Tosashimizu Point

Tosashimizu Point is the centrepiece of Japan's most extraordinary seasonal pelagic event: whale sharks aggregate here in numbers rarely seen outside the Philippines or Maldives, with peak encounters from mid-July through September when Kuroshio Current upwelling concentrates plankton near the point. Groups of five to fifteen whale sharks are reported on peak days. Scalloped hammerhead sharks patrol deeper water beyond 20 metres throughout summer, and oceanic manta rays circle the cleaning stations on the reef edge. The site combines blue water pelagic excitement with a productive coral reef for between-encounter exploration.