Tatsukushi, Kochi - August 12th, 2010, Thursday

[drdaddy]

We will be in Japan for 3 weeks this summer in the area of Osaka and Kochi. We will be staying and visiting with English/Japanese speakers. This is not a dive trip, but we are planning a trip to Tatsukusi on August 12, 2010 (Thursday). I want to go diving when I am there.

I do not go to places to dive, but whenever I'm in a place, I want to dive. Boat, shore, jetty, clear tropical or the cold NW USA (Oregon/Washington - 7mm wetsuit) - I love diving. Dive every-other/every weekend, year round in Oregon/Washington,USA. My level is a few hundred dives/rescue diver.

I have tried to contact the Tatsukushi Diving Center. I have sent an email, and they didn't answer. My guess is that they do not speak good English. Or the possibility that they are not really equipped to handle visiting divers. This should not be the case as they are part of PADI (Professional Association of Dive Instructors). However, I have seen "so called" PADI places that were under equipped before, but I trust that this is not the case with Tatsukushi Diving Center.

If they are not able to accommodate me, I am asking for a referral and/or a contact to dive-shop in Kochi. I will bring my own regulator (Yoke - not DIN), mask, snorkel, and fins. I will need to rent from them the BCD (Buoyancy Compensator Device) and a 2xx-tra large 7mm wetsuit (not drysuit) and weights (they'll know that). I am 58 years old, weigh 91 kilograms (200 lbs), 175 cm, and have a belly. I also prefer steel tanks over aluminum, but will dive with what they have.

Obviously, from the above, it would be best if you could find a good English speaking divemaster or instructor so I could email him directly.

Thank you for your help.

 

[Daiika]

drdaddy, I don't think they would have a 2XX 7mm wetsuit for rental. Last year I called 7 shops in Izu, Kanagawa and no one had a 2XX 5mm or 7mm wetsuit. The BCD, they might have a XL size. But at least they have all the weights. you have boots?

Since they don't have an English link page, they probably don't speak good English.

good luck.

 

[Mar Scuba]

We have 5mm 1 piece wetsuits, super stretch Pyrostretch neoprene, up to size 3XL in our rental inventory.

Japanese shops do NOT carry these Western sizes...same as most shops in the US would not have a proper fitting wetsuit for a 4'8" Japanese female.

Cheers,

 

[japan-diver]

As Mar Scuba has pointed out I doubt you will find a wetsuit that size at a Japanese shop. There are a few shops in Tokyo area that cater to foreigners that would have that size or of course you could come down to Okinawa and we stock up to 4XL in our rental and here you only need a 3mm or shorty in summer. If you are not getting an answer from them on email that is normally the sign that they can not accommodate English speakers or you could have your Japanese speaking friend give them a call.

The BC should not be a problem but I would check on that also. Booties if you are over a size 9 US (27cm Japanese size) can also be a problem. On Okinawa the shops normally have at least a pair or two rental booties up to 29cm (11 US size) but you may not find that in mainland and anything larger than that is very rare.

 

[drdaddy]

Dear Zen ScubaBoarders,

I'm getting discouraged. I'll have my friends call and see if they could accommodate me at all. Since I'm not there to dive and only plan on diving one day, I cannot justify taking my own wetsuit. I could pack booties, though. I'd better check on the wetsuit. 2xlarge would probably do.

But my friends are not divers. I wonder if any of you would mind contacting Tatsukushi Diving Center for me? eMail: khamaguchi@tdc2001.com

scubish.com: Tatsukushi Diving Center - Kochi - Japan

If they have the sizes, I can overcome the language barriers through my friends.

Thank you.
DrDaddy

 

[bs63366]

DrDaddy

I know that it is hard for us bigger guys. I am a 2xl as well and I can not really find any clothes for myself out here let alone a wet suit. If there is anyway that you can bring your wetsuit that would be best because there are not many people over here our size. Can you have your friends go check out the shop sometime. I would but I am down in Yokosuka. Hope that you get everything worked out.

 

[drdaddy]

DrDaddy

I know that it is hard for us bigger guys. I am a 2xl as well and I can not really find any clothes for myself out here let alone a wet suit. If there is anyway that you can bring your wetsuit that would be best because there are not many people over here our size. Can you have your friends go check out the shop sometime. I would but I am down in Yokosuka. Hope that you get everything worked out.

I take my mask, snorkel, booties, and fins everywhere I go. If I'm going to dive, I take my reg set in my carry-on. If I'm going to dive a lot, I'll take my BC, but in this case I don't plan to take it, since I only plan to do 2 dives (hopefully).

And, I've already decided to take a wetsuit. All I have are 7mm farmer johns, but I'm sure that I will be fine.

I'm starting to feel a little over-equipped since this is not a dive trip.

The shop is 4 hours from my friends. They are willing to take my wife and I there because it is such a beautiful area. I really just wanted a diver to contact the shop in Tatsukushi to make sure that they will even take me for a couple of dives on August 12th.

If they won't, then I won't (sigh) take any of my gear.

 

[drdaddy]

Great news!!! I have reservations to dive with Tatsukushi Diving Center in August!!! They said they seldom answer the phone, so use email. But they never answered my email nor my friend's email. So my friend called them twice and they answered both times and set up my reservations.

I have a morning boat dive/one tank, and then we come in for snack, change out tanks, and then head back out for another dive. I can even have lunch with them afterwords.

They, like some of you, suggest that I bring my own wetsuit (booties & hood & gloves), as they may not have one big enough for me. So I'll also bring mask, snorkel, fins, and my reg set.

I hope I'm not too warm in my 7mm farmer john, but I can always let the water flow down my neck and not use the hood. We'll see. I just excited. Look at the beautiful red coral at their diving sites.

http://www.tdc2001.com/

 

[drdaddy]

Hello Scuba Friends in Japan,
I ended up taking over all my own gear. No hassles with airport security, but one inexperienced person sent my regulator back through the x-ray and was embarrassed by the tech who told her he saw it the first time and no issues. I bought a 3mm wetsuit and a 2mm hooded vest - it was perfect for the 85 to 81 degree water. And Mizuki (her name means "Beautiful Moon") "guessed" my lead weight needs exactly! I was impressed. We were originally going to take a boat dive from Tasukushi, but we ended up doing some beautiful beach dives. We saw all the normal stuff such as eels, coral, lion fish, puffer fish, etc., and a ray fleeing our intrusion. The best part was just diving with an experienced dive buddy who became a friend. Thank you for all of your help to make this set of dives. Here is an excerpt that I wrote for our church newsletter.

William had made arrangements to scuba dive in Japan, explaining, that while he could not speak Japanese, doing things that people enjoy together can build a bond. Mizuki was the instructor and ocean waves from a distant typhoon made the planned boat dive impossible, so Mizuki drove William to a beach over an hour away. This entailed driving narrow mountain roads to a beautiful beach. By the end of the dives, and back at the shop, a bond had been formed. There had never been an American to this scuba shop before. William (speaking no Japanese) took out family pictures, and over a bowl of hot rice and wonderful tasting sauces, explained to Mizuki how Debbie's (William's wife's) family had come after WWII to bring the love and peace of Jesus to their former enemies. In getting into the van, after eight hours together, William turned and gave Mizuki a spontaneous big hug. As the van was driving away, Mizuki stood in front of the shop, bowing and waving, courteously (as is customary in Japan) waiting for her customer to depart.

Mizuki Sano, Dive Instructor & William (drdaddy)​

TATSUKUSHI DIVING CENTER
http://www.tdc2001.com/

 

[bs63366]

Thats great to hear that you had a great time diving in Japan. Glad that everything worked out for you and that you had a great time. Do you know the name of the beach that you went to for the diving?