- Yonaguni Monument is one of all the famous monuments in Japan, perhaps none is more perplexing than Yonaguni, an underwater rock formation that lies off the coast of the Ryuku Islands
- It was discovered in 1987 by a group of divers who were there to observe Hammerhead sharks, and it immediately sparked a huge amount of debate in the Japanese scientific community
- The monument is made up of a series of striking rock formations including massive platforms, carved steps, and huge stone pillars that lie at depths of 5-40 meters
- There is a triangular formation that has become known as “the turtle” for its unique shape, as well as a long, straight wall that borders one of the larger platforms
- The currents in the area are known for being particularly treacherous, but this has not stopped the Yonaguni monument from becoming one of the most popular diving locations in all of Japan
- The ongoing debate surrounding Yonaguni centers on one key subject: is the monument a natural phenomenon, or is it man-made?
- Scientists have long argued that millennia of strong currents and erosion have carved the formations out of the ocean floor, and they point to the fact that the monument is all one piece of solid rock as proof that it was not assembled by a builder
- Others, though, point to the many straight edges, square corners and 90-degree angles of the formation as proof that it’s artificial
- They often cite one formation in particular, a section of rock that resembles a crude carving of a human face, as evidence
- If they are right, then an even more interesting mystery presents itself: who constructed the Yonaguni Monument, and for what purpose?