There’s more to the “Land of the Rising Sun” than amazing cultural experiences and delicious cuisine. Generally speaking, Japan is a very safe country to travel around and locals are known for being extremely polite. Besides the overall niceties of the people and the gorgeous scenery on land, Okinawa, Japan is becoming a scuba diving hot spot with abundant marine life and dive sites rivaling those of other iconic Asian dive destinations.

One of our staffers recently returned from a scuba diving trip around Okinawa, Japan, where she visited Kerama, Ishigaki, Iriomote and Taketomi in the Okinawa region. If the video above can't convince you, here are six reasons why your next dive trip should be to Okinawa, Japan:

1. Mantas! There are two known dive sites for seeing manta rays near Ishigaki: Manta City off Ishigaki Island, which is a shallow site around 30 feet deep, and Manta Point off Iriomote Island, which is suited for more advanced divers since the site frequently sees strong currents and the mantas are at a depth of 90 feet.

2. Don’t speak Japanese? No problem. In Kerama and Ishigaki, it is more common to encounter dive operators with English speaking guides.

3. Underwater aliens! OK, maybe not. But some believe that off Yonaguni Island there is an underwater city at dive site Yonaguni Monument. However, the general consensus is that it's the remains of a fractured coastline. You will have to go explore for yourself to see firsthand.

4. Government regulations require a ratio of three to four divers maximum per dive guide. This is great news for divers looking for a more intimate dive experience.

5. For English-speaking travelers, there is still a very strong U.S. military presence in Okinawa. This makes conversation and getting around much easier if you are traveling without a guide.

6. Okinawa, Japan is very clean and overall a very safe place to travel to.

Travel Tips

• We recommended booking with a dive travel company who can organize guides and translators (if you desire) to travel with your group as some dive operators in Okinawa do not provide English-speaking guides.

• Book your flight into Tokyo-Haneda airport to lessen your travel time to Naha, Okinawa. Personally, we also find the Tokyo-Haneda easier to navigate than the Tokyo-Narita airport.

For more information on scuba diving in Okinawa, Japan visit the official travel and information website here.