On May 23, 2009, I had the great opportunity to skydive Tokyo, Japan. Tokyo Skydiving Club (TSC), though a small dropzone, is an unbelievable place to go skydiving. First off, it is easily accessible from anywhere in Tokyo. Their website gives you detailed information on their location and on how to get there. Whether by train or bus, it's fairly easy to find your way there, and the individuals working at the dropzone will usually have no problem picking you up from the bus station and/or train station. Nevertheless, before you can have the opportunity to jump there, you need to notify the drop zone that you have the intention of jumping. You need to do this at least one week in advance since it takes about 7 days to get permission from the government to skydive in Japan; and permission is usually granted with ease. Furthermore, you need to pay for insurance and membership fees: "Temporary" membership and insurance fees cost roughly a total of 6,500 yen and will be valid for one month. Though it might seem complicated, time consuming, and costly to go through this process, it will ultimately be worth it. From the moment you begin your ascent in the airplane, you immediately become stunned by the stellar views of Japan. From the bustling cities below, which are surrounded by beautiful rice paddies and rivers, to an epic view of Mt. Fuji in the distance, every second of freefall will be memorable and enjoyable. Specifically, the information the drop zone will require from you consists of: Name: specify first and last name Nationality: Address: In Japan, if you have Phone number: In Japan, if you have Date of birth: DD/MM/YY Sex: M or F Height: Weight: License number and organization: Total number of jumps: Date and place of your last jump: Equipment: *AAD required Date of your reserve repacked: Date of your visit: The Prices are: Jump ticket = JPY6,000 (from 12,500 feet) Tandem jump with no camera : JPY30,000 Tandem jump with camera by tandem master : JPY38,000 (movie in DVD) Tandem jump with air cameraman : JPY46,000 (movie and still photo in DVDs) Video and Photo to hire out an Air Cameraman: JPY10,000 The drop zone opens at 8:30 am and closes roughly at around sunset (depending on how many people are jumping that day). The people at TSC are extremely friendly and professional. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted with open arms and treated very hospitably. TSC walked me through all the paper work that needed filling out and showed me many aerial views of the dropzone so that I could become comfortable with knowing the terrain and in learning the landing patterns. Furthermore, all the other fun jumpers at the dropzone were very helpful, engaging and friendly. After my first jump, the manifest would hook me up with other jumpers so I could experience jumping with others. Though some of the other jumpers didn’t speak any English, there were many people at the dropzone, including people working the manifest and facilities, that could speak perfect English. Thus, I never faced any communication problem, and anything that needed translating was done immediately and for my convenience. In addition, TSC has a covered packing area where you can also hire out a packer for the day. The service the dropzone provides is amazing. At the end of the day, I was also given a ride from the dropzone to the train station so that I wouldn’t have to do any walking or waiting. The plane TSC used was a grand caravan (C-208B), which could hold a maximum of 19 jumpers. Though there were no seats on the airplane, everyone was comfortably organized on the floor. You sat front to back, with the front guy sitting against the back guy’s legs. In addition, everyone was strapped down by seat belts. Also, you need to be careful you understand the lighting sequence at the door. Instead of the conventional red light/green light system, the plane has a system of 3 lights that tell you how much more time you have before you can exit the plane. No worries though—the people at TSC will explain to you everything you need to know regarding this system. In regards to their other facilities, TSC has a bathroom and numerous vending machines. The vending machines, unfortunately, only provide an assortment of drinks; therefore, you need to make sure to bring food with you. If you don’t bring food, then you’ll have to drive off the dropzone and find food elsewhere. When I went to TSC, I forgot to bring food, but the individuals at TSC were very friendly and drove me into town to pick up some goodies. As mentioned before, the people at TSC will do everything in their power to make your experience enjoyable and to cater to all your needs. I highly recommend this dropzone to anybody who has the great fortune of visiting Tokyo, Japan. Finally, I did not stay at the dropzone overnight, but supposedly they have a very nice bunk house with showers that can accommodate you if you decide to stay the night.
