waters Surrouding Hatsushima – Transparency, Temperature, Etc.

Water temperature and transparency are the main things to keep in mind when diving on Hatsushima. The Hatsushima Diving Center updates the sea conditions almost daily on their Facebook page.
The water temperature in early June is approximately 19 to 21 degrees Celsius (66-70°F). The transparency of course depends on the weather and sea conditions, but it's generally around 12 to 15 meters.

The Various Marine Life Near Hatsushima

Photo：Bullhead sharks on Hatsushima

Dolphins aren't the only thing to look forward to when scuba diving on Hatsushima. At the diving spot Futatsune, you can see a variety of sea creatures, including large schools of knifefish and grunts, as well as angel sharks, guitarfish, and bullhead sharks.

The area is also home to many microorganisms, including Izu's very popular harlequin shrimp, the warty frogfish, and the harlequin ghost pipefish. Cute creatures such as the painted frogfish, the spotfin frogfish, and the pikachu nudibranch also inhabit the area, adding to the fun of scuba diving.

Beginner-Level Scuba Diving Experience Fees on Hatsushima

After watching the video, you might be looking to try scuba diving. The good news is you don't need to have a license!
During the diving experiences on Hatsushima, you'll be briefed on how to handle diving equipment, basic techniques, such as breathing techniques, and pressure equalization before you dive, so you can enjoy safely scuba diving with an instructor.

The video creator, Sazanami Marine Diving School, offers a course called "Hatsushima Day Trip Experience Diving with Transportation from Shibuya" (渋谷から送迎付き初島日帰り体験ダイビング).
Fee: 23,000 yen (tax included)
(Included in the fee: transportation from Shibuya to the dive site, rental of a set of diving equipment, one experience dive, a local facility fee, and consumption tax)
Being able to scuba dive with transportation from Tokyo makes it super convenient. It's a great way to experience the waters of Hatsushima!

Scuba Diving Is Even More Fun With a License!

Photo：Scuba diving

Scuba diving is a marine activity in which you carry a tank filled with air on your back for breathing and enjoy the underwater world. With a license, you can dive not only on Hatsushima, but also at other diving spots around the world.

With a license, you can enjoy diving freely without an instructor. Diving as a sport or profession, such as technical diving, free diving, and commercial diving, is also possible with a license.

Scuba diving is a marine activity that even beginners can experience. However, if you're afraid of suddenly being underwater, you can also start from the beach; this is called a beach dive. Also, if you record information such as where you dived and the sea conditions in a log book, your instructor can give you advice on the best dive sites for your level.

How to Get to Hatsushima

The only way to get to Hatsushima is via ferry from Atami Port. The high-speed ferries head to and from Hatsushima 10 times a day. The ferries take 30 minutes to reach Hatsushima from Atami Port. Their fees are as follows:

Atami/Hatsushima Ferry Fees
Adults (Round trip): 2,800 yen
Adults (One way): 1,400 yen

Children (Round trip): 1,400 yen
Children (One way): 700 yen

For information about ferry schedules, please check out the official website for Hatsushima.

Other Things to Do on Hatsushima

Because Hatsushima is rather small there isn't a ton of other attractions on the island. However, Because Atami is only 30 minutes from Hatsushima via ferry, we'll introduce some things to do near Atami Port as well.

Sarutobi (Hatsushima)
Sarutobi is an adventure park with where visitors put on a harness and enjoy a massive jungle gym full of ziplines and nets. You can spend an hour walking through the tree tops!

Hours: Hours vary by day. Please check the official website for more information.
Closed: Most Thursdays. Please check the official website for more information.
Admission Fee: Admission Fee: Adults (junior high school students and older): 1,900 yen, Children (Ages 5 through elementary school): 1,500 yen

Atami Castle (Atami Port)
Atami Castle is a popular tourist attraction in Atami, Shizuoka. Atami Castle is not actually a historic castle, and was built as recently as 1959. Located atop a small mountain, visitors can enjoy spectacular views of Atami from the top of the castle.

Hours: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (Last entry 4:30 pm)
Admission Fee: Adults: 1,100 yen, Elementary and junior high school students: 600 yen, Children ages 3-6: 450 yen
※Discounts are available for those that buy a combined ticket for Atami Castle and Atami Trick Art Museum.

Atami Trick Art Museum (Atami Port)
The Atami Trick Art Museum is full of illusory artworks meant to trick visitors into seeing something that isn't real. There are a lot of fun works inside the museum and you can enjoy taking pictures and solving how each of them works.

Hours: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm (4:30 pm)
Admission Fee: Adults: 1,100 yen, Elementary and junior high school students: 600 yen, Children ages 3-6: 450 yen
※Discounts are available for those that buy a combined ticket for Atami Castle and Atami Trick Art Museum.

Summary of Hatsushima, a Scuba Diving and Resort Spot in Shizuoka Prefecture

Photo：Hatsushima, Shizuoka Prefecture

Hatsushima is the most popular resort within close proximity to the Tokyo metropolitan area, and is a place where you can enjoy scuba diving with dolphins. Although you're not guaranteed to be able to meet the dolphins, you can still see a wide variety of unique marine life in the waters surrounding Hatsushima!

【TripAdvisor】Hatsushima