Tokyo/Izu dive shop recommendations?

[KiiY]

Hi everyone. I live in Tokyo but to date all of my diving has been overseas: Oahu or Phuket. But since I've used up all of my vacation days for the year, my wife and I are thinking about doing some 1-day or weekend dive trips to Izu or maybe even Izu Oshima or Miyakejima this summer.

Are there any dive shops you'd recommend for such trips? And what are average prices for 2 dives including equipment rental? (we only have masks, snorkels and fins)

Thanks!

 

[jagfish]

Hi
PM sent.

Jim

 

[Mar Scuba]

Hi everyone. I live in Tokyo but to date all of my diving has been overseas: Oahu or Phuket. But since I've used up all of my vacation days for the year, my wife and I are thinking about doing some 1-day or weekend dive trips to Izu or maybe even Izu Oshima or Miyakejima this summer.

Are there any dive shops you'd recommend for such trips? And what are average prices for 2 dives including equipment rental? (we only have masks, snorkels and fins)

English or Japanese?

For English, you choices will be quite limited, although I know of a couple of Japanese dive shops with DMs that worked in Guam, etc. They are cheaper since they are more mass diving type of shops.

For native English speaking DMs and Instructors, well, there are only two viable dive ops to go with, either Jim (Jagfish) or Mar Scuba, since JUE (Thomas) only caters to technical divers.

Prices are on the respective websites. You'll notice that our prices are more expensive because we have a much lower ratio of divers to DM, usually 4:1 and I limit to no more than 6:1.

 

[KiiY]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I'll check the websites again when I get home tonight.

We're okay with either English or Japanese.

Both my wife and I are Advanced Open Water certified, but are still relative newbies to scuba diving... so we're hoping for easy dives with lots of pretty things to look at.


One more question: At Atami and Izu Ocean Park, about how far do you have to walk with the tanks before you get to the water?

On the two shore dives we've done so far, my wife almost gave up halfway to the water because the tank was just too heavy. So that may be a consideration that pushes us over to boat dives only...

Thanks!

 

[Mar Scuba]

One more question: At Atami and Izu Ocean Park, about how far do you have to walk with the tanks before you get to the water?

On the two shore dives we've done so far, my wife almost gave up halfway to the water because the tank was just too heavy. So that may be a consideration that pushes us over to boat dives only...

Boat dives, about 20 meters to the boat...

I would suggest somewhere like Futo or Yawatano, with a ramp for easier entry into the water. Most sites do not have a long walk from gearing up location to water.

Tanks are normally 10 liters, we normally use 12 liter tanks (one reason to dive Atami).

How is your wife on air consumption?

In your case, I would have one of my DMs help carry the gear to the waters edge where she could put it on and avoid a long walk. I did this for one diver who had a weak back.

 

[nori1841]

Hi Kiiy,
Don't foreget Enoura, since it is much closer to Tokyo rather than Atami 2km from Odawara and beginner's site on entry/exit and a couple of meter to shore.
You have many options on Izu Peninsula.

 

[KiiY]

Sorry... I'm just full of questions:

- If you had to choose for a first dive in Japan and staying close to Tokyo, would you go to Atami, Enoura, or maybe IOP? Those three seem to be top on the list right now.

- Do most people coming from Tokyo do these dives as a day trip, or an overnight/weekend trip?

- I don't suppose my 2mm full wetsuit is enough for diving here in late August, September or October?

- Someone at work today reminded me about the jellyfish that come in around Obon. Does this pose a problem for shore diving?

- And does anyone have an idea on how much it costs to rent a set of equipment at any of these dive sites and how to make reservations? We'd need to rent BCDs, regulators, and at least 1 wetsuit... maybe 2. (The only thing we have are masks, snorkels, boots and fins -- didn't want to carry too much on the airplane).

 

[jagfish]

Personally, I would not choose IOP. The entry can be difficult, even with low surf. I also feel it's not a great site for beginners. I think the deep stuff is a lot nicer than the shallow stuff there.

My personal preference is Osezaki. Clean entry, lots to see above and below water, and good for beginners up to advanced. Protected bay and nice gradual slope. Also has night diving on Saturday evenings year round.

Osezaki is a preferred weekend trip. Atami is an easy day trip.

My opinion, 2mm maybe enough for August through October, though depending on your body type and preferred depth, you could get cool. Personally, I think a 3mm is better, and 5mm is the best all round suit for Japan, I feel.

I've had good luck here with Jellies, though I am often in the US during much of August.

A full set of gear will run you 5 to 8,000 Yen at an operator. Some operators, like myself also have gear to rent, most likely a much higher quality than the dive site operators.

 

[KiiY]

Hi, Jim.

Thanks for the helpful answers. Now my wife and I just need to figure out when we can get out there.

Muchos arigatos!

 

[jagfish]

Get out where. You're in Tokyo? Myself and other dive ops offer pickup at stations local to the dive sites. We have a dive on for Osezaki this weekend.

This is what I've got going on in the near future...
http://www.discoverydiverstokyo.com/gpage5.html