Shark Trivia

Did You Know that there are a lot of Sharks in Japan….

.….where over 124 species, including some of the world’s most elusive sharks, can be found in Japanese waters? With over a third of all known species, Japan has been identified as a global diversity hotspot and the most biodiverse nation for sharks with needed conservation priorities to protect them.

The most common shark species seen are the shy Banded Houndsharks that have become somewhat used to human contact with divers. Some of the other commonly found sharks include the Blotchy Swellshark, the Hammerhead Shark, the Japanese Horn Shark, the Japanese Wobbegong Shark, and the Japanese Angel Shark. Other large sharks like the Great White Shark, Megamouth Shark, and Pacific Sleeper Shark have been seen in the waters as well.

Although sharks can be seen virtually anywhere around Japan, divers can see hundreds of Banded Houndsharks gather in a frenzy while feeding at an area called ‘Shark City’ near Tateyama in southern Chiba. The small species is common to the area but extremely elusive and virtually impossible to encounter elsewhere.