Certification

[scubabunny]

Hi Japan,

If you are willing to travel to get certified (I know classes in Japan cost A LOT!) come to Guam. Round trip airfare is sooooo cheap right now..except for Golden Week. Think they double the prices then (don't ask me why!)

If you do get certified in Japan, stay away from DAX (DACS?) It is a dive agency that is offered through the health clubs. Basically, they will certify people to ONLY dive with a divemaster or instructor..and I don't think they ever do a dive out of a pool. They teach mask clearing and regulator retrieval...and then send the people as "certified divers" to their vacation destination of choice. Very scarey!!

Most of the shops here are PADI, but there are a few NAUI and IANDT. Let me know if you want more info. And, good luck!!

 

[Rick Murchison]

Originally posted by AllenG
Consideration should be given to instructors who are not owners/employees/associates of a dive shop. LDS owner/instructors may give you a narrow perspective on gear, local clubs, local diving, etc.

They may, and independents may lack support, supervision, standardization and have an even narrower supply of on-hand equipment for you to try before you buy. Coins always have two sides.
Rick

 

[Diversauras]

I agree with Rick, every group has its down side. A really good LDS, one employing active divers, will usually give unbiased info. They know if you find out from someone / someplace else that they were coloring their responses, well they'd expect you to go elsewhere.

 

[ifukuda]

Hello Japan,

I'm originally from Osaka too. It seems that you are interested in diving overseas. If so, I suggest that you get trained overseas.

There are several problems with SCUBA training in Japan.

The first is cost. MSRP of equipment is double that of the dive shops in the United States. Training fees are almost triple that of the US, as long as you can read and write English (which you obviously can).

The second problem is that not a lot of emphasis is placed on important navigational skills. Although navigation is taught as it is anywhere else in the world, newbie (OW, AOW) divers in Japan are conditioned to be completely reliant on their guide (kingyo no fun joutai). Newbies from Japan are more prone to get lost when they dive overseas. DMs in Japan generally assume that divers in his/her group have no navi skills, this is not always the case elsewhere.


Take care