Diving in the Tokyo Area around NewYearsEve

[MattiasA]

Hi All

Newcomer to the forums here, but It seems this is the place to go to get the info I need.

Me and my girlfriend will be in Tokyo around New Years Eve this winter for about a week (likely Jan 2nd to Jan 8th) and we were hoping to be able to do some diving. Either 2 dives/1 day or 2+2 dives over 2 days. Since we have so few days we're don't want to travel too far from Tokyo, so from what I've read the IZU area seems to be the place to go.

However I'm having a bit of a hard time finding divecenters with information in English (and even finding info about diving in the Tokyo area is a bit hard).

We are both PADI AOW (I'm taking mine in 2 weeks so I'm not really that experienced), but we have been diving in Sweden so we can both handle airconnected (is that the correct term?) drysuits and chilly waters.

What I have been finding out so far is that we (or at least I) might have an issue finding rental gear as I'm 185 tall with EUR45/US12 Feet, and my girlfriend is about 175.

I have also found at least one place that only do Nitrox dives, and neither of us has that certification (yet, I might add).

So my questions boils down to:

- Do you have any tips on whom to contact in the Tokyo Area for arranging these dives (english language required)?
- Are the dive centers even open this close to New Years, and what would the diving be like?
- Rental sizes. Any tips on whom to talk to? As diving isn't the first prio of the trip and Tokyo isn't our only destination, we will not be bringing our own gear..
- Nitrox.. Is that a commonplace requirement so we should try to get that cert before we go?

Any other tips are more than welcome. This is our first trip to Japan so we're a bit lost (even before boarding the flight over)

Many Thanks
Mattias

 

[japan-diver]

I'm sure the Tokyo people will chime in shortly but here in Okinawa we are open that time of year and you won't need a drysuit if you come down this way.

 

[MattiasA]

Thanks for the invite.

Believe me we have thought about it long and hard.. but with the limited number of days we have in Japan (6 nights in total) we unfortunately had to rule out Okinawa for this trip. But after reading about it, Okinawa certainly made it on the list of places to be visited in the future

 

[TJO]

Hi Mattias,

Most of JUE's instructors will be cave diving in Mexico until the 7th We have your sizes in drysuits, no problem at all. I can check if one of our instructors or divemasters can take you those dates. We dive nitrox and do not charge for the course (except PADI registration/manual). We are one of the few groups diving all around the year.

Thomas

(dykningen här ar jättebra)

 

[MattiasA]

Hi Thomas

I sent you an email to the info-address just before I saw your reply.

I'll send you a new one with a few more specific questions then

Thanks

/Mattias

(Jag ser verkligen fram emot resan )

 

[emanuelw]

Mera svenskar i Japan! Ojoj, kanske blir dags att importera lite julmat. Julfest pa IKEA anyone? Jag vill ha kottbullar och rodbetssallad! よし！

 

[TJO]

Mattias kommer endast pa en veckas besok och foredrar sakert japansk nyarsmat!

Du och jag kan ga till IKEA... Men de visar sakert inte Kalle Anka :-(

 

[The Mushroom King]

Stop it with the swedish !!! Do I need to ask an IKEA employee to read the threads for me???

BTW I might be around the weekend after new years......

 

[TJO]

I am being nice now...

 

[The Mushroom King]

A beaver with a light saber!!! thats pretty cool I must say.
Most beavers in Canada attack people with a hockey stick or sometimes a lacrosse racket, but a light saber is cool. :icoeek: