Diving Yonaguni Monument | Scuba Diving Japan

“Diving Yonaguni Monument is like diving a Lost underwater Machu Picchu.”

Back in the 1980s, Kihachiro Aratake was a young diver scouting for dive sites on the remote island of Yonaguni in Japan. What he found underwater took his breath away. He described it as a “Diving Yonaguni Monument is like diving a Lost underwater Machu Picchu.” To present day its referred to as the Yonaguni Monument but ever since its discovery, its created a buzz as it structure resembled something more akin to a lost city, such as Atlantis but its origins and placement hold no records in history.

Atlantis Found Scuba Diving in Japan?

Diving at the Yonaguni Monument is a unique and captivating experience for scuba divers, offering the opportunity to explore mysterious underwater structures in the waters of Japan. Here's some information about diving at the Yonaguni Monument:

Location: The Yonaguni Monument is located off the coast of Yonaguni Island, which is the westernmost island of Japan. It is situated in the Okinawa Prefecture, near the border with Taiwan.

Underwater Structures: The Yonaguni Monument is famous for its enigmatic underwater structures, which some people believe resemble ancient ruins. These structures include massive stone terraces, steps, pillars, and what appear to be carved stones. The exact origin and purpose of these formations are still debated among scientists, with theories ranging from natural geological processes to ancient human construction.

Diving Experience: Diving at the Yonaguni Monument is a challenging but rewarding experience. The site features clear, deep waters with strong currents, so it is typically recommended for experienced divers who are comfortable in such conditions. Visibility can vary, but when conditions are favorable, it can be excellent, allowing divers to explore the underwater structures in detail.

Marine Life: In addition to the fascinating rock formations, the Yonaguni Monument is home to diverse marine life. Divers can encounter schools of fish, coral reefs, sea turtles, and other marine species while exploring the area. The combination of unique geology and marine biodiversity makes it a captivating dive site.

Yonaguni Monument may never be fully explained....

Is it an ancient monument, engulfed by the ocean thousands of years ago? Or Is it a naturally occurring rock formation that by pure coincidence happens to resemble a lost temple or city structure? Archaeologists and geologists are still debating this some 30 years after Aratake discovered it.

For many, seeing is beliving, this exception dive site should be on every divers dive holiday bucket list. Aratake himself will tell you, you simply have to see it and make your own conclusions.

The Yonaguni Underwater city or Monument is located nearby the shore and while it quite a shallow dive, between 5m to 12 m deep, like most of the area, the dive site can be subject to strong currents.

So, what is the Yonaguni Monument?

This is the question on everyone lips. . The almost perfect straight edges of steps, walkways and a "stage" are at perfect 90-degree angles. This primary argument is, how can these be anything but man made how could the oceans waters have formed these naturally? Geologists argue that the rock formations are sedimentary, made of sandstone.

Some archaeologists claim that the monument was carved out of stone Thats said, if Yonaguni monument was created on land and then swallowed by the sea, it occurred the last time sea levels rose which was over 10,000 years ago. This is where it gets really interesting, because this would predates the Egyptian pyramids and megalithic structures such as Stonehenge by about 5,000 years ago!!

Go Scuba diving in Yonaguni and see for yourself!

Regardless of what you choose to believe, this is without doubt one of the world most fascinating dive spots.

In fact, Yonaguni's entire underwater topography is full of fascinating rock structures.

Many dive sites have stunning caverns and caves, luscious coral reefs. The water temperature is fairly steady year round even in winter months due to a warm current that runs up the east coast of Taiwan.

There’s plenty of underwater life to be adored here also, everything from anemonefish, to turtles, rays and, at a certain time of the season, huge schools of hammerhead sharks!