Local Guide
 Recommended Experience spots in Atami where you can enjoy diving, sea fishing, and pottery making

Atami is famous for diving and other marine sports when it comes to activities in Atami. In addition, there is an Athletic Property on Hatsushima Island, which was renovated in 2017 (Heisei 29), and there are also many workshops in Atami where you can Experience ceramics, glass blowing, etc. Here are some typical spots.

A sea fishing Property, 260 m long by 14 m wide, is located on the outer breakwater of Atami Port. The inner sea (Atami Bay side) with calm waves is used, and life jackets, which are required to be worn, can be rented free of charge, so it is safe for children to bring along. Rental fishing rods (2,200 yen / 2 hours) are also available, so you can go empty-handed. For beginners, staff/staff members who are local fishing enthusiasts will give you a brief lecture.

In spring, you can catch mebaru and Japanese sardines; in summer, horse mackerel and mackerel; in fall, horse mackerel and pike; and in winter, horse mackerel and scorpionfish. Caught fish can be taken home freely, and can also be cooked at a partner restaurant in Atami City, so if you wish to use this service, please make a reservation through the Atami Port Sea Fishing Facility.

Local Guide Comment
Fishing can be enjoyed in a great location with a view of Atami's cityscape and mountains!
Atami Port Sea Fishing Property
  • Address 1694-32 Wadahama Minami-cho, Atami, Shizuoka MAP
  •  Bus Direction From Atami Station, take the Izu Hakone Bus bound for "Atami Korakuen" (10 minutes), get off at "Atami Korakuen" and walk 5 minutes.
  •  Business hours April - October: 6:00 - sunset
    November - March: 7:00 - sunset
    Fireworks display days: until 12:00
  •  Closed 3rd Wednesday of the month (open on months when fireworks displays are held at least twice a month)
    Other times during stormy weather, high waves, strong winds, etc.
  •  Admission Fee Adults 500 yen, elementary and junior high school students 300 yen, children under elementary school age free
  •  TEL 0557-85-8600
  •  Parking Charged

Atelier Laut, a diving store, offers diving tours in Hatsushima, Atami, and other areas of the Izu Peninsula. The shop also offers Experience diving in small groups with a thorough emphasis on safety. Because the instruction is tailored to each individual, even first-time divers can try diving without worry.

As you become more proficient, you may encounter sharks like this!

 Cat sharks
Cat sharks

One of the most popular experiences is diving at Hatsushima Island, which is only about 25 minutes from Atami Port. Hatsushima is an island in Sagami Bay in the eastern part of the Izu Peninsula. It is the only inhabited island in the prefecture and is known as the closest island to the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Here, you can experience diving according to your objectives and level of experience. Schools of yellowfin trevally, horse mackerels, black-finned trevally, cherry snapper, snappers, and Issen scorpionfish, as well as other colorful fish, can be seen in every season. Experienced Staff/staff members will give you a detailed lecture, and are recommended for beginners.

Local Guide Comment
The staff will carefully answer the concerns of beginners, so you can walk on the sea with peace of mind.
Atelier Laut
  • Address 5-22 Showa-cho, Atami, Shizuoka MAP
  •  Direction Approximately 6 minutes from JR Atami Station by car
    18 min. walk from JR Atami Station
  •  Business hours 8:00-18:00
  •  Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  •  Entrance Fee Hatsushima Experience Diving: 13,500 yen for the plan to meet at Hatsushima and disband locally, 16,300 yen for the plan to meet at Atami Station or our store.
  •  TEL 0557-29-6003
  •  Parking Free of charge
  •  Age limit Ages 10 and up
 Kosoga Cave, a limited-time-only point from November to March
Kosoga Cave, a limited-time-only point from November to March

The Izu Peninsula is a treasure trove of diving spots. The crystal clear waters are perfect for diving. Another major reason why the waters off Atami are favored by divers from all over Japan is that many of the dive sites are only a few minutes by boat from the port, yet offer dynamic scenery.

 Vitaga Root,
Vitaga Root," where beautiful female snappers come jammed in

The most popular point is the wreck. You can even take a peek inside the wreck, which is about 81.2 meters long and broken in half.
Another popular spot is "Sawdai Root," where a colorful soft coral jungle spreads out and brightly-colored cherry snapper can be seen dancing wildly.
Kosoga Cave, open only during the winter season from November to March, is a 40-meter-long cave where light pours in from the surface, allowing visitors to enjoy diving as if they were exploring.
Diving Service Atami has a dedicated Property at Atami Port, which is equipped with changing rooms, showers, toilets, and a place to wash equipment. This is highly recommended for those who have come to Atami for the purpose of diving.

Local Guide Comment
The huge wreck is very powerful! You can enjoy the magnificent view of the sea.
Diving Service Atami
  • Address 9-24 Wadahama Minami, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture MAP
  •  Bus Direction From JR Atami Station, take the Izu Hakone Bus bound for "Atami Korakuen" (10 minutes), and get off at "Atami Korakuen" bus stop.
  •  Business hours Depends on reservations/meeting time is between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m.
  •  Closed Wednesdays (open if reservations are made)
  •  Admission Fee Experience diving: 14,300 yen
    Guided diving (2 or more people) 10,450 yen and up
    Self (no guide) diving (3 or more divers): from 8,800 yen
  •  TEL 0557-82-7285
  •  Parking Free of charge
 Kosoga Cave, a limited-time-only point from November to March
Kosoga Cave, a limited-time-only point from November to March

The Izu Peninsula is a treasure trove of diving spots. The crystal clear waters are perfect for diving. Another major reason why the waters off Atami are favored by divers from all over Japan is that many of the dive sites are only a few minutes by boat from the port, yet offer dynamic scenery.

 Vitaga Root,
Vitaga Root," where beautiful female snappers come jammed in

The most popular point is the wreck. You can even take a peek inside the wreck, which is about 81.2 meters long and broken in half.
Another popular spot is "Sawdai Root," where a colorful soft coral jungle spreads out and brightly-colored cherry snapper can be seen dancing wildly.
Kosoga Cave, open only during the winter season from November to March, is a 40-meter-long cave where light pours in from the surface, allowing visitors to enjoy diving as if they were exploring.
Diving Service Atami has a dedicated Property at Atami Port, which is equipped with changing rooms, showers, toilets, and a place to wash equipment. This is highly recommended for those who have come to Atami for the purpose of diving.

Local Guide Comment
The huge wreck is very powerful! You can enjoy the magnificent view of the sea.
Diving Service Atami
  • Address 9-24 Wadahama Minami, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture MAP
  •  Bus Direction From JR Atami Station, take the Izu Hakone Bus bound for "Atami Korakuen" (10 minutes), and get off at "Atami Korakuen" bus stop.
  •  Business hours Depends on reservations/meeting time is between 9:00 and 9:30 a.m.
  •  Closed Wednesdays (open if reservations are made)
  •  Admission Fee Experience diving: 14,300 yen
    Guided diving (2 or more people) 10,450 yen and up
    Self (no guide) diving (3 or more divers): from 8,800 yen
  •  TEL 0557-82-7285
  •  Parking Free of charge

Adventure Island VOTAN, one of the Properties in Hatsushima Island Resort, is an athletic park with 10 different Activities. The story is based on the adventures of a boy who washes ashore on a deserted island and finds a world full of strange things, and the attractions, which resemble giant creatures and shipwrecks, are designed to be enjoyable even for small children.
The tour takes about one hour, so you can choose according to your child's interests and physical strength, and preschoolers from 3 years old can participate.

Local Guide Comment
The fun is up to children's imagination. Of course, adults can also enjoy it.
Adventure Island VOTAN
  • Address Hatsushima, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture MAP
  •  Bus Direction From Atami Station, take the bus bound for Atami Port (10 minutes) and get off at Atami Port. From Atami Port, take a 30-minute ferry ride to Hatsushima Port. Approximately 10 minutes walk from Hatsushima Port.
  •  Business hours From 10:00 (last admission depends on the season; check the business calendar on the website)
  •  Closed Thursdays (open all year round during the year-end and New Year's holidays, GW, and summer)
  •  Admission Fee 600 yen for ages 3 and up (common fare for adults and children)
  •  TEL 0557-67-1462

The pottery studio "doka dohi-hi" is conveniently located about a 5-minute walk from Atami Station. There are a total of five Experience courses, including a hand-building course, a spoon painting course, and a painting plate course, and reservations can be made on the day of your visit if space is available.
The spoon painting course is recommended for those who want to create original works of art in a casual manner. All you have to do is paint a ceramic spoon with six different colors of dye and have it fired, which takes less than one hour. The spoon is fired overnight, so if you are staying in Atami, you can pick it up the next day.

Hand-building course using black granite clay

For those who would like to use a potter's wheel, there is the Tebineri course. You can enjoy molding, decorating, and painting using about 1 kg of a special clay called Kurogane-do, which turns black when fired. It is recommended to check the contents on the website in advance and make a reservation for your favorite plan before you go.

Local Guide Comment
Even first-timers may fall under the charm of pottery making!
Ceramics Studio doka dohi-hi
  • Address 8-1 Sakimi-cho, Atami, Shizuoka MAP
  •  Direction 5 min. walk from JR Atami Station.
  •  Business hours 10:00-17:00 (spoon painting course is open until 16:00, hand-painting course is open until 15:00)
  •  Closed Tuesdays (open daily in August)
  •  Admission Fee Hand-building course: 4,700 yen, spoon painting course: 3,100 yen, picture plate course: 2,700 yen
  •  TEL 0557-82-6780
  •  Parking None

Visitors can experience classes in silver jewelry, stained glass, sandblasting, and glass art. Everyone from children to the elderly can enjoy the experience.
Especially popular is the Silver Accessory Experience. Using sterling silver clay, a soft clay-like metal, you can mold it into any shape you like and add patterns. A wide variety of molds for designing are available, so anyone can skillfully make a pair of rings or a pendant top.

Silver accessories in various styles

Another experience starts at 3,200 yen for the "Sandblasting Experience," a decorating technique for glassware in which a pattern is created on a transparent glass surface by blowing an abrasive called "Kongo sand" with compressed air. The process takes one and a half to two hours. The stained glass experience starts at 3,800 yen and takes 1.5 to 3 hours. Families and couples can share the fun of making things together.

Local Guide Comment
Concentrate and immerse yourself in silence. The Sandblasting Experience is also recommended for children.
Creative Studio Atelier Laut
  • Address 8-5 Ginza-cho, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture MAP
  •  Direction Approx. 15 min. walk from JR Atami Station
  •  Business hours 10:00-18:00 (Reservations for each Experience class are accepted until 15:30)
  •  Closed Tuesdays
    *Sometimes open during GW, Obon vacations, year-end and New Year holidays, etc.
  •  Admission Fee Silver Accessory Experience: 4,600 yen and up
    For other Experience prices and hours, please check ㏋.
  •  TEL 0557-86-4470
  •  Parking None

Experience glass blowing at "studio iiro," a glass artisan's studio. Visitors will create their own glass works by designing their own glass pieces while referring to glass models.
The Experience begins with deciding on the color and shape of the glass. Next, glass is melted in a gas kiln, wrapped around a blowing rod, and blown in. Then, after rolling the rod to shape, a wooden board is pressed against it to form the bottom of the glass. The cup is then opened using a special tool, and when it has cooled down thoroughly, it is finished.
The work can be picked up the next day or mailed to you.

Tumblers with beautiful patterns

The experience takes about 30 minutes, but you will be able to create your own original work of art with unexpected tints and colors that you will love. It is recommended to bring a towel because it is quite hot in the workshop.

Local Guide Comment
You can experience almost every step of the glass blowing process, so you will feel the satisfaction of having made the glass yourself.
studio iiro
  • Address 579-41 Izuyama, Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture MAP
  •  Direction Approx. 20 min. walk from JR Atami Station
  •  Bus Direction Take a bus bound for Izuyama or Yugawara from JR Atami Station and get off at "Izuyama Chuo" stop.
  •  Business hours 10:00-18:00
  •  Closed Closed on weekends and holidays
  •  Admission Fee Glass Blowing Experience 3,800 yen and up
  •  TEL 0557-88-1160
  •  Parking Free of charge (2 cars)
  •  Memo 60% of the rooms are reserved on weekdays, and 90% on weekends and holidays.
The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.