The legend of the Lost City of Atlantis has fascinated humanity for centuries, blurring the lines between myth and reality. But while most associate this tale with ancient Greece, Japan, too, may hold its own version of a sunken empire—deep beneath the waves of the East China Sea.
At the southwestern tip of the Ryukyu archipelago, just 62 miles off the coast of Taiwan, lies the small island of Yonaguni. With a modest population of around 1,684 residents, the island may seem unremarkable at first glance. However, hidden beneath its surrounding waters lies a mysterious underwater formation that has captured the world’s imagination.
Nicknamed “Japan’s Atlantis,” the Yonaguni Monument is a massive rock structure resembling the ruins of an uninhabited underwater city. Discovered in 1986 by diver Kihachiro Aratake, who was initially observing local hammerhead shark populations, the finding was purely accidental.
“I was overwhelmed when I discovered it,” Aratake told BBC Global. “I knew it would become a treasure of Yonaguni. I kept it a secret at first—I didn’t even tell my own team.”
A Monument Beneath the Waves
The structure is approximately 50 meters long and 20 meters wide, with flat surfaces, sharp edges, and what appear to be spiral staircases carved into the stone. For years, it has left locals and researchers alike puzzled and intrigued.
But the debate remains:
Is the Yonaguni Monument a man-made relic of an ancient civilization—or merely a product of natural geological processes?
A Lost Civilization or Natural Wonder?
Proponents of the theory that Yonaguni is an artificial structure believe it’s evidence of a long-lost civilization, predating any known advanced society. One of the leading voices in this camp is geologist Masaaki Kimura, a former professor at the University of the Ryukyus.
According to IFLScience, Kimura has argued that the formations were once part of a lost continent, possibly Lemuria, and were built 2,000 to 3,000 years ago, during a time when sea levels were significantly lower.
Renowned author Graham Hancock, known for his alternative historical theories, has also expressed support for this idea.
Science Weighs In
Despite the enthusiasm surrounding such theories, the scientific consensus leans toward a more grounded explanation: natural erosion.
Robert Schoch, a professor at Boston University, has been particularly vocal. In an earlier interview with National Geographic, he dismissed the man-made claims, describing the monument as a product of "basic geology and classical stratigraphy for sandstones."
“Sandstones tend to fracture along bedding planes, which can result in very straight edges—especially in tectonically active regions with numerous fault lines,” Schoch explained.
While the Yonaguni Monument may never be definitively classified as either the remnants of an ancient civilization or a remarkable quirk of nature, it continues to inspire curiosity, debate, and wonder.
Whether Japan’s own "Atlantis" is history or legend, one thing is certain: the secrets of the sea still have much to reveal.
