Yonaguni: a natural formation people shaped into a ritual site, then the sea swallowed it
In 1986, diver Kihachiro Aratake went down off the southern coast of Yonaguni Island in Okinawa, Japan, and found a large rock mass sitting under the sea. At about 25 metres of depth, broad flat faces, large steps, long grooves, and near-right angles make the formation look like a plaza or the base of a building, and people call it the Yonaguni Monument.
⬛ CONFIDENTIAL nhat141210/data 8/17/2026 1 min read
In 1986, diver Kihachiro Aratake went down off the southern coast of Yonaguni Island in Okinawa, Japan, and found a large rock mass sitting under the sea. Its highest point lies about 25 metres below the surface. Before him were broad flat faces, large steps, long grooves, and near-right angles, lines that make a person picture a plaza or the base of a building. People came to call the formation the Yonaguni Monument.
In 1986, diver Kihachiro Aratake went down off the southern coast of Yonaguni Island in Okinawa, Japan, and found a large rock mass sitting under the sea. At about 25 metres of depth, broad flat faces, large steps, long grooves, and near-right angles make the formation look like a plaza or the base of a building, and people call it the Yonaguni Monument.
In 1986, diver Kihachiro Aratake went down off the southern coast of Yonaguni Island in Okinawa, Japan, and found a large rock mass sitting under the sea. At about 25 metres of depth, broad flat faces, large steps, long grooves, and near-right angles make the formation look like a plaza or the base of a building, and people call it the Yonaguni Monument.
In 1986, diver Kihachiro Aratake went down off the southern coast of Yonaguni Island in Okinawa, Japan, and found a large rock mass sitting under the sea. At about 25 metres of depth, broad flat faces, large steps, long grooves, and near-right angles make the formation look like a plaza or the base of a building, and people call it the Yonaguni Monument.
In 1986, diver Kihachiro Aratake went down off the southern coast of Yonaguni Island in Okinawa, Japan, and found a large rock mass sitting under the sea. At about 25 metres of depth, broad flat faces, large steps, long grooves, and near-right angles make the formation look like a plaza or the base of a building, and people call it the Yonaguni Monument.