Maou no Kyuden (Devil's Palace)
魔王の宮殿24°50′ N 125°09′ EDiveDive: intermediate
Maou no Kyuden (the Devil's Palace) is a cave dive off Shimoji for Advanced Open Water divers; Marea Miyakojima lists an entrance at about 15 m and a maximum depth of 19–30 m.
Marea Miyakojima calls the Devil's Palace the most famous terrain dive on Miyako. You enter through a crack in the reef into a bright entrance hall, follow a corridor where you need a torch, and come out in a hall where shafts of blue light drop through the roof onto schools of pygmy sweepers. Marea gives the maximum depth as about 25 m in its guide and 19–30 m in its site list.
It sits in calmer water than Toriike, so it is the one of the three famous Shimoji sites most likely to run on your first day. Keep your buoyancy neutral and wait your turn under the light so the silt stays down for everyone.
Before you swim
- Dark corridor between chambers: carry a torch
- Silt on the floor; use minimal fin kicks and keep off the bottom
December to March
Marea Miyakojima puts March water at 21–23 °C and recommends at least a 5 mm wetsuit with a hooded vest; in early March 2026 it measured 21 °C where fresh water mixes in at Toriike. It belongs to the Shimoji area that Marea runs from September to April, so it suits a February trip, and it is the most sheltered of the three famous terrain dives.
Diving · intermediate
15–30 m
A crack in the reef at about 15 m opens into a bright entrance hall. A pitch-dark corridor then leads to a chamber where blue light falls from the ceiling over swarms of glassfish.
Dive with a local shop.
Our ratings
- Quiet
- Scenery
Worth knowing
- The pin marks Shimoji island at the airport; the dive lies off its coast and the boat chooses the mooring on the day.
- Wide-angle lenses suit the light shafts.
FAQ
Quick answers about Maou no Kyuden (Devil's Palace)よくある質問
What level is the Devil's Palace dive in Miyako?
Marea Miyakojima rates Maou no Kyuden for Advanced Open Water divers, with a maximum depth of 19–30 m.
Do you need a torch for Maou no Kyuden?
Yes. A corridor between the chambers is pitch dark without a dive light.
Is Maou no Kyuden (Devil's Palace) worth visiting in winter?
Marea Miyakojima puts March water at 21–23 °C and recommends at least a 5 mm wetsuit with a hooded vest; in early March 2026 it measured 21 °C where fresh water mixes in at Toriike. It belongs to the Shimoji area that Marea runs from September to April, so it suits a February trip, and it is the most sheltered of the three famous terrain dives.
Is Maou no Kyuden (Devil's Palace) safe?
Know these before you swim at Maou no Kyuden (Devil's Palace): dark corridor between chambers: carry a torch; silt on the floor; use minimal fin kicks and keep off the bottom.
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