Location
Hachijō Island (Hachijō-jima , 八丈島) is located 287 kilometres (178 miles south of the south of the special wards of Tōkyō, to which it is rattached, in the Pacific Ocean’s Philippine Sea.
The island itself is part of the Izu archipelago, a series of more than a dozen islands and islets (9 of which are inhabited) starting off the coast of the Izu Peninsula.
Hachijō itself is about 200 kilometres (120 miles) south of the tip of the Izu Peninsula and is also part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park.
From a geographical point of view, is also part of the Nanpō Islands, which comprises the islands of the Izu and Ogasawara archipelagos. In recent years, the islands of the Nanpō archipelago, all administered by the Tōkyō Metropolis, have been given the name Tokyo Islands, or Tokyo 11 Islands, for promotional purposes.
The Arabesque Dive Center (Diving Shop Arabesque) itself is located on the east side of Hachijō Island, in the Ōkago district.
Access
Here’s our address on Hachijō Island :
Arabesque Dive Center
363-1 Okago, Hachijo-machi, Hachijo-Island, Tokyo Japan 100-1401
Phone: +81 (0)4996-9-5838
Email: arabesque8.2015@gmail.com
Business hours: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm (there is no time difference with mainland Japan)
Regular closing day: none (irregular closures)
* Please note that we are often out diving during the day and may not be able to answer the phone, especially during busy periods.
We would appreciate it if you would preferably contact us by email instead.
If need to reach us urgently, please try to call us between 7am and 8am in the morning and 8pm and 9pm in the evening if possible.
Flights
Daily Flights
Hachijō Island (Hachijō-jima) is reachable by a roughly 55 minute flight departing from Tōkyō’s Haneda Airport (2 or 3 flights a day)
Arriving flights
Flight 1: ANA 1891, departing from Haneda at 07:30am → 8:25 am arrival at Hachijō
Flight 2: ANA 1893 departing from Haneda at 12:15am → 1:10pm arrival at Hachijō
(Flight 3 is currently on hold – departing from Haneda at 3:50pm → 4:40 pm arrival at Hachijō)
Return flights
Flight 1: ANA 1892, departing from Hachijō at 09:00am → 9:55 am arrival at Haneda
Flight 2: ANA 1894, departing from Hachijō at 14:00am → 14:55 am arrival at Haneda
* Please note that flights can be delayed or cancelled by strong winds
* Please note that current standard recommendations for flying after diving are to plan as follows:
A minimal pre-flight surface interval of 12 hours after a single dive with no mandatory decompression stop.
A minimal pre-flight surface interval of 18 hours for multiple dives per day or multiple days of diving – more info on this DAN page
For similar reasons, it is recommended that divers avoid going to altitudes beyond 300 meters/1,000 feet for at least 24 hours after their last dive
(the island’s Mt. Hachijo Fuji has an altitude of 854 meters)
Ferry
Overnight Ferry
Hachijō is also reachable by a 10.5-hour night-ferry crossing (Tōkai Kisen), leaving from Tōkyō’s Takeshiba Pier
Departure
10:30pm from Takeshiba Pier → 8:50am arrival at Hachijō-jima
Return
9:40 am departure from Hachijō (Sokodo port) → 7:40pm arrival at Tōkyō’s Takeshiba Pier
Arabesque’s Free Shuttle Service
We offer a free shuttle service for guests arriving by ferry or by flight 1 (ANA 1891, arriving at 8:25 am).
We will pick you up to go diving with us and drop you off free of charge when you leave.
- Please contact us in advance if you plan on flying in or returning on other flights than flight 1, we cannot guarantee it, but we will do our best to adjust our timetable and pick you up as well.
Luggage
For your luggage and/or diving equipment, you have the following options:
FLYING WITH YOUR LUGGAGE
When flying to Hachijō, ANA offer economy class passengers a 20 kg free luggage allowance for checked-in luggage per personn (10 kg for cabin luggage).
Premium class passengers get a 40 kg checked-in luggage allowance.
There is no restriction on the number of pieces, as long as the total linear dimensions (length, width, height) per item is no more than 203 cm.
If you have excess baggage (i.e. checked-in luggage of more than 20 kg in economy class or 40 kg in premium class, it is calculated as follows:
| 1 to 10 kg excess luggage 1,500 JPY | 11 to 20 kg excess luggage 2,500 JPY |
21 to 30 kg excess luggage 3,500 JPY |
Each checked-in bag must be less than 32 kg and the total for all pieces must be less than 100 kg
More info on luggage allowance on the ANA website here
SENDING YOUR LUGGAGE IN ADVANCE (hands-free travel)
it is possible to send your luggage directly to Arabesque or to Hachijo airport using the transport service Kuroneko Yamato, and enjoy hands-free travel.
Prices vary according to distance, but to give you an example, from metropolitan Tōkyō prices for luggage with total linear dimensions (length, width, height) of no more than 160 cm and of 25 kg maximum is 2,070 JPY
More info on the Kuroneko Yamato website here.
TAKING THE FERRY WITH YOUR LUGGAGE
When traveling by ferry to Hachijō, there is a 20 kg free allowance for luggage with total linear dimensions (length, width, height) of no more than 120 cm.
Larger luggage such as diving bags with three sides adding up to 200 cm or less, and total weight of 30 kg or less, must be placed in checked baggage, and cost is 1,500 JPY per piece, per a one-way trip.
More info on the Tokai Kinsen website here
IMPORTANT NOTE
As of writing, there are no currency exchange options on the island, so please plan in advance.