3 months Japan + freediving islands
Hi everyone, I’m taking a break from Cape Town where I recently started freediving, and heading to Japan for 3 months starting June 2nd. After that I have another month or so to spend somewhere in Asia. My main goal is to use the island part of the trip to actually improve my freediving, snorkeling every other day and freediving with a local school or operator around 3 times a week.
My original plan was to spend the first month in Tokyo (monthly rentals seem the most budget-friendly), then 2 weeks on Ishigaki and 2 weeks around Okinawa, and then head north to Hokkaido and explore that area. Last year I did southern Japan up to Kyoto and Osaka so I want to see something new this time.
The issue is that looking at weather and sea conditions, June seems better for the islands while July might be nicer for Tokyo. So I’m wondering if I should flip the order.
A few things I’d love advice on: should I do the islands in June and Tokyo in July, or does the original order still make sense? Which islands would you recommend for a beginner freediver who wants calm conditions and good visibility? Ishigaki is my top pick but I’m open to Miyako, Kerama or elsewhere. And if you know any good freediving schools or operators in that area that work well for beginners, I’d love to hear about them.
Last question after Japan I have about a month left and want to spend it somewhere close by in Asia that’s affordable and has a good freediving scene. Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand are all on my radar but I’m open to anything within a reasonable flight from Japan.
Thanks a lot in advance.