About Arabesque
What We Value
SHARING
At Arabesque, our main aim is to share emotion through diving, and have a good time together.
We offer various services to help everyone have a fun day’s diving with us – discovering Hachijō Island’s dive sites and marine life, of course, but also underwater photography and dive-related training for example.
And after diving, we can help you discover some of the island’s highlights such as its volcanic hot-springs, fireflies and bioluminescent mushrooms or, when the weather allows, homemade barbecues featuring some of the island’s food specialities, not to mention gorgeous sunsets and star-watching…
SAFETY
Hachijō Island is a small, remote island in the Pacific, directly affected by the powerful Kuroshio warm current.
Because of this, sea conditions can change dramatically, even during a dive.
Our emergency kits include two O2 kits, each with a 30-minute autonomy for free-flowing oxygen at administered at 15L/minute, as well as basic first aid sets and an AED.
We bring our emergency kits both on shore and boat dives, which are all less than 15 minutes away from the Arabesque dive center and/or EMS, and also have extra emergency oxygen at the dive center.
Furthermore, there is a hyperbaric chamber and a municipal hospital on Hachijō island, as well as a helicopter that can be used for emergency medical evacuations to the mainland.
Contrary to what one might expect in a country like Japan, local diving operators can be quite loose when it comes to diving safety, standards and emergency protocols.
At Arabesque, we’re trying to do things right to ensure everyone’s safety, and proactively cover the “what-ifs…“
ARABESQUE TAKES THE FOLLOWING STEPS TO ENSURE DIVER SAFETY:
- Emergency oxygen, a first-aid kit and an AED are available on boat and shore dives
- Guides have signalling devices including mirrors, whistles/air-horns and large surface marker buoys
- Emergency protocols are in place, including an Emergency Action Plan, and we’ve recently implementated human-factors based approaches to safety for our dive staff, to support a genuine and just safety culture
- Dive briefings cover safety aspects of the dive, and implementation of the buddy-system (please note: we cannot currently offer technical diving and/or solo diving support)
- Dive staff is fully trained in rescue procedures, O2 administration, with a minimal divemaster (dive leader) or diving instructor certification or higher, and aware of differences of approaches to diving (CMAS, WRSTC etc)
- Free Nitrox (31%) is offered to certified divers
- Dive groups of 4 to 6 divers to one guide maximum, depending on conditions (unless requested by a group wanting to dive together)
[NOTE ON SAFETY PRACTICES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ]
Note – We currently have Covid-19 specific measures in place, in accordance with safety and hygiene recommendations.
We ask divers to bring and wear a face mask and wear it indoors at the dive center, and also while driving to the dive sites with us.
We check temperatures on arrival, provide hand disinfectant and other hygiene related amenities.
All divers will get a personal bucket for rinsing their own equipment
We wash and disinfect all rental gear and facilities after every day of diving.
Arabesque Dive Center can also offer rescue-oriented training (PADI Rescue course, O2 administration course, First Aid course), for divers seeking to improve their rescue skills, awareness and overall safety during dives.
As previously mentioned, we offer free nitrox (31%) to certified divers, as well as nitrox training to divers wanting to increase dive safety by reducing their nitrogen load during dives. [click here for info on the PADI Enriched Air Nitrox Diver course]
“When we got back to Earth, a lot people asked if everything had gone the way we’d planned.
The truth is that nothing went as we’d planned, but everything was within the scope of what we’d prepared for.”
Chris Hadfield, – An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth
Dives are planned with no mandatory decompression-stops, with a maximum depth of 30m, unless there is a plan to go deeper for a specific reason, with divers having the required qualifications and experience.
Average dive time is 40 to 50 minutes including the safety-stop, depending on conditions (for logistical reasons, boat dives are generally shorter than shore dives).
Please note that Hachijō island’s shore diving entries and exit are a somewhat special, and can be challenging – most are done from former boating slopes, and require walking backwards with fins on, while holding on to a rope, often with a little surge.
Furthermore, some sites such as Sokodo involve a 100m /330ft walk from the parking lot to the entry point, while wearing one’s equipment.
Fins are put on before descending a small flight of stairs.
More on this here.
NOTE: We strongly advise you to get specific insurance coverage for dive trips, covering planned diving activities and emergencies, including medical evacuation and hyperbaric treatments such as DAN, DiveAssure, Diveassist or eventually a more general insurance policy that clearly covers recreational diving activities, such as those offered by WorldNomads, SafetyWings or others.
If you are already covered by general travel insurance, make sure to check that it does indeed cover your planning diving activities in Japan or elsewhere, and other key aspects such as hyperbaric recompression treatments and medical evacuation / repatriation from Japan.
OUR NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
In recent years, the stress human activities have put on our planet’s natural environment, and its oceans, is all too present in our minds.
A heavily industrialised country like Japan no exception and the impact and changes induced by the climate crisis are felt here, as elsewhere, even on a small remote island like Hachijō.
While we are convinced the major causes behind the ongoing climate crisis are to be lack of political power and leadership in the face of the global economic pressures, Arabesque supports initiatives aiming to increase environmental awareness in the diving and general tourism industry.
While these initiatives do little to truly protect and save our oceans, we believe the least we divers can do is try to limit the negative impacts of our scuba diving, and avoid adding to the major problems at hand.
Which is why do what we can to support best practices in diving on a local level, including basic approaches such as not feeding or touching marine life and caring about diver buoyancy to avoid contact as much as possible, and aim to leave the proverbial nothing but bubbles…
We are not a Green Fins Certified dive center yet, but are strongly inspired by the Green Fins guidelines to promote a sustainable diving and snorkelling tourism industry.
Furthermore, we support circular approaches on the island, including clean-ups, repair and recycling and sustainable, non-aggressive approaches to agriculture and development.
If this interests you, feel free to bring it up at the dive center, we’re always happy to have exchanges on such crucial issues!
DIVING THAT FITS YOU
Arabesque caters to beginners as well as experienced divers, and aims to offer a personalised service, adapted to your interests and needs.
For beginner divers, we provide orientation briefings aimed at refreshing and developing acquired skills, and also reinforcing safety aspects.
With more experienced divers, our primarily objective is to help you best discover the island’s underwater world, through guided diving (with small groups, limited to 4 to 6 divers per guide, depending on conditions) or specific services such as assistance with underwater photography, for example.
Feel free to contact us for any special requests or plans you might have, as we’d love to find a way to make things work !
Indeed, at Arabesque, we see diving as a special activity, in that it allows people to become one with nature like no other.
Which is why we’ll do our best to fulfill your needs and requests, to help you discover the riches of Hachijō’s sea in a way that fits you, while being respectful of the natural environment and of other divers
Overall, we firmly believe sharing and learning from each other helps us all grow together as human beings!
GOOD TIMES & HAPPY DAYS!
For those with the right expectations, Hachijō’s sea offers a unique, and often world-class diving experience.
The island is under the direct influence of the Kuroshio, the major warm water current flowing northwards off Japanese coasts, which brings warm water species to the area, which mingle with their more temperate colleagues, and creates a dynamic maritime environment with marked seasonal changes.
And yet Hachijō Island’s highlights are not limited to its underwater world.
The island’s land-based attractions include its volcanic hot springs and topography, its mountain or rainforest hiking trails, and great sunset viewing points.
At night, you can also go looking for fireflies or bioluminescent mushrooms and, when the sky is clear, this remote island is just a great place to look-up at the star-lit sky’s fantastic views of the Milky Way…
As a finishing touch, on your last day of diving with us, Arabesque can organize a barbecue, where locally sourced products showcasing the island’s many delicacies.
So… let the good times roll!
Shop & Staff
WHAT’S IN A NAME?
An arabesque is a geometrical artistic decoration, which can be described as rhythmic linear patterns of scrolling and interlacing foliage, tendrils or plain lines, often combined with other elements.
It is a highly fluid decorative motif, where shapes merge into one another in a seemingly endless flow.
In the same vein, composer Claude Debussy wrote a piano piece entitled Première Arabesque, which is an impressionistic piece where the musical line flows through different modes and keys, mirroring fluid symmetrical patterns found in nature.
https://youtu.be/Yh36PaE-Pf0
As divers and ocean lovers, Debussy’s musical arabesque brings to our mind the endless ebb and flow of the sea, the perpetual motion of ripples and rolling waves, as well as the joy of creating intimate connections between people to the sea – which is why we chose to name our dive center Arabesque.
FACILITIES
The Arabesque Dive Center first opened its doors on September 11, 2015.
The dive centers was built by and for divers and thus designed and conceived, from the start, specifically for diving activities.
As a practical example, you do not need to remove your footwear or wetsuit anywhere in the dive center, which is more than convenient between dives!
Coming back from a dive, you can simply hop out of the shop’s car, dunk your camera in our large dedicated rinse tank and head directly to the showers.
The dive center has 3 private shower rooms, all equipped with body soap, shampoo and conditioner, as well as shelves for your clothing.
The showers themselves are spacious, with plenty of room to change in and out of clothes.
There are two seperate toilets (with Japanese washlet units, of course) one unisex and one for the ladies only.
We also offer numerous practical amenities, including towels, hair dryers, and a spin dryer, which will all help you feel at home, but also other practical items such as non-slip Gyosan sandals or boat-coats, all provided free of charge.
The Arabesque dive center is built around a large central space, the main atrium, which is where most of the socializing takes place.
It is air-conditioned and equipped with tables and chairs, fish books and also camera-friendly amenities such as rubber mats for your camera setup.
We also have a fridge and microwave oven that guests can use, and complimentary drinks such as coffee and hot/cold barley-tea.
Furthermore, the entire room is monitored by CCTV for the safety of your valuables.
Arabesque’s atrium area is really confortable. With its open space design, high ceiling and white walls, potted plants and chill low-key music, the space feels more like a café than your traditional dive center…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ-yxpK8kv4
Equipment-wise, we have 10L or 12L steel tanks (remove roughly 2kg / 4 pounds to the average weighting you normally use with aluminium tanks such as AL80s).
All our tanks are with Yoke / INT connections (if your regulator is DIN, bring a DIN adapter with you if you can).
Our tanks are regularly inspected and serviced, as is our rental equipment, and nitrox 31% is free of charge.
We have a selection of 500g to 2 kg weights, including ankle weights, belts and weight harnesses.
To keep warm, we have 5 mm long wetsuits (Aqualung, Gull, World Dive and Moby), booties and open-heel fins (including heavier fins for drysuit diving), along with hoods and caps for rental.
We do have some rental dry-suits, but our size range is limited, especially in for the bigger sizes, so please check with us in advance.
MEET THE STAFF
Momoka Yoshida
– Open Water Scuba Diving Instructor (OWSI)
– Sensui-shi Professional Diver’s State Licence
– Boating licence
“I want to help people discover Hachijō’s beauty, and the magic of this Tōkyō Island’s underwater world.
Still a young instructor, my goal is to connect people to the sea through diving.
I first visited Hachijō on school trip, and was just overwhelmed by the island’s natural beauty.
From then on, I knew I would be coming back to this special place to help others discover and explore its amazing marine environment..
I started diving as a student at Izu Ōshima’s Maritime International Highschool, another island of the Izu archipelago,and decided to continue my studies at Ōshima’s Maritime Training College to become a diving instructor.
In April 2021, I finally started working as a diving instructor on my beloved Hachijō Island, and look forward to meeting you all in the future!
Natsumi Suzuki
– Divemaster dive-leader certification.
– Nursery school teacher qualification
– Preschool Teacher Level 2 Regular License
I love the ocean and trying different things, which is why I moved from Ibaraki Prefecture to Hachijō Island, to work directely in sea-related environment
I’d say one of my strong points is channeling people’s energy, and creating a fun environment to be in. I’m also really comfortable with kids, and will make sure we have at great time in the water, whether it’s for snorkeling or try-dives.
On land or at sea, I just love Hachijō island’s fantastic natural environment and will do everything I can to help visitors discover it and enjoy their stay with us, so don’t hesitate to me ask for advice!
Masahiro Koganezawa
– Master Scuba Diver Trainer (MSDT) n° 826734
– Sensui-shi Professional Diver’s State Licence
– Food Hygiene Manager
– Fire and Disaster Prevention Management
– And all the rest…
Fascinated by acting in my school days, I somehow ended up working as a manager the catering industry…
At 25, I decided it was time for a change, and moved to Hachijō island on my own.
There, I trained for 4 years, working as staff in a well-known dive shop, with the objective of setting up my own dive center.
And this is how Arabesque ended up opening its doors, on the beautiful morning of 11th September 2015…
As an educator, I aim to train divers that are self-sufficient and respectful of the environment, and also to always keep learning myself.
I love small creatures and juvenile fish, and have had my share of miracles underwater!
Ben Gazzal
– Open Water Scuba Diving Instructor (PADI, SDI)
– CMAS Dive Guide (France)
– Degrees in Japanese Studies & Social Sciences
– Etc…
I grew up in the Middle East, Australia and later in France, and hold degrees in Social Sciences and Japanese Studies.
Before diving, I worked as a professional musician then as a translator and guide in Japanese, English and French languages.
I am fueled by a passion for learning, which I’ve been told comes across in the way I teach and brief dives, and have worked as dive professional in contrasting environments before Japan, including Indonesia’s Komodo National Park, Mexico’s Sea of Cortez or Thailand’s Andaman Sea.
All and all, I just love being underwater, and am fascinated by the way creatures of all shapes and sizes play out stories of interaction, symbiosis or conflict right before our eyes as we dive. This focus on behaviour is also why I’m more attracted to underwater videography than still pictures.
Helping others to visit and experience this less well-known part of our planet, with its intense concentration of life, is something I cherish deeply, and I would like to help preserve this environment through best practices of responsible diving, both in terms of environmental sustainability and safety awareness.
Kayo Tsukamoto
– Open Water Scuba Diving Instructor (PADI, SDI)
– CMAS-trained (France)
– Degrees in Musical Studies and more..
I was born in Japan, but moved to Paris at early age, and worked in France and abroad for over 10 years, before working full-time as a dive professional, and speak French and English along with my native Japanese.
All life comes from underwater, and the underwater world is still really full of life!
I’ve worked in quite different seas, including Mexico (Sea of Cortez), Indonesia (Komodo and Raja Ampat) and Thailand’s Andaman sea, and am still learning about the riches of Hachijō Island’s fantastic ocean.
I really hope we will be able to preserve and enjoy such environments as long as possible, and find the way to strengthen our symbiosis with the sea.
FRIENDS OF ARABESQUE
Arabesque is run by the youngest dive-shop owner on Hachijō island and believes in the value of personalised customer service.
Our flexible approach and facilities are also an ideal working environment for photographers and videographers, which is why some professionals have chosen to make Arabesque their home-away-from-home, for longer working sessions on the island.
We try to create a stimulating environment that encourages mutual learning and cooperation, and it’s not uncommon for our regular diving guests to receive some very useful tips from underwater imagery professionals at the dive center!
Frequent Arabesque visitors/residents include cameramen Kazushige Horiguchi and Kirin Sekito.
VIDEOS
Here a some examples of cameraman Kirin Sekito’s work, done over the course of his multiple stays with us:
https://youtu.be/KMbGDKHeY_Ihttps://youtu.be/KdKwdcZjjiY