Hirasawa Beach

Hirasawa Beach (平沢ビーチ) is a shore-entry site at Hirasawa, Numazu, on the west coast of the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka, with a maximum depth of 23 m, suitable from beginner level with slight current at times. The wide area divides into an east side, a west side in front of the marine centre, and the headland. The east side, entered from the east gate, runs through a seaweed forest to schools of small fish and beds of staghorn coral and anemones that host juvenile anemonefish and threespot dascyllus in summer, with a guide line kept clear of weed; the west side is the most sheltered part of the beach and the usual open-water training area, with largescale blackfish, mullet and the occasional ray resting on the bottom. The headland, entered from the west gate or the beach outside July and August, has better water flow with large soft coral and schools of cardinalfish, barracuda and sweepers over the boulders.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• False KelpfishSebastiscus marmoratusReported here · unconfirmed
• Cheekspot ScorpionfishScorpaenodes evidesReported here · unconfirmed
• Chelidoperca hirundinaceaReported here · unconfirmed
• Campbell's SandgobyIstigobius campbelliReported here · unconfirmed