Scuba Diving Excursions with Discovery Divers Tokyo

With summer in full swing, now is a great time to head to the beach or even better, into the water. Japan is surrounded by ocean with all manner of beaches to visit, but what if you want to go a step further and try some scuba diving, Discovery Divers Tokyo, or DDT, may be the answer.

Also known as the Kanto region’s ocean tribe, DDT, with its tagline “serving the dive community,” focuses on the importance of dive education to help build skills and enjoyment in the water. The group’s aim is to allow divers to be in the water as much as possible, under the assumption that the more you dive the more you improve and enjoy yourself.

Diving in Japan can be difficult due to high costs, a lack of information, and the language barrier for those who don’t speak Japanese. DDT offers the English-speaking community a range of courses, gear and excursions. Instructors and dive masters have been selected based on their diving experience, patience, organizational skills, and ability to relate to people (they all remember that diving is fun!). They also work strictly within safety guidelines, including proper team size and instructor-to-student ratios.

Trips, Courses & Events

DDT’s dive trips mostly take place between June and October along the Izu Peninsula. Atami is a popular spot in the east of Izu for its easy access from Tokyo (40 minutes by bullet train), rocky surfaces and coral gardens around 10 minutes from shore, and one of the only shipwrecks in mainland Japan that divers can visit. Osezaki in the west of Izu has a range of areas with sandy bottoms and soft coral. Night diving is available there year round and its sheltered bay is perfect for dive training, with plenty of marine life on offer. During the summer, weekend trips are organized to the Izu Islands of Oshima and Hachijojima (turtle fans take note, Hachijojima is full of them!), while more recently the group has started diving off Tateyama in Chiba, an area famous for sharks and rays.

A range of recreational, leadership and technical courses are on offer with DDT, including Open Water, Advanced, Rescue, Dive Master, and Instructor. Pool training takes place at Yugawara pool near Atami. Other courses on offer include regulator maintenance and dry suit training. Every year, on the first weekend of June, members also take part in an underwater cleanup at Lake Motosuko near Mt Fuji. A trip that marks the start of the dive season, everyone gathers for a bit of camping, a BBQ and, of course, a fun weekend.

DDT is relaxed and friendly, and anyone is welcome to join regardless of training level or agency. Once a month the group meets for a social night usually in Shibuya or Ebisu. Check the DDT Facebook page for updates on these events. If you’re joining a social for the first time, let the group know. Someone will meet you and introduce you to everyone.

DDT is not just about the diving—it’s a great chance to catch up with fellow divers and make friends, not just with foreigners but with Japanese divers as well. Everyone wants to dive and have fun. Serving the dive community, this group does.

Further Information

More information about DDT, its training courses, trips, events and prices can be found online by clicking here. Alternatively, send a message to Jim Goddard at discoverydiverstokyo@gmail.com. Jim, who runs DDT, is a PADI Instructor and NAUI Course Director (one of only two English-speaking NAUI CDs in Japan). Joining DDT is free of charge.