Mihokogauru

Mihokogaru is very sheltered, so fine for just swimming or sunbathing but surfers can stop reading now, there are no waves. It is also ropped off as it is said that there is a strong under current farther out. I have done a bit of snorkeling on the left side of the beach (the part with the concrete platform). It's shallow and you can see quite a few fish, some colourful ones, some not so colourful ones and some big ones (but only bora, mullet!) as well as a few long, very slender fish (maybe a type of pipefish or needle fish). It's not amazing but there are not many good places that I know of to snorkel in Hyuga.

There is not much water movement there, sometimes there is a lot vegetation floating about which can be annoying. I've also tried snorkeling at the beach on Tomi Hanto (peninsula), which is quite beautiful but has quite a lot of wave action. I think if it was calm, this would be a good spot for snorkeling. The road to it is really small. After turning off route 10 for Tomi Hanto head towards the sea and the end of the pennisula. When you get close follow the signs for Yasui (‚â‚·‚¢) isakaya. When your wheels start touching both sides of the road you're getting close! The beach has toilets and there is usually nobody there. I have also just found, but not tested, another area for snorkelling, just a bit further round from Mihokogaru (to get to it carry on along the road from Mihokogaru to Umagase and take the first left and drive down to the car park). It has a small island with a small shrine on it (you can usually walk to, but sometimes it becomes an island) with bays either side. It looks quite sheltered here and around the island it is quite rocky so it might be quite good (it has a sign saying no spearfishing, no collecting of shellfish, no dumping rubbish, etc).