Atami Wreck

Also known as: 沈船 (Japanese) · Chinsen

The wreck is reached in about five minutes by boat from Atami, a hot-spring town that is under an hour from Tokyo by Shinkansen. Sources give a length of 81 m, which Japanese guides call one of the largest wrecks dived in Japan. The hull has broken into sections, and a torch lets divers look inside where it split, while the bow still carries its winch. Strong water exchange keeps the structure coated in yellow, purple, pink and orange soft corals. Cherry anthias, scalefin anthias, cardinalfish and passing pelagic fish gather around it, and longnose hawkfish and crustaceans hide in the growth. Local dive centres use it for wreck training, but guides expect some skill and experience.