Yonaguni Submarine Ruins 与那国島海底地形/遺跡
Japanese Atlantis
Ancient Ruins or natural wonder? The underwater monuments of Yonaguni are still shrouded in mystery.
Yonaguni is the westernmost island of the archipelago of Yaeyama, part of Okinawa Prefecture. The island is just 125 km away from Taïwannon, not far from the disputed Senkaku islands.
This is a typical Okinawan island: subtropical, welcoming, and isolated. Only in 1985 it became the heart of a mystery that is still the subject of much research: an underwater rock formation, strangely well structured.
The battle of Yonaguni
The "ruins" are situated a few miles from the southern coast of Yonaguni and were identified for the first time by amateur divers. Several divers and scholars believe it may be man-made structures built over 2000 years ago, when the area may have been in the open air. Pyramids and temples are silent testimonies of mysterious builders. Mystery lovers adore Yonaguni.
However, it could all be a natural wonder caused by the high activity of local tectonic plates. The most recent studies tend to view it as a recent rock formation, a well structured one, but without any human intervention. At most, some researchers assume that the place has been used as a stone quarry in ancient times.
A diver's haven
One thing is certain, needless to immerse yourself in the quarrels between the researchers and the whimsical to enjoy the beauty of the place. A shallow, illuminated and strangely fascinating dive. A true paradise for divers.