Do you want to try something exciting that you can tell all of your friends and family about? How about seeing the beautiful landscape of Japan from 12,500ft (3,800 meters)? Adventure and thrill-seekers, get your adrenaline fix at Tokyo Skydiving Club.
After contacting Tokyo Skydiving Club to make a reservation (preferably a week or more before your desired jump date), you will be asked to give your personal information, such as your name, age, height and weight. You will also be asked which of the three flight options you prefer: the basic tandem jump (32,000 yen), the tandem jump with a hand camera (40,000 yen total) or the tandem jump with a cameraman (48,000 yen total). The hand camera option only takes videos before and during your jump, while the cameraman option takes videos and pictures.
Although the name implies that you will be skydiving in Tokyo, the meeting spot is at a private airfield in Saitama called Honda Airport. It can be accessed by bus from Okegawa, Kawagoe, or Honkawagoe Stations, or by car. Once you have filled out the consent form and listened to a brief lecture explaining the different positions to make before and during the jump, your instructor will come and help you get ready. Many of the instructors can speak English and Japanese fluently, plus they have a great sense of humor!
Once your gear has been thoroughly checked by the instructor, you will make your way to the plane with the other people who will be jumping. After reaching an altitude of about 12,500ft, the doors will be opened and it will be time to jump! The instructor will check everything one last time beforehand, so there is nothing to worry about. Just enjoy the view like you have never experienced it before! The freefall itself is about one minute, and if you are lucky you’ll get the chance to fly through a cloud! After the instructor releases the parachute, you can enjoy a leisurely descent back down to the ground with a breathtaking view of the Japanese countryside.
After landing, you will be driven back to the meeting spot and get your SD card with videos and/or pictures of your jump (for those that chose the hand camera or cameraman option). For those who want to see their video right away, there is a room where you can watch your video, but you are more than welcome to take the SD card home with you. The entire experience takes about two hours, but the memory will last for a lifetime.
Important Notes:
- Wear comfortable and form-fitting clothes. Also wear sports shoes that can be securely tied.
- Goggles, jumpsuits, etc. are provided, but when I went I did not have to wear a jumpsuit.
- Glasses and contacts can be worn, but contacts are recommended (especially soft-contact lenses).
