Hokkaido

Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island, is where diving turns wild. Each winter, drift ice carried south from the Sea of Okhotsk locks against the Shiretoko Peninsula — the stage for the country’s celebrated ice diving. This relief map shows where it happens; follow the link for the full diving guide.

Shiretoko Peninsula: Ice Diving

Hokkaido information page

Diving Hokkaido

Hokkaido is Japan’s cold-water frontier. Each winter, drift ice from the Sea of Okhotsk locks against the Shiretoko Peninsula for the country’s celebrated ice diving, with fleeting sightings of sea angels (clione) beneath the floes. For the full guide — seasons, sites and how to join a tour — see the Hokkaido diving page, and compare styles on our drift diving guide.