Fujikawa Maru Liveaboard Diving

The Fujikawa Maru rests in Truk (Chuuk) Lagoon in Micronesia's Chuuk State, one of more than 50 Japanese vessels sunk there during World War II. It's widely considered the lagoon's signature wreck and is usually the first one visiting divers explore.

The wreck sits upright with its shallowest point around 30 ft (9 m) and the seabed at about 111 ft (34 m), with the main deck at roughly 59 ft (18 m). That range makes it accessible to recreational divers while still offering deeper penetration options for the more experienced.

It sank on February 18, 1944, during Operation Hailstone, the surprise US carrier raid that caught much of Japan's Pacific fleet at anchor in Truk Lagoon. Multiple torpedo and bomb hits sent it down, loaded with aircraft parts and ammunition.

The forward holds hold disassembled Japanese Zero fighter parts, including a rare A5M "Claude" fighter and an intact cockpit with dials and switches still in place. The engine room preserves intact machinery and an air compressor nicknamed "R2D2" by divers, while the superstructure holds a galley, bridge, and even tiled bathtubs.

It combines everything divers look for in a wreck dive: accessible depths, remarkable historical artifacts (including actual fighter plane parts), an intact structure, and decades of coral growth that make it as beautiful as it is historic. It's frequently ranked among the best wreck dives in the world.

It was a Japanese armament transport ship, carrying aircraft parts, ammunition, and supplies for Japan's Pacific Fleet when it was sunk. Its cargo is exactly what makes the interior so interesting to explore today.

Yes, to an extent — the shallow main deck, around 30–60 ft (9–18 m), is accessible to divers with basic open-water certification when accompanied by a guide, though entering cargo holds or the engine room is better suited to those with wreck-diving experience. Most liveaboards tailor the dive plan to the group's certification level.

Decades underwater have coated the wreck in pink and white soft corals and sponges, which now shelter schools of tuna, barracuda, and smaller reef fish. The marine growth has turned what was once a warship into one of Chuuk's richest artificial reefs.

It's dived from a day boat or liveaboard based out of Weno, Chuuk's main island, usually as one of the first wrecks on a Truk Lagoon itinerary given its manageable depth and iconic status. Multiple dives are often scheduled to cover the bow, cargo holds, engine room, and superstructure separately.

Yes — its forward cargo holds contain disassembled Japanese Zero fighter fuselages and parts, including a preserved cockpit, making it one of the best places in Truk Lagoon to see WWII aircraft up close. This is one of the wreck's biggest draws for history-minded divers.

The ship measures roughly 435 ft (132 m) long, a sizeable armament transport that gives divers plenty to explore across multiple dives. Its upright, largely intact position makes navigation more straightforward than many of the lagoon's more broken-up wrecks.

Yes, with the right training — divers with wreck certification can access the engine room, cargo holds, and parts of the superstructure, while less experienced divers typically stick to the open deck and holds. Guides tailor the route to the group's comfort and certification level.

Visibility in Truk Lagoon typically runs 40–60 ft (12–18 m), sometimes better in the dry season from November to April, giving divers a good view of the wreck's silhouette from a distance before descending. Visibility can drop after heavy rain stirs up lagoon sediment.

A dive light is useful for peering into holds and the engine room, and a wide-angle camera captures both the coral-covered exterior and the aircraft parts inside. Wreck-certified divers heading into tighter interior spaces should also carry a reel and backup light.

It was one of dozens of ships caught by surprise during Operation Hailstone in February 1944, when US carrier aircraft attacked what Japan had considered a secure, heavily defended fleet anchorage. The raid effectively ended Truk's role as a major Japanese naval base and left the lagoon floor scattered with wrecks.