Why do divers flock to Minami-Izu... The waters around Mikomoto Island, eight kilometers from Yumigahama, lie under the influence of the Kuroshio Current and brim with marine life. Schools of migratory fish such as yellowtail, greater amberjack, and Japanese amberjack share the seas with various sharks like the shortfin mako, resident large reef fish such as malabar grouper and Asian sheepshead wrasse, and reptiles and rays including green sea turtles, red stingrays, and spotted eagle rays. From these famed “big game” species to seasonal visitors like striped jack, grunt, bluefish, pomfret, numerous butterflyfish, and triggerfish, the variety and density of fish make this area exceptional. Among its attractions, the chance to see large schools of hammerhead sharks makes this dive site extraordinarily rare even by international standards. It is no exaggeration to call this place a sea that every diver dreams of visiting.