Katsuura tide times

Predictions: Open-Meteo Marine (MeteoFrance SMOC, 0.08° grid) — heights relative to MSL (not chart datum / LAT). Model-derived.

Model-derived from a global ocean grid. Useful indication; expect about ±45 minutes on average vs. a local harmonic gauge, individual stations vary widely. See /methodology for per-region detail. Not for navigation.

Conditions as of 08:00 local time. Refreshes daily.

Predictions: Open-Meteo Marine (MeteoFrance SMOC, 0.08° grid) — heights relative to MSL (not chart datum / LAT). Model-derived. · Not for navigation.

The angler tradition for major/minor fishing windows: major ≈3-hour windows around moon transit and opposition; minor ≈2-hour windows around moonrise and moonset. Times are Asia/Tokyo local. Folk tradition, not a scientific forecast.

Next spring tide on Tue 05 May (range 1.3m). Last neap on Mon 04 May. Next neap on Sun 10 May.

Spring tides cluster around new and full moons (biggest swings). Neap tides land on quarter moons (smallest swings). See the spring tide and neap tide glossary entries for the why.

Katsuura is on the Kumano coast of the Kii Peninsula (Wakayama Prefecture), where the Kii Mountains meet the Pacific Ocean in a landscape of deep inlets, rocky headlands, and some of the most dramatic coastal scenery in the Kansai region. This is not the Katsuura in Chiba (also called Katsuura) — this is Nachikatsuura, the town adjacent to Nachi Falls, Nachi Grand Shrine, and the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage routes. Tidal range is semidiurnal with a mean spring range of about 1.8 metres. The coastline around Katsuura is an indented ria coast — numerous deep, narrow inlets carved by rivers descending from the Kii Mountains. The Katsuura Bay itself is sheltered by the Kirigashima (Fog Island) and several smaller islands. Clear water enters the bays from the Kuroshio Current offshore; underwater visibility can reach 20 metres in the open sea sections on the ria coast. Bluefin tuna (maguro) from the Katsuura area are among the most celebrated in Japan. The Katsuura tuna auction at dawn is one of the few outside Tokyo that visitors can observe. The tuna are landed from boats working the Pacific south of the peninsula, where the Kuroshio Current concentrates the fish. Fresh tuna over rice at the harbour-side restaurants rivals Tokyo's best at a fraction of the price. The Kumano Kodo is a network of ancient pilgrimage routes connecting three Grand Shrines (Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha in Shingu, and Kumano Nachi Taisha above Katsuura). The Nakahechi route, the main coastal pilgrim path, passes through this area and was designated UNESCO World Heritage in 2004. Nachi Falls, behind Katsuura, is Japan's highest waterfall at 133 metres — visible from the sea on a clear day. Sea kayaking along the Kumano ria coast is exceptional — the rocky inlets, small sandy coves (unavailable by road), and warm Kuroshio-influenced water make for a distinctly south Japanese coastal experience. The water is warm enough for comfortable snorkelling from May through October (22 to 28°C). Dive operators in Katsuura run boat trips to the offshore reefs. Predictions on this page come from Open-Meteo Marine, a gridded global ocean model. Accuracy is typically within plus or minus 45 minutes on timing and 0.2 to 0.3 metres on height — model-derived, not from a local gauge. For authoritative Japanese tide data, consult the Japan Meteorological Agency at jma.go.jp.